Social Impact (SOIM-UB)

This is a required course for all Stern students who do not take SOIM-UB 1 in the spring of their freshmen year. It provides Stern students an introduction to business and to the Social Impact Core curriculum, and prepares students for the remaining three Social Impact Core courses. Students watch plenary sessions and do reading prior to in-class meetings; the in-class focus is on discussion and exercise. Key learnings include stakeholder analysis, the logic of tradeoffs and externalities, and how business leverages scale to solve social problems and create value. Students develop their critical thinking skills by considering questions concerning the appropriate role of business in society.

Every professional businessperson must be aware of how legal systems work and affect business decisions. Furthermore, the interaction between law and business is multidimensional, involving international, ethical, and technological considerations. In this course, students examine how key areas of business law, including contracts, torts, and business organizations, influence the structure of business relationships. Students actively participate in legal studies designed to enhance business skills such as analytical thinking, written communication, oral presentation, conflict resolution, and teamwork problem solving.

Professional Responsibility and Leadership is an interdisciplinary capstone course that builds on prior course work within the Social Impact Core curriculum as well as other course work both within Stern and other NYU colleges. In this discussion seminar, students have the opportunity to pursue the following learning objectives: 1) become more familiar with the variety of ethical dilemmas that can arise in the course of business practice; 2) understand the different values and principles that can inform and guide decisions in such ambiguous situations; and 3) gain experience articulating and defending courses of action that are coherent with their own values. Various activities are designed and facilitated to allow students to engage in reflective dialogue with each other, the overarching themes of which include the relationship between business and society on a global, national and local basis; the foundations of personal and professional business ethics; and the exercise of leadership in organizations.

Students learn how organizations communicate with multiple types of audiences, focusing on the interconnections between business and society. The course uses the stakeholder model of the corporation to introduce the strategic implications of communication for modern organizations. Students focus on strategic and tactical aspects of corporate communication to study and practice the ways in which organizations communicate to their varied internal and external stakeholders. Assignments develop students? abilities in speaking and writing to these varied audiences, both to inform and to persuade. The course emphasizes bridging theoretical fundamentals, and action learning is stressed, which includes applying communication strategy to the following: oral and written business assignments; presentation delivery techniques; visual communication analysis and practice; team communication.

Business and Society is the first course in the Social Impact Core Curriculum required for Stern students. The course introduces students to the evolving role of business in society and challenges students to explore how business can and should create value for society. It includes a large plenary session in which thought leaders present their distinct perspectives on current and historical issues related to business and society. It also includes small group discussion sessions in which students reflect critically on the plenary perspectives in reference to alternative perspectives drawn from course readings. Students additionally select issues that they are passionate about, conducting research and analysis to develop their own perspectives and present them in writing. Overall, the course allows students to become more capable of analyzing issues relevant to the role of business in society, reframing them from the point of view of multiple societal stakeholders, and reflecting on them critically .

The Law, Business and Society course builds on prior coursework within the Social Impact Core Curriculum by challenging students to think about legal systems and appreciate how they have evolved and continue to evolve in relation to business and society. The interaction between law and business is multi-dimensional involving social, political, ethical and technological considerations. Students will examine how key areas of business law influence the structure of domestic and international business relationships, while honing their analytical, communication, conflict resolution and team problem solving skills. The students will learn how businesses play an active role in shaping the very laws that govern them through lobbying, public relations and the media.

Organizational Communication and its Social Context is the second stage of Stern’s four-year Social Desired Outcomes In Organizational Communication and its Social Context, you will learn business communication Impact Core Curriculum. Business and its Publics examines the relationships between corporations and society, particularly the social issues that arise from business operations. This course focuses on how companies communicate with multiple audiences: their various stakeholders. Students will learn business communication principles and have multiple opportunities to apply them to specific oral and written assignments, with the objective of enhancing your ability to write, present, and speak as a business professional. Practical applications will include 1) creating persuasive presentations and documents; 2) practicing team leadership and communication; and 3) effective management of time, tasks and deliverables.

Business and Society is the first course in the Social Impact Core Curriculum required for Stern students. The course introduces students to the evolving role of business in society and challenges students to explore how business can and should create value for society. It includes a large plenary session in which thought leaders present their distinct perspectives on current and historical issues related to business and society. It also includes small group discussion sessions in which students reflect critically on the plenary perspectives in reference to alternative perspectives drawn from course readings. Students additionally select issues that they are passionate about, conducting research and analysis to develop their own perspectives and present them in writing. Overall, the course allows students to become more capable of analyzing issues relevant to the role of business in society, reframing them from the point of view of multiple societal stakeholders, and reflecting on them critically.