The Do Better, Be Better Project: Teaching Corporate Responsibility and Social Justice Through Experience
By Rachel Spooner
Key Words: SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY; EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING; SERVICE LEARNING; ALUMNI; ALUMNI RELATIONS; BUSINESS ETHICS; BUSINESS LAW; ETHICS; REFLECTION; SELF-GUIDED PROJECTS; CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY; SOCIAL JUSTICE
Abstract:
Business schools typically teach corporate responsibility through academic theory or case studies; yet, many business schools acknowledge the value of experiential learning and express a desire to move away from the traditional lecture and case study pedagogies. This article describes an innovative and ambitious project that teaches the lessons of corporate responsibility and social justice through experience. The Do Better, Be Better Project combines the pedagogical benefits of experiential learning, service learning, and self-guided projects. Uniquely, the Do Better, Be Better Project brings alumni into the classroom by assigning every student (or team) an alumni advisor. While many pedagogies exist that yield one of these benefits, very few accomplish so many goals in one project. During the Do Better, Be Better Project, students to spend a semester creating positive change on an issue about which they care deeply, offering opportunities to create knowledge through experience and reflection. This article discusses the pedagogical benefits of using experiential and service learning to teach corporate responsibility and social justice, the value of self-guided projects for business students, and the benefits created by engaging alumni in a substantive classroom project. Finally, this article provides detailed instructions on how to use the Do Better, Be Better Project in a business school classroom.
Legal Analysis: There’s a Template for That!
By Nancy J. White
Key Words: LEGAL ANALYSIS, LEGAL FRAME WORKING, LEGAL ANALYSIS TEMPLATE, LEGAL STUDIES EDUCATION, CRITICAL THINKING, PROBLEM SOLVING
Abstract:
Legal analysis is an important and difficult skill to teach students. The relationships between the law and facts, and the use of the facts to support a legal conclusion, require practice. This paper introduces a technique called the “Legal Analysis Template” which helps students breakdown the law into elements, and then apply the facts to the law in order to support a legal conclusion. Students fill in the section of the template to reach a conclusion supported by both facts and law.
A Unified Approach to Corporate Collaborative Decision-Making: Why Adopt It and How to Operationalize It
By Daniel J. Herron
Key Words: COLLABORATION; STAKEHOLDER; ETHICS; GAME THEORY; BUSINESS ANALYSIS; DECISION-MAKING
Abstract:
Collaboration is the cornerstone of decision-making for many societal institutions, including the market and business decision-making. While collaboration is a straightforward concept, its application is highly complex. The “devil,” as they say, is in the details. This article lays out the theoretical and ethical foundations of collaborative decision-making, focusing on stakeholder theory as the driving dynamic of the theories. In arguing for stakeholder theory, the article invokes game theory and team building. Further, the article presents various devices to enhance collaborative stakeholder decision-making as well as tools for teaching such practices.
Simulating a Court Experience to Expand Diverse Perspectives and to Practice Civil Discourse
By Sandra S. Benson
Key Words: CIVIL DISCOURSE, LEGAL STUDIES PEDAGOGY, COURT SIMULATION, CONSTRUCTIVE LEARNING, COMMUNICATION SKILLS, CASE ANALYSIS, ROLE PLAYING, STRATEGIC THINKING SKILLS, CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS
Abstract:
In U.S. society, incivility is rampant and people do not understand diverse viewpoints. The bigger question looms, “What can be done about it?” This article describes an activity, called The Court Experience, in which students grapple with diverse perspectives by rotating as judges, attorneys, jurors, and others, using reason and respectful communication to express ideas. Informal feedback is extremely positive, indicating that this activity may help students appreciate views they did not previously appreciate, strengthen their strategic and critical thinking skills, improve their oral and written communication skills, and enable them to grasp the big picture as to why it is important to consider legal issues when making business decisions.