Business-Society Management

Established in 1998, the department of Business-Society Management (B-SM) at Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University was the first of its kind within a European business school. The B-SM Department offers a social science-based perspective on managerial and organizational issues at the interface between business and society.

Our world-class research and education focus on how organizations (businesses, social enterprises, nonprofits, cooperatives, citizen collectives, social movements, etc.) can contribute to addressing the great societal challenges of our time, such as climate change and social inequalities.

Flore Bridoux, Department Chair

Staff of the department are involved in teaching at the under- and post-graduate level, including bachelor programmes, the full-time MBA and specialized and executive master programmes. The department also delivers the school’s flagship Master programme on Global Business and Sustainability. The Master programme is one of the longest running programmes in the world in the area of business and society management and continues to deliver graduates that are in high demand in today’s business world.

Sustainability and corporate responsibility

Students who come through our teaching programmes form a deep understanding of how through responsible forms of business activity - including new forms of inclusive business models, stakeholder partnerships and social entrepreneurship - they can actively contribute to the health and sustainability of the societies in which they operate whilst as a base condition still run viable businesses. Our programmes point not just to the limits to economic growth within our planet’s boundaries, but we strive to make a positive change by equipping our students with ways of experimenting with new ‘circular’, ‘inclusive’, ‘shared value’ - in short more sustainable - business models that can grow exponentially to shape new social and environmental value chains.

Multi-disciplinary faculty

Within the department, we have multi-disciplinary faculty who turn their specialist expertise into tangible solutions for businesses and into transformational experiences in the classroom. Areas of expertise range from sustainability and climate change to social enterprise, stakeholder communication, cross-sector partnerships, philanthropy, ethics and corporate governance. Our faculty is also strongly rooted in theory which allows them analyze complex issues and wicked problems and to develop novel answers to pressing business and societal questions.

Practical Impact and Outreach

Besides high quality research and education, we actively engage with the business community and civic society actors, involving them in our education programmes whilst ensuring at the same time that the work that we do has the widest possible impact on business and society. We have dedicated research centers, including the Partnership Resource Centre, the Centre for Eco-Transformation, the Erasmus Centre for Strategic Philanthropy the Centre for Behavioral Ethics and the Corporate Communication Centre, that work with business leaders to turn our research into positive change.

About our research

Research expertise

Research of the Department of Business-Society Management examines the mutual impact of business and society upon each other. The broad objective is to reach a clear understanding of the challenges and opportunities arising at the interface of business and society. Strategic and sustainable solutions are the aim.

Multidisciplinary research focuses on several areas:

The relationship between business and society: Issues around sustainability, philanthropy, international relations, reputation.
Behavioural ethics: Issues around decision-making, ethics, leadership.
Legitimacy: Issues around governance, stakeholder well-being, accountability, ecology.

Centres and Experts

Much of the high profile, relevant research of the B-SM Department is focused in Centres of Expertise and other projects. These centres encourage network building among scholars who are working in the many research themes of the department, providing cutting-edge research, ideas publications related to business and society management. Support for this research may come from companies, the European government, grants or sponsored Chairs.

The current Centres of Expertise associated with B-SM faculty members:

Corporate Communication Centre (CCC)

Director: Marijke Baumann

This Centre is focused on corporate communication as a management instrument that harmonises all consciously used forms of internal and external communication as effectively and efficiently as possible in order to achieve a positive corporate reputation.

Centre for Corporate Eco-Transformation

Scientific Director: Dr. Steve Kennedy

The broad aim of this Centre is to reach a clearer understanding of the management challenges posed by climate change and search for credible management solutions to achieving global sustainability.

Publications

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Education

Bachelor Programmes

The department of Business-Society Management contributes to the curriculum of both the Bachelor of Science in International Business Administration (IBA) programme and the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (Bedrijfskunde) programme.

Masters in Global Business & Sustainability

Understanding the global challenges of sustainability is a vital skill for any future leader. Sustainability issues such as climate change, global inequality, social injustice and resource scarcity are amongst those central to the corporate strategy of today’s multinational businesses. These concerns of the wider society undoubtedly carry threats to the way in which many businesses currently operate, but they equally present new business opportunities to provide solutions and take advantage of a rapidly changing business world.

Our MSc Global Business & Sustainability is designed specifically for a new generation of leaders with the capacity to think critically about the sustainability challenges facing business and society both locally and globally. In this programme we bring students into close contact with the global frontrunners in corporate sustainability, with governmental organisations and with the non-profit sector. Our graduates gain theoretical knowledge alongside enhance managerial capabilities and skills to prepare for an international business career with meaningful impact in a wide variety of sectors.

Should you have any questions related to the content of our programme, please do not hesitate to visit us or to contact our MScBA coordinator, who will be happy to answer any of your questions.

– Dr. Marius van Dijke. - department chair