Social Sustainability in Organizations, 13 credits

Main field of study with advanced study

The courses Introduction to Sociological Theory 15 credits, Scientific Methods 15 credits, Social Sustainability - a Theoretical Introduction 15 credits, Social Sustainability in Public Practice 15 credits and 15 credits from the courses Sociological Theory 15 hp and Scientific Method and Thesis in Sociology 15 hp. Exemption of the requirement in Swedish is granted. English 6.

The course is included in the Program for Social Change and Social Sustainability, 180 credits and is also given as a single subject course.

The overall course objective is that the student develops sociological knowledge about how social sustainability work can be conducted in an organized setting within public administration, business, or civil society. The course objective is also that the student develops knowledge about how different work organizations like state authorities and companies conduct work with social sustainability, and which are the obstacles and possibilities with this work. The course has a particular objective that the student develops knowledge about central theories of leadership, organization, power, gender, diversity and conflicts, as well as how policy work with Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), gender equality and diversity can be conducted in organizations in ways which promote internal and external social sustainability.

Following successful completion of the course the student should be able to:

Knowledge and understanding

• explain what characterize socially sustainable and resilient organizations and how actual processes of change related to organizational cultures difficult and make possible social sustainability in organizations and civil society
• explain in a sociological perspective the conditions for how organizations are governed and function, including theories about leadership, power, gender, ethnicity and communication, and the impact these can have on social sustainability and resilience in work organizations
• discuss the conditions for conducting work with gender equality, diversity, environment work and CSR work in organizations, and the importance of inclusion and exclusion in work life and civil society for the possibility of developing a socially sustainable work life and civil society

Skills and ability

• use abilities related to public sociology and action research, in order to contribute to the work with social sustainability in organizations
• identify and analyze processes within organizations which counteract and contribute to gender equality, good diversity management and environment work
• plan, conduct and written and orally report an independent study with focus on social sustainability in an organization and with relevance for a socially sustainable civil society.

Judgement and approach

• value the relevance of action research projects with a profile towards social sustainability, with relevance for theories of organizations in public administration, business, or civil society
• discuss ethical questions and issues, which are relevant for practical work with social sustainability in the civil society

The course addresses conditions for how organizations are governed and function in contemporary society. The course introduces central theories of leadership, power, gender, ethnicity, conflicts, and communication in organizations. The course also addresses what characterize a socially sustainable and resilient work life, and processes of change which deal with conditions of work and organizational cultures which difficult and make possible socially sustainable organizations in work life and civil society. The course develops a critical perspective on work life, work processes and the organization of work. In this context the course also addresses policy’s and guidelines for practical work with sustainability and issues about gender and diversity work in organizations, as well as processes referring to participation and work environment work. The course also addresses CSR as a contemporary way of working with sustainability questions in organizations, evaluation work, ethical considerations, and reporting.

The teaching consists of lectures, seminars, group exercises and supervision. The teaching is conducted in English.

The examination consists of an individual written examination, written and oral group assignments and seminars.

If there are special reasons, the examiner may make exceptions from the specified examination format and allow a student to be examined in another way. Special reasons can e.g. be study support for students with disabilities.

Course evaluation is part of the course. This evaluation offers guidance in the future development and planning of the course. Course evaluation is documented and made available to the students.