Business cannot operate without the people who are its stakeholders, and the social and human capital that they provide. This course builds on MGMT2001 to give students a deeper understanding of the interrelationship between business and its social stakeholders, and how that relationship is best managed by business. Topics include defining and managing the relationship with stakeholders; and building, capturing value from, and protecting social capital.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Analyse the interrelationship between a business and its social stakeholders by applying appropriate theories, models, and/or frameworks;
2. Formulate appropriate policies and strategies to manage the interrelationship between business and its social stakeholders that enable outcomes that are both economically and socially sustainable; and,
3. Communicate these policies and strategies both in writing and orally to stakeholders to engender business support for socially-sustainable outcomes.

Research-Led Teaching

This course is designed as research-led teaching by connecting students with current debates, evidence and scholarly inquiry on business-society relationships. Students engage with contemporary research on stakeholder theory, social and human capital, accountability, business regulation and sustainable value creation, and apply these ideas to live business challenges.

Field Trips

Not applicable

Additional Course Costs

None.

Examination Material or equipment

There will be a final invigilated examination in the exam period.

Required Resources

Recommended resources will be provided on Canvas in Week 1 and then as necessary.

Recommended Resources

Further reading will be provided on the course Canvas site.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• Seminar discussion contribution – students will be provided with verbal feedback in week 6 to allow students to track and improve performance.
• Quizzes (mid-semester and end of semester) – correct responses will be provided when all students have competed each quiz
• K-Tai case study – Students will receive ongoing feedback in seminars related to their performance in the case study in the form of a team score and verbal feedback.
• Research paper – written feedback

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). The feedback given in these surveys is anonymous and provides the Colleges, University Education Committee and Academic Board with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement. The Surveys and Evaluation website provides more information on student surveys at ANU and reports on the feedback provided on ANU courses.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	SeminarBusiness, society and capitalism: why stakeholders matter	See essential readings on Canvas
2	SeminarStakeholder theory, power and salience	See essential readings on Canvas
3	SeminarBuilding social and human capital: trust, legitimacy and social license	See essential readings on Canvas
4	SeminarStudent presentations: stakeholder and social capital diagnostics	No reading.Student presentations (Assessment 2 due in seminar).
5	SeminarIndigenous stakeholders, reconciliation and relational accountability	See essential readings on Canvas
6	SeminarDisclosure, accountability and stakeholder strategySimulation intro and launch: Managing stakeholder trade-offs	See essential readings on Canvas.Simulation (Assessment 3) groups formed.
7	SeminarSimulation Year 1: Building organisational stakeholder management infrastructure	Reading: Year 1 simulation background and scenarios.Simulation decisions submitted in-class.
8	SeminarSimulation Year 2: Governance, incentives and ethical culture	Reading: Year 2 simulation scenarios and decisions.Simulation decisions submitted in-class.Simulation Brief 1 due (group assignment)
9	SeminarSimulation Year 3: Responsibility beyond the organisation	Reading: Year 3 simulation scenarios and decisions.Simulation decisions submitted in-class.
10	SeminarSimulation Year 4: Legitimacy, disclosure and public accountability	Reading: Year 4 simulation scenarios and decisions.Simulation decisions submitted in-class.
11	SeminarSimulation Year 5: Strategic integration, repair and legacy	Reading: Year 5 simulation scenarios and decisions.Simulation decisions submitted in-class.Simulation Brief 2 due (group assignment)
12	SeminarLearning consolidation and final exam workshop	Simulation reflection due (individual).
13	End of Semester Examination Period	Final Examination

Tutorial Registration

There are no tutorials for this course. The course is delivered in a weekly 3 hour seminar format.

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Seminar preparation and contribution (Weeks 1-6) - individual assessment (10%)	10 %	*	04/09/2026	1,2,3
Stakeholder diagnostic - group presentation (15%)	15 %	*	31/08/2026	1, 3
Simulation decision briefing - group assignment (15%)	15 %	*	06/11/2026	1,2,3
Simulation participation and written reflection - individual assignment (15%)	15 %	26/10/2026	09/11/2026	1,2,3
Final examination - individual assessment (45%)	45 %	*	09/12/2026	1,2,3

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Misconduct Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Policy and General Information
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website Students may choose not to submit assessment items through Turnitin. In this instance you will be required to submit, alongside the assessment item itself, hard copies of all references included in the assessment item.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

Students are expected to participate in all seminars, as well as all items of assessment in line with 'Code of Practice for Teaching and Learning", clause 2 paragraph (b). The course will be taught face-to-face.

Examination(s)

There will be an invigilated final examination in exam period at the end of the semester.

