Module
Responsible Leadership
Module description
Responsible leadership is a human imperative. Anyone who currently leads or manages organisations, people or movements knows that there are many complex, interconnected challenges that demand investment, collaboration, action and change on a global scale. These challenges affect the survival of organisations, the wellbeing of their workforces, wider society and the natural world. We need a model of leadership that embraces the interrelated nature of these challenges, envisions systemic solutions and puts these into action. This module will examine the changing mission and purpose of organisations, and explore how we, as leaders, can unlock sustainable and responsible progress. Together we will critically analyse the nature of contemporary leadership, allowing you to build a personal approach to leadership that can help you shape a more sustainable and equitable future.
Full module specification
| Module title: | Responsible Leadership |
|---|---|
| Module code: | BEMM495Z |
| Module level: | M |
| Academic year: | 2023/4 |
| Module lecturers: |
|
| Module credit: | 30 |
| ECTS value: | 15 |
| Pre-requisites: | None |
| Co-requisites: | None |
| Duration of module: |
Duration (weeks) - term 1: 12 |
Module aims
Responsible leadership draws together debates on corporate responsibility, ethical decision making, sustainable business and the value created by our organisations and the work we do. By considering the impact of business and the role of leaders, and questioning our shared responsibility to stakeholders outside organisational boundaries, this module critiques existing debates on corporate responsibility and sustainability and draws forth practical and accessible ways that leaders can enable a future where growth and profitability create more equitable prosperity. This module will equip you with the knowledge and skills to be able to more confidently manage the complexity of the modern workplace and to lead others, and yourself, in a world where change is necessary and unavoidable. You will develop your own leadership style and adopt new relational and behavioural skills that prepare you to face the challenges we analyse together.
ILO: Module-specific skills
- 1. critically discuss the origins of responsible leadership
- 2. apply the principles of responsible leadership to current management and leadership challenges faced by organisations globally
- 3. assess your leadership experiences and style through the application of reflective practice
- 4. critique academic arguments on the key themes influencing responsible leaders
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
- 5. critically appraise the impact of responsible practices in organisations
- 6. evaluate the role and responsibilities of organisations in responding to the social and economic problems faced by societies
ILO: Personal and key skills
- 7. synthesise academic evidence in order to present balanced arguments and make measured recommendations
- 8. design and undertake an independent research task
- 9. present written work to a high standard, adhering to conventions for academic writing and referencing
- 10. develop balanced arguments drawing on a diverse range of evidence
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 120 | 180 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning & Teaching Activities | 120 | Asynchronous online learning activities |
| Guided independent study | 180 | Including preparation for online content, reflection on taught material, wider reading and completion of assessments |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reflective Learning Log | 12 hours | 1-10 | Summary feedback on ELE at points during the term |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual Assignment | 55 | 2,000 words or equivalent | 1, 2, 4-10 | Final grade & written feedback posted on BART |
| Individual Reflective Report | 35 | 1,500 words or equivalent | 3, 4, 7-10 | Final grade & written feedback posted on BART |
| Module Reflection | 10 | 500 words or equivalent | 1-10 | Individual Feedback |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual Assignment | Individual Assignment (55%) | 1, 2, 4-10 | Reassessment Period |
| Individual Reflective Report | Individual Reflective Report (35%) | 3, 4, 7-10 | Reassessment Period |
| Module Reflection | Module Reflection (10%) | 1-10 | Reassessment Period |
Syllabus plan
Indicative content for this module includes:
- Why do we need a responsible leadership approach?
- Responsible to whom? The stakeholder perspective
- Beyond CSR – purpose, mission and value creation in organisations
- Leadership in, and of, communities
- Feeling the heat – the role of business in the Climate Crisis
- Social cohesion – divided we fall (cultural leadership; leading diverse teams; equality and diversity at work)
- Health and wealth – lessons from the pandemic
- The future of work – what we want and need from our leaders as we face the future
- Collaboration and partnership (inter-relational + inter-organisational)
- Cognitive, relational and behavioural competencies for responsible leaders
- The practice of ethics – ethical decision making in leadership
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Badaracco, J. L. (2013). The good struggle: Responsible leadership in an unforgiving world. Harvard Business Review Press.
Bazerman, M. H. (2020). A new model for ethical leadership. Harvard Business Review, 98(5), 90–97.
Ladkin, D. (2020). Rethinking leadership: A new look at old questions (2nd ed.). Edward Elgar.
Pless, N. M., & Maak, T. (2011). Responsible leadership: Pathways to the future. Journal of Business Ethics, 98, 3–13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-011-1114-4
Woods, W. (2017, October). The business benefits of doing good [Video]. TED@BCG Milan. https://www.ted.com/talks/wendy_woods_the_business_benefits_of_doing_good
Further specific readings will accompany each topic and will be posted alongside the weekly online activities. Examples include:
D'Auria, G., & De Smet, A. (2020). Leadership in a crisis: Responding to the coronavirus outbreak and future challenges. McKinsey & Company. https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-insights/leadership-in-a-crisis-responding-to-the-coronavirus-outbreak-and-future-challenges
Mazzucato, M. (2020). Walk the talk of stakeholder capitalism [Video]. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2021/05/video-walk-the-talk-of-stakeholder-capitalism
Wheatley, M. J. (2017). Who do you choose to be? An invitation to the nobility of leadership. Leader To Leader, 2017(85), 37-41. https://doi-org.uoelibrary.idm.oclc.org/10.1002/ltl.20304
Module has an active ELE page?
Yes
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
McKinsey insights: https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights
MIT Sloan Review: https://sloanreview.mit.edu/
The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD): https://www.wbcsd.org/
World Economic Forum: https://www.weforum.org/
Indicative learning resources - Other resources
Relevant Academic Journals:
Harvard Business Review
Human Relations
Journal of Business Ethics
Journal of Cleaner Production
Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies (JLOS)
Leadership
Leadership Quarterly
Sustainable Development
Origin date
03/11/2021