Course Code: INTL 710
Course Name: Corporate Social Responsibility and International Development
Major Group Project
Due in Module 14 by Friday at 11:59 pm Eastern Time.
Corporations are increasingly being held accountable for their effect on both the environment and
society. This course seeks to understand the goals and purpose of the for-profit firm. In particular, we
will explore how the firm creates value, broadly defined, by investigating the concept of strategic
corporate social responsibility (Strategic CSR). In Module 10, we will learn that the goal of a business
is “to establish strategic CSR as a set of principles that differentiate it from related concepts, such as
sustainability and business ethics. While sustainability focuses on ecological preservation and
business ethics constructs normative prescriptions of right and wrong, strategic CSR is a pragmatic
philosophy that is grounded, first and foremost, in the day-to-day operations of the firm. As such,
strategic CSR is central to the firm’s value-creating activities and, ultimately, its success in the
market” (Chandler, 2020, p. 241).
Instructions:
For this project, you will work in a group to:
• Choose a Canadian company to research
• Assignment help – Discuss and analyze the following questions:
1. Does the company incorporate a CSR perspective in their culture and strategic planning
process?
2. Are any actions taken directly related to core operations?
3. Does the company seek to understand and respond to the needs of their stakeholders?
4. Does the company aim to optimize value created?
5. Has the company shifted from a short-term perspective to managing relations with key
stakeholders over the medium to long term?
Requirements:
• You will work together to complete a written report (see outline of report requirements below)
• Include in-text citations and a reference page, following the Help write my thesis – APA 7th edition citation guide.
• References should include a minimum of 8 reputable sources (i.e. CSR reports, articles, journals, a
chapter of the Textbook, etc.)
Before you begin the assignment, please read the marking rubric.
INTL 710 CENTENNIAL COLLEGE CSR and Int. Dev.
© 2020 CENTENNIALCOLLEGE.CA All rights reserved. 2
Report Outline:
Introduction: Review your chosen company i.e. mission, values, CSR initiatives, stakeholders etc., (maximum
½ page)
1) CSR perspective
In this part, you will look at how the chosen company can incorporate a social dimension in their
strategic decision making. Porter and Kramer provide a three-tiered framework that guides how
managers can assess and prioritize the range of social issues they encounter: a) “Generic social
issues” (not directly related to a firm’s operations) b) “Value chain social impacts” (the extent to which a
firm’s operations affect society) c) “Social dimensions of competitive context” (the extent to which the
environment constrains a firm’s operations).
2) Core Operations
In this part, you will look at any actions that the company takes – these actions should be directly
related to its day-to-day operations. The company’s actions will differ depending on the company’s
expertise and the issue’s relevance to the vision and mission.
For example, “Dell to offer a computer-recycling program as part of its product awareness throughout
the lifecycle.” It makes less sense, however, for Dell to offer a “Plant a Tree for Me” program as a way
for consumers to offset greenhouse gas emissions produced during the production of their new
computer. Dell knows about computers and should be responsible for its products throughout the value
system. Less obvious is Dell’s expertise in tree planting (what trees to plant, where to plant them, or
which trees best absorb carbon).” (Chandler, 2020, p. 243)
3) Stakeholder Perspective
In this part, you will look at how the company incorporates a stakeholder perspective in all decision
making. An essential aspect of this shift to a stakeholder model is the issue of prioritization (see
Chapter 3). Look at how the company prioritize its stakeholders especially when the company’s
resources are limited.
4) Optimize Value
The goal of profit maximization is both impossible to achieve and distorts decision making. In this part,
you will look at how (and if) the company approaches constituent interests with compromise and
mediation, rather than tradeoffs among winners and losers.
For example, “Walmart is a well-managed firm with complex stakeholder relations. Contrary to the
general notion that the firm destroys value, however, there is considerable evidence that Walmart
creates a great deal of value for its stakeholders. When “one out of every four grocery dollars” in the
United States is spent at Walmart, you know the firm is adding value—not only for its customers, but
also for its employees…” Chandler, 2020, p. 245)
5) Medium to Long Term
Shifting from a short-term perspective when managing the company’s resources and stakeholder
relations to a medium- or long-term perspective is the most important component of strategic CSR. In
this part, you need to look at the company and analyze whether the company thinks of performance
primarily in terms of a good quarter, a good year, or a good decade?
Conclusion: Summarize the main points and recommendations for improvement in the area of strategic CSR
for the company (maximum ½ page).