Assessment Task 1

Seminar preparation and contribution (Weeks 1-6) - individual assessment (10%)

Student attendance and participation in seminars are vital to learning in this course. Seminars provide a forum for structured discussion, problem solving, argument, and opinion on topics and issues canvassed in this course. Each student is expected to make a consistent, informed, and considered contribution to seminar discussion and debate. Students will be expected to come to class prepared and to have read the assigned reading for each seminar.

The following criteria will be used for assessment:

• Quality of contribution to seminar discussions. The contribution should demonstrate that students come to class prepared, i.e. read required materials.
• Active participation in seminar activities;
• Submit a handwritten response to the seminar exercises some weeks.
• N.B. Students will not receive marks for simply attending seminar; the assessment is based on the quality of contribution to seminar discussions.

The assessment is worth a total of 10%. Seminars are equally weighted for this assessment.

Due Date: Seminars in Weeks 1 to 6.

Return of Assessment: A mark will be provided by Friday, 4 September.

Assessment Task 2

Stakeholder diagnostic - group presentation (15%)

This assessment gives you the opportunity to apply early course concepts to a recent real-world business stakeholder issue. Your task is to diagnose how an organisation’s relationship with its social stakeholders has become contested, damaged or publicly scrutinised. The assessment also begins to prepare students for the simulation (weeks 7-11) and the final assignment by developing their ability to analyse stakeholder relationships, identify forms of social and human capital, and communicate a clear stakeholder diagnosis. The focus is on diagnosis, not on developing a full strategy. You should explain what appears to have happened, who is affected, what is at stake, and why the issue matters for the organisation and its social stakeholders.

Task: In groups of 4, select an organisation that has been in the news in the past 12 months because of a significant stakeholder controversy, breakdown in trust, social impact issue, or contested business–society relationship. Your presentation should diagnose the organisation’s relationship with its social stakeholders. You should identify the key stakeholders, explain what forms of social or human capital are at stake, analyse what appears to have gone wrong or become contested, and identify the main stakeholder risk or opportunity facing the organisation. Your selected organisation should meet the following criteria:

• it has been subject to recent public attention, criticism, controversy or scrutiny;
• the issue involves social stakeholders, not only shareholders or financial performance;
• the case raises questions about trust, legitimacy, voice, accountability, social impact, harm, exclusion, exploitation, consultation, discrimination, safety, labour conditions, community relationships or social license;
• there is enough credible public information available to support your analysis;
• the case is specific enough to analyse in an 8–10 minute presentation.

Students can form their own groups or request assistance from the course convenor. A full assignment brief and marking criteria will be provided on Canvas in week 1. In-class presentations will be video recorded, which will enable later validation and verification of assessment if required (in accordance with point 7 in the ANU Student Assessment (Coursework) policy).

Specific requirements:

Length: 8 to 10 minutes. Students exceeding the 10min time limit will be asked to stop their presentation, and material exceeding 10 minutes will not be assessed.

Submission: Presentation slides uploaded to Turnitin on the Canvas course site before the seminar.

Due: Week 4 seminar.

Return of assessment with feedback: Monday 31 August.

Assessment Task 3

Simulation decision briefing - group assignment (15%)

One of the learning outcomes of this course involves students analysing the interrelationship between business and its stakeholders and formulating strategies to manage these relationships to achieve outcomes that are both economically and socially sustainable. This assessment is aimed at providing students with an opportunity to do this by participating in a simulation during seminars in weeks 7 to 11.

Each group will submit two short group decision briefings during the simulation, one in Week 8 and another in Week 11. These briefings should explain and justify your team’s major decisions, showing how you applied course concepts to stakeholder decision-making. A full assignment brief and marking criteria will be provided on Canvas by week 6.

Due:

• Briefing 1 due 5pm Fri 2 October (Week 8).
• Briefing 2 due 5pm Fri 23 October (Week 11).

Length: Each briefing should be 500 words (+/-10%). Any text submitted beyond the word limit will not be marked. The briefings are equally weighted for this assessment.

Submission: Turnitin on the Canvas course site.

Feedback: Verbal feedback on Briefing 1 will be provided in Week 9. A mark and written feedback will be provided for both Briefs by 6 Nov.

Assessment Task 4

Simulation participation and written reflection - individual assignment (15%)

Students will submit an individual written reflection on their experience of participating in the simulation during the Week 7 to 11 seminars. Active seminar participation is essential to this assessment, as the reflection must be grounded in students’ direct involvement in team decision-making, stakeholder analysis and in-class debrief discussions. The reflection should analyse what students learned about business and stakeholder relationships, social capital and responsible decision-making, drawing