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Corporate Governance and Social Responsibility

Module title	Corporate Governance and Social Responsibility
Module code	BEAM070
Academic year	2019/0
Credits	15
Module staff	Giovanna Michelon (Convenor)

Duration: Term	1	2	3
Duration: Weeks		11

Number students taking module (anticipated)	80

Module description

This module aims to provide you with a thorough grounding in a number of key advanced topics of corporate governance theory, research and practice (including social responsibility).

Module aims - intentions of the module

This module aims to provide students with a thorough grounding in a number of key advanced topics of corporate governance and social responsibility theory, research and practice; to develop their familiarity with and powers to criticise the academic literature; and to develop their ability to integrate and synthesise between topics in order to enter usefully into current debates and to suggest potentially fruitful avenues for development.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. List, describe, explain, relate, compare and contrast: Alternative definitions / conceptualisations of governance; Different contexts, rationales and drivers for corporate governance; Alternative paradigms in governance research; Different mechanisms for corporate governance; Alternative corporate governance frameworks and requirements; The different elements of economic, social, environmental and ethic responsibility; The different elements and aspects of corporate disclosure; Alternative mechanisms for executive compensation.
• 2. Cite, explain, select and apply appropriate models to suggest solutions to problems in: Development of corporate governance frameworks and requirements; Case (company) specific corporate governance and disclosure issues; The cost and value-relevance of corporate governance.
• 3. Derive, criticise and challenge models for: Development of corporate governance frameworks and requirements; Evolution of corporate governance frameworks in comparison to evolution of financial accounting and reporting requirements.
• 4. List, explain and criticise the key extant academic research upon module topics, including comment on context, research question(s), methodological approach, data, results, conclusions, achievement of objectives, and possible avenues for extension and improvement.
• 5. Integrate and synthesise between module topics to discuss the key issues in corporate governance and social responsibility theory, research and practice; comment on the associated current debates; and suggest potentially fruitful directions for development.

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 6. Develop powers of research in the academic literature and texts.
• 7. Develop powers of academic literature criticism.
• 8. Apply and criticise governance models.
• 9. Develop powers of integration and synthesis to suggest potentially fruitful questions.

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 10. Critically evaluate theoretical arguments and empirical evidences.
• 11. Use appropriate learning resources.
• 12. Structure and present ideas and arguments effectively in writing.

Syllabus plan

• The various attempts to define governance
• The context, rationale and drivers for corporate governance: social, economic and legal
• The place of corporate governance in the regulatory framework
• History and evolution of the corporate governance framework in the UK
• Comparison of alternative international corporate governance frameworks
• Adherence to requirements of the corporate governance framework
• Corporate social responsibility
• Institutional investors and shareholder activism
• Corporate reporting and corporate governance
• Executive compensation
• Review

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
29	121	0

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Contact hours	18	Lectures
Contact hours	2	Revision lectures
Contact hours	9	Workshop classes

Formative assessment

Form of assessment	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Workshop classes	3 hours preparation by student / 1 hour in-class discussion	1-12	In class

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Coursework	Written exams	Practical exams
20	80	0

Details of summative assessment

Form of assessment	% of credit	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Coursework test	20	1 hour	1-12	Mark awarded. Indicative answers posted online.
Examination	80	2 hours	1-12	Formal (departmental/University channels)

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
Coursework test and exam	Examination (100%) 2 hours	1-12	Aug/Sep

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

A selection of academic journal articles will be indicated via the ELE.

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

The Revised Combined Code on Corporate Governance and other materials via http://www.frc.org.uk/  FTSE4GOOD materials at, http://www.ftse.com/ftse4good/index.jsp

The International Corporate Governance Institute at http://www.icgn.org/

BoardEx, Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) and MSCI, all available through the Wharton Research Data Services (WRDS).

Indicative learning resources - Other resources

None

Key words search

Corporate governance; corporate reporting; corporate social responsibility

Credit value	15
Module ECTS	7.5
Module pre-requisites	None
Module co-requisites	None
NQF level (module)	7
Available as distance learning?	No
Origin date	16/07/2014
Last revision date	10/08/2017