Learning CSR for sustainable corporate advantage

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become a strategic and operational reality of the business and academic world. Not that the principles of CSR are always respected or that its practice is consistently applied. Bearing in mind the multi-faceted nature of both CSR and the corporate environment, as well as the paradox of what is taught in Higher Education and what is practised within its own walls, this paper provides a learning cyclical pathway to sustainable CSR implementation and progress review. As well as highlighting the role that Higher Education has to play, the paper emphasises that in order to embed CSR within the corporate environment, questions need to be raised concerning on-going CSR improvement in order to both protect and engage a wide range of stakeholders towards sustainable corporate advantage.

Developing an engaging virtual action learning programme for SME managers – A UK perspective

In this paper we present results from an EU-funded project with the aim of examining the adaptation of e-learning to meet the needs of managers in different contexts. A set of design considerations is elucidated. These principles were derived from an analysis of five completed projects. This was followed by focus group discussion in the UK to test the principles derived.. These focus group were planned so as to gain greater clarity in the design of e-learning programmes aimed at UK-based SME leaders and managers. This paper starts by looking at the importance of SME management development for the economic wellbeing of the community and goes on to review research into issues in engaging managers in development activities. The results of a review of an earlier experimental programme (ESeN) are presented as it formed part of the process which led to the identification of theoretical design principles then tested in the focus groups. Finally, recommendations are presented for SME e-learning providers as well as areas for further research.