Responsible Leadership

Module overview

This module covers the principles and practices of responsible leadership. It looks at the philosophical foundations of ethics and applies principles to real-life cases and hypothetical dilemmas. Techniques of ethical management are presented. Causes and consequences of unethical business practices are discussed, along with theories of ethical decision-making.

Aims and Objectives

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

Show awareness of the main ethical concepts underlying responsible leadership;
Understand the factors that affect the ethical behaviour of organisations and the individuals within them;
Understand how to implement responsible management practices, including ethical empowerment, in the workplace.
Appreciate both short- and long-term consequences of ethical and unethical behaviour;

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

Communicate ideas and arguments fluently in a variety of formats;
Think critically and argue effectively;
Work effectively as part of a task-orientated and diverse group.

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

Identify ethical issues and resolve ethical dilemmas through application of theory to practice;
Assess impact of responsible leadership on stakeholder relationships and corporate reputation.
Achieve ethical confidence through practice in applying a logical and structured form of ethical analysis to complex business issues;

Learning and Teaching

Teaching and learning methods

The programme employs a range of teaching and learning methods tailored to online delivery and the needs of working professionals. One of the primary methods used is asynchronous learning, where students can access materials on their own schedule. This includes multimedia resources - but not just video lectures, but also podcasts, animations, and interactive simulations; and reading materials like PDFs or e-books. These resources allow learners to engage with content at their own pace. In addition, discussion forums provide a space for students to ask questions and participate in debates with their peers without the need for everyone to be online at the same time. The asynchronous learning is complemented by synchronous components, such as webinars. These sessions, typically held via Microsoft Teams, give students the opportunity to interact with instructors in real-time, asking questions or participating in discussions. All of these methods are designed to accommodate different learning approaches and ensure that students can apply theoretical knowledge to practical scenarios relevant to their professional contexts. With a strong emphasis on self-paced learning, supported by ongoing instructor guidance.

Study time
Type	Hours
Online Course	26
Guided independent study	34
Independent Study	90
Total study time	150

Resources & Reading list

Internet Resources

Ethical Performance http://www.ethicalperformance.com.

Article 13 http://www.article13.com/.

Good Corporation http://www.goodcorporation.com.

Global Ethics http://www.globalethics.org.

Sustainability http://www.sustainability.com/.

Unglobal compact http://www.unglobalcompact.org/.

Business in the Community http://www.bitc.org.uk/.

Corporate Critic http://www.corporatecritic.org/.

Textbooks

Crane, A. Matten, D., Glozer, S. and Spence, L. (2019). Business Ethics: Managing Corporate Citizenship and Sustainability in the Age of Globalization. Oxford University Press.

Gentile, M. C. (2012). Giving Voice to Values: How to Speak Your Mind When You Know What's Right. New haven & London: Yale University Press.

Assessment

Formative

This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.

In-class activities

Assessment Type: Formative
Feedback: There will be many opportunities to gain feedback from the tutor and/or peers about your level of understanding and knowledge prior to any formal summative assessment. In particular, discussion in synchronous sessions will provide an opportunity for feedback from peers and tutors.
Final Assessment: No
Group Work: No

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Group work	30%
Individual Coursework	70%

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Individual Coursework	100%

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Individual Coursework	100%

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External