Critically evaluate a corporation of your choosing from the perspective(s) of business ethics and/or corporate social responsibility and/or sustainability using two contrasting conceptual or theoretical approaches. Write a 3,000-word report on your evaluation.
Corporations in the following industries / sectors should provide rich cases for your analysis, but you can choose other sectors:
• Tobacco industry;
• Oil industry;
• Car industry;
• Domestic and personal electronics, including computing and mobile devices;
• High street retailer of food, clothes or electronics.

Your critical evaluation must be from the perspective(s) of business ethics and/or corporate social responsibility and/or sustainability. For your analysis, select two contrasting conceptual or theoretical approaches. The seminar in Week 8 will review the approaches covered so far. The range of material you analyse could include information provided by the corporation (e.g. sustainability / social / CSR policies and reports) as well as information about the corporation e.g. stories in the media, including specific incidents (scenarios) the corporation has been involved in. However, you must conduct your own analysis of the material.

Structure for the Report:
Introduction.
– The aims or purpose of your report
– A very brief overview of your chosen corporation
– A final paragraph that outlines the next section of your report

Theoretical / Conceptual Approaches and Analysis
Organise this section of your report into two sub-sections with appropriate headings, one for each of your approaches. Each sub-section may include further sub-sections with headings.
– For each sub-section you should:
– Clearly explain the theoretical or conceptual approach that you are going to apply and why it is relevant for your aims / purpose. Include any debates about, or criticisms and weaknesses of, the approach.
– Specify the material you are going to analyse, its source, and why it is relevant for this analysis.
– Systematically apply the analytical approach to your material and explain the findings

Discussion and Conclusions
– Discuss and compare and contrast the findings from your two analyses, including contradictory findings and what could account for them
– Relate your findings and discussion to the aims and purpose of the report, and specify any conclusions you have reached.

Mark Learning Outcome
1. Introduction
– The aims or purpose of your report
– Very brief overview of your chosen corporation
– Final paragraph that outlines the next section of your report 10 LO1, LO2. LO3, LO4
2. Theoretical / conceptual approaches (maximum of 10 marks for each approach)
– Clearly explain both of the theoretical or conceptual approaches that you are going to use, including debates, criticisms, weaknesses
– Say why they are relevant for your aims / purpose. 20 LO1, LO2. LO3, LO4
3. Analysis (maximum of 20 marks for each analysis)
– For each analysis, specify the material you are going to analyse, its source, and why it is relevant for this particular analytical approach.
– For each analysis, systematically apply the approach and explain your findings 40 LO1, LO2. LO3, LO4
4. Discussion and Conclusions
– Discuss and compare and contrast the findings from your two analyses, including contradictory findings and what could account for them
– Relate your findings and discussion to the aims / purpose of the report and specify any conclusions you have reached 20 LO1, LO2. LO3, LO4
5. Presentation, structure and referencing
– Meaningful title
– Use the Harvard referencing system for citing sources
– Followed guidance on report structure
– Appearance and written expression 10 LO1, LO2. LO3, LO4
TOTAL MARKS: 100%
It is important that you demonstrate that you have understood the approach you are using and that you have not been biased in the material you select for analysis.

Suggestions (not exhaustive – other options are also possible)

• Critically evaluate a particular case involving your corporation from perspectives of two different ethical theories.
• Carroll’s pyramid of social responsibilities: Critically evaluate a particular case involving your corporation from perspectives of two of the responsibilities in Carroll’s pyramid.
• Stakeholder theory: Critically evaluate an issue or case involving your corporation from the perspectives of two stakeholder groups e.g. Shareholders and employees.
• Creating Shared Value: Critically evaluate the extent to which value is created and shared from the perspectives of two stakeholder groups e.g. shareholders and local communities.
• Critically evaluate the quality of your corporation’s CSR (or sustainability, environmental or social report) using two questions from Boston College’s ‘How to read a sustainability report’
• Critically evaluate the extent to which your corporation holds up two different principles from the UN Global Compact
• Critically valuate the extent to which your corporation is contributing to the achievement of two Millennium Development Goals
• Critically evaluate an issue or case involving your corporation from two of the triple bottom line perspectives