Why this programme?

Company recruiters now insist that prospective employees understand the societal dimension of business operations and it is becoming clear that consideration of so-called ‘soft’ issues is now the hard reality for many managers – particularly in global corporations where societally-responsible behaviour comes under close scrutiny by the world’s press. 

The MSc in Global Business & Stakeholder Management is the world’s first master’s programme to deal with these challenges in an integrated manner. This is where theoretical, analytical and managerial perspectives are used to examine the interests of multinational enterprises, civil society and governments, and the programme provides an outstanding toolbox for future leaders of business, academia and government. 

Three primary dimensions are examined: 

1. Leadership: Understanding trends in the world economy and the related interests of stakeholders is a vital skill for any future leader. The initial weeks of the Global Business & Stakeholder Management master programme deal with these perspectives, covering the role of organisations in societal problems like hunger, poverty, global warming, health and employment, and how they can offer credible and sustainable solutions. 

2. Global Business: International firms need people with the skills to manage the interface of borders, laws, cultures and traditions, as well as operational skills. This programme examines how businesses can actively influence their international environment in interaction with governments, international organisations and representatives of civil society across borders and cultures. 

3. Stakeholder Management: Whatever corporate leaders might want to achieve, they cannot do so without the involvement of stakeholders within and outside of the company. This dimension considers stakeholders from two international perspectives: corporate communications and corporate governance.

The MSc in Global Business & Stakeholder Management combines a strongly research-oriented approach in which fundamental and applied research is linked with real-world learning. 

During the programme, you will experience small and interactive classes, extensive interaction with leaders of government, NGOs and companies and a mix of educational formats including case studies, conferences, experiments, internships, and individual research. 

 At RSM you will join one of the field’s leading academic departments world-wide where a committed, intellectually-ambitious and international student body analyses academic theory reflecting the latest business and management thinking. This gives you the skills to become a junior researcher in international corporate societal responsibility. 

Instead of text-book learning, you will conduct research, write papers and present your ideas, join study trips and international exchanges, and have the opportunity to hone your interpersonal and leadership skills in Rotterdam, a corporate hub for the commercial heart of Europe. 

Specific benefits include an understanding of how to research and analyse case studies, statistics, literature, databases, and annual reports. Graduates will learn the management skills of effective argumentation for negotiation and bargaining, stakeholder dialogue and management, presentation skills, feedback, and decision-making.