New corporate narratives: Sustainable development goals and organizational narratives

Academic Study Board for Information and Communication Studies

Teaching language: English
EKA: H800028202
Assessment: Second examiner: None
Grading: 7-point grading scale
Offered in: Kolding
Offered in: Summer school (autumn)
Level: Bachelor

Course ID: H800028201
ECTS value: 5

Date of Approval: 26-02-2020


Duration: Intensive course

Version: Archive

Course ID

H800028201

ECTS value

5

Course Title

New corporate narratives: Sustainable development goals and organizational narratives

Number of lessons

42 hours per semester

Course Responsible

Name Email Department
Marianne Ankjær marianne@sdu.dk Institut for Design og Kommunikation

Lecturer

Name Email Department City
Ann Starbæk Bager bager@sdu.dk Institut for Design og Kommunikation Kolding
Anne Merete Lyngroes Fladmose annely@sdu.dk Institut for Design og Kommunikation Kolding
Klarissa Lueg klueg@sdu.dk Institut for Design og Kommunikation Kolding

Overall description learning objectives

The described learning objectives for knowledge and skills will be supported by the specific forms of instruction and work methods as described below. At the same time the forms of instruction and work methods are organised in accordance with the form and examination as described under Examination requirements, which is considered to be the most appropriate frame for testing the student's fulfilment of the learning objectives of the subject.

Learnings objectives - Knowledge

Students will acquire knowledge of:   

  • Central theories and concepts within corporate sustainability communication and organization studies relating to sustainability, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and similar areas,

  • Central theories and concepts relating to narrative inquiry, especially in the field of organizational studies,

  • Models and concepts for the analysis of narratives and organizational storytelling,

  • Cases where corporations (and other organizations) engage in CSR, and the “dark sides” of such practices, such as “window-dressing”, “greenwashing” and organizational hypocrisy. 

Learning objectives - Skills

Students will be able to: 

  • Discuss, analyze and critically assess narratives in organizational communication relating to sustainability,

  • Distinguish and employ, analytically, several concepts from the realm of narrative inquiry as well as organizational studies,

  • Identify cases and examples relevant to the field of studies and 

  • Apply relevant theories and concepts and motivate their choices, both with a view to theory and method.

Content

This course focuses on “new narratives” of work and organization. An increasing number of organizations, from private businesses to public corporations, are putting sustainable development goals (SDGs) and matters of sustainability at the forefront of their communication strategies. Discourses of profit optimization, growth, revenue, financial performance and market domination seem to have lost their dominant standing in strategic organizational communication. Instead, organizations communicate transformed business models, sustainability in production and supply, mindfulness in employee voice and development, cultural and intersectional awareness, global fairness and fair leadership, paired with democratized (co-creative) and ethical work processes. One prominent example from the public sector is this summer course’s host itself, The University of Southern Denmark (SDU), that has announced, as the world’s first university, a total dedication to the UN world goals in their curricular and communicative strategy.

This summer school aims at casting a critical-analytical look at this new wave of corporate sustainability narratives. 

The course consists of two main pillars: one on narratives as a scientific field consisting of diverse strands and multiple strategies of inquiry, and one on corporate SDGs as a recent, new phenomenon. The summer course will show that narrative studies are apt in order to reflect, critically assess, and further explore new corporate communicative phenomena. 

a. Narratives as a scientific field with multiple strategies of inquiry
We will set aside time to provide a thorough introduction to the state of the art of narrative inquiry. Based on a general introduction to central theories and concepts within organizational communication and narrative studies, the course provides a scientific and research-based introduction to narrative studies and their use in organizations. We will introduce several kin of narrative (counter-narrative, storytelling, discourse, etc.) and discuss their value in understanding corporate change and communication practices. Methods and tools of narrative inquiry will be made tangible for the students, and we will demonstrate selected narrative ways of analysis.  

b. Sustainable development goals in corporations 
We will, inter alia, discuss fundamental theories in relation to function and task of a corporation. Are corporations, public or private, to serve sustainability values at all in the first place? We will also explore cases of new narrative “talk” and new narrative “walk”, where we discuss what claims are substantial and which ones are ceremonial in this sustainability turn. Manifold cases and tangible examples will introduce students to the latest research and business best practices as to new corporate narratives doing away with what can best described as “winner”-talk of the recent decades. We will further discuss how methods of storytelling can be applied to challenge and transform organizational practices, for instance through storytelling activism and with reflexive and change-oriented work with organizational narrative- small-story dynamics. Further, we will assess whether or not the new corporate narrative turn toward sustainability and SDGs is a believable and authentic new paradigm, and what corporations and society stand to gain from it. Is sustainability a buzzword that covers up more neoliberal growth and economy-fixated ideals or is it a promising and liberating concept that actually turns corporate foci more towards social and environmental issues?     

 The course will be taught in English. 

Forms of instruction and work

Teaching is organized in such a way that it supports the humanities model for active learning and activating teaching. At the start of the course, one of the lecturers will explain, to the students, how study activities are organized. 

Students will continuously be engaged in exercises and hands-on tasks concerning case reflections, data collection and analysis. They will further be encouraged to work with self-selected empirical cases and relate the course content to own studies.

The course will be run by a team of scholars. Their own expertise and work will inspire theory and case work with narratives in and around organizations.


Workload

5 ECTS is equivalent to 140 working hours. The working hours are distributed between the activities described in the humanities model and listed under Forms of instruction and work as well as the exam including the preparation of this. The university teacher will provide an indicative distribution of the workload at the beginning of the course.

Teaching language

English

Syllabus

The curriculum for graduate students is more extensive than for bachelor students. The teacher will inform about the extent at the beginning of the course.

Examination regulations

Examination requirements

Name

Examination requirements

Timing

At the end of the instruction and teaching

Tests

Final examination

EKA

H800028202

Name

Final examination

Description

One-week set homework assignment.


Form of examination

Take-home assignment

Assessment

Second examiner: None

Grading

7-point grading scale

Identification

Full name and SDU username

Language

Danish, English

Duration

1 week

Length

Max. 10 standard pages per student. All page numbers exclude cover page, table of contents, bibliography and appendices.

Max. 4 students can contribute to the assignment. 


1 student = max 10 pages.

2 students = max 20 pages.

3 students = max 30 pages. 

4 students = max 40 pages. 

Assignment Release

Hand-out on SDU's digital platform. Submission date is published as part of the overall list of examination.

Assignment Submission

Submission on SDU's digital platform required.

ECTS value

5

Additional information

Assessment criteria: Considering the method of assessment and the current study level, specific emphasis will be put on the extent to which the student's performance meets the learning objectives as well as to what extent the student masters the general competence objectives mentioned in the curriculum, section Aim of Programme including any professional profile and specialisations particularly nos. 2-6 and 7 that the course pays special attention to.

The grade will be awarded according to the extent of the fulfilment of the learning objectives as described in the Grading Scale Order (karakterbekendtgørelsen).

Several students may contribute to the assignment: Yes, a maximum of 4 students. It must be clear from the preparation who is responsible for what parts of the assignment. Individual grades will be given. Length of the assignment, see the section "Length" above.

Reexamination takes place in the same way as the ordinary examination.

Timetable for the course

Further information

Special Summer School programme: 10-19 August 2020.

Exam period: 21-28 August 2020.

NOTE: THIS COURSE IS ONLY RUN IF A MINIMUM OF 25 STUDENTS HAVE SIGNED UP FOR THE COURSE

Courses offered

Offer period Offer type Profile Education Semester

Programmes the course description is part of

Profile Education Semester Offer period