Please submit your report in the Assignment submission folder on eCentennial by Friday at 11:59 pm in
Module 14. Good luck!
INTL 710 CENTENNIAL COLLEGE CSR and Int. Dev.
© 2020 CENTENNIALCOLLEGE.CA All rights reserved. 3
Marking Rubric: 60 pts, worth 20% of your final grade.
Criteria Traits Points
Excellent Good Fair Poor
Introduction &
Conclusion
Exceptional and
thorough review of
the chosen
company.
Excellent and
carefully
considered
recommendations.
Appropriate and
thorough review
of the chosen
company. Good
recommendations
for the company
are listed.
Chosen company
is introduced
briefly, some
recommendations
are listed.
The company is
not thoroughly
introduced. No
recommendations
are present in the
conclusion.
/5
CSR
Perspective
Excellent
evaluation of the
company’s CSR
perspective,
based Porter and
Kramer’s threetiered framework.
Demonstrates
exceptional
understanding of
the literature and
research.
Good evaluation
of the company’s
CSR perspective,
based Porter and
Kramer’s threetiered framework.
Demonstrates
very good
understanding of
the literature and
research.
Some evaluation
of the company’s
CSR perspective,
based Porter and
Kramer’s threetiered framework.
Irrelevant
recommendations
for the company.
Lack of critical
evaluation.
No
recommendation
written for the
company.
/10
Core
Operations
Excellent review
and critical
analysis of the
company’s day-today operations.
Demonstrates
exceptional
understanding of
the literature as it
relates to
research.
Good review and
critical analysis of
the company’s
day-to-day
operations.
Demonstrates
very good
understanding of
the literature as it
relates to
research.
Some review and
critical analysis of
the company’s
day-to-day
operations, but
shows a weak
link between the
literature and
research of the
company.
Lack of critical
analysis.
/10
Stakeholder
Perspective
Excellent review
and critical
analysis of the
company’s
incorporation of a
stakeholder
perspective.
Demonstrates
exceptional
understanding of
the literature and
research.
Good review and
critical analysis of
the company’s
incorporation of a
stakeholder
perspective.
Demonstrates
very good
understanding of
the literature and
research.
Some review and
critical analysis of
the company’s
incorporation of a
stakeholder
perspective, but
shows a weak
link between the
literature and
research of the
company.
Lack of critical
analysis.
/10
Optimize
Value
Excellent review
and critical
analysis of the
company’s
optimization of
Good review and
critical analysis of
the company’s
optimization of
value.
Some review and
critical analysis of
the company’s
optimization of
value, but shows
Lack of critical
analysis.
/10
INTL 710 CENTENNIAL COLLEGE CSR and Int. Dev.
© 2020 CENTENNIALCOLLEGE.CA All rights reserved. 4
value.
Demonstrates
exceptional
understanding of
the literature and
research.
Demonstrates
very good
understanding of
the literature and
research.
a weak link
between the
literature and
research of the
company.
Medium to
Long Term
Excellent review
and critical
analysis of the
company’s
perspective, either
short or medium
to long term.
Demonstrates
exceptional
understanding of
the literature and
research.
Good review and
critical analysis of
the company’s
perspective,
either short or
medium to long
term.
Demonstrates
very good
understanding of
the literature and
research.
Some review and
critical analysis of
the company’s
perspective,
either short or
medium to long
term, but shows a
weak link
between the
literature and
research of the
company.
Lack of critical
analysis.
/10
Sources, Help write my thesis – APA
style/ format
References &
In-text
citations
Includes 8 or
more reliable
sources.
Use of sources
shows exceptional
consideration of
the relationship
amongst the
research, weighs
different vantage
points or opinions,
and shows
outstanding
balance in utilizing
sources.
Follows
appropriate Help write my thesis – APA
formatting.
Includes 5-7
reliable sources
to the text or
other resources
within their
response.
Several sources
are used evenly
and appropriately
throughout the
document;
sources are
cited/mentioned.
Follows
appropriate Help write my thesis – APA
formatting with
some errors.
Includes 4 or
fewer references
to the text or
other resources
within their
response.
Some sources
are used evenly
and appropriately
throughout the
document;
sources are
cited/mentioned.
Attempts
appropriate Help write my thesis – APA
formatting with
multiple errors.
No references
were displayed
throughout the
content.
No attempt to use
Help write my thesis – APA formatting is
used when
required.
/5
