LW941-7-AU-CO:
Corporate Responsibility and Business Law
2023/24
Essex Law School
Colchester Campus
Autumn
Postgraduate: Level 7
Current
Thursday 05 October 2023
Friday 15 December 2023
15
20 October 2023
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
LLM M22212 Corporate Responsibility and Business Law,
LLM M22224 Corporate Responsibility and Business Law
This module examines the concepts, theories and models of corporate responsibility and corporate social responsibility (CSR) and their implications and challenges for business law and practice. It examines the role of CSR in as a business strategy and public governance tool in the context of the social and environmental impacts of business activities that suggest interesting dimensions to the role of business in society.
In this module you will examine the debates and doctrines of CSR in domestic and transnational environments and explore broad questions such as: What is CSR and what are the forms of corporate responsibility? What is the relationship between law and CSR and can public and private laws facilitate CSR? Can CSR address regulatory and governance gaps in national and transnational jurisdictions? What are the limits of international law in business regulation and can CSR fill gaps in international law? What is the status of a company? What is a stakeholder and what interest groups exist in a company? What is the role of social reporting? Can CSR be used as a development tool and for promoting socio-economic rights and sustainable development?
The module reflects some degrees of comparative analysis and interdisciplinarity and case study exercises will also enable you to explore the approaches of different disciplines to CSR, including law, management, politics, philosophy, ethics and international relations. You will have an opportunity to discover the strengths and weaknesses of taking global, contextual and comparative approaches to CSR.
The aim of this module is to introduce you to the sources, concepts, theories and models of corporate responsibility and corporate social responsibility (CSR) and to enable you to describe and discuss the legal, practical and business contexts in which they operate. The module aims to provide you with intellectual knowledge and the conceptual and practical skills necessary to understand the role of business in society, and to equip you with effective independent research, communication and interpersonal skills for study and employment. It aims to contribute to and improve your decision making and risk management in business and enable you to implement CSR models at different organisational levels and create competitive advantage through them. The module also aims to develop appropriate research methodology skills and improve comparative and case study analytical skills.
The learning outcomes for the module are to:
1. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the sources, theories and models of corporate responsibility and corporate social responsibility and be able to describe and discuss the legal, practical and business context in which they operate, including their benefits, limitations and challenges;
2. Demonstrate understanding of the historical context and development of corporate social responsibility;
3. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of applicable regulatory approaches to corporate responsibility and corporate social responsibility;
4. Demonstrate critical awareness of relevant issues and identify and explain key legislations, cases, texts and procedures on corporate social responsibility and evaluate critically the law in this field on pragmatic, commercial, moral, policy and/or other grounds;
5. Read legislation and case law and apply them critically to specific legal, business and other situations;
6. Identify and evaluate critically large and complex amounts of legal data from more than one source or jurisdiction;
7. Evaluate the business environment, and critically analyse and apply legal data to specific facts and deduce likely outcomes where law is indeterminate;
8. Demonstrate independent legal research and study skills, including multi-disciplinary research and use of library-based resources; and
9. Identify, select and organise materials and produce coherent and convincing arguments and demonstrate critical thinking and effective and persuasive oral and written communication skills.
The module will combine elements of taught instruction and group discussion in weekly lectures and interactive seminars requiring your active participation in the whole group under guidance of the tutor. As part of a formative assessment process, you will be asked to make presentations in seminars and to undertake exercises on Moodle. In addition, you will work independently on the summative assessment exercise.
This module will be taught via weekly 2-hour seminars.
The module teaching team will upload all relevant teaching materials on Moodle. You will find reading lists, the textbook, weekly handouts or PPS notes on Moodle. The materials in question are designed both to help you navigate the material to be covered in the seminars and to equip you to analyse the required readings. You will be expected to have completed the required readings in advance of your seminars.
The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course.
The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students.
Further reading can be obtained from this module's
reading list.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Essay (LW941 Corporate Responsibility and Business Law) |
|
100% |
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Uchechukwu Nwoke, email: u.nwoke@essex.ac.uk.
Law Education Office, pgtlawqueries@essex.ac.uk
No
No
Yes
Dr Emilie Ghio
University of Edinburgh
Lecturer in Law
Available via Moodle
Of 18 hours, 18 (100%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.
Essex Law School
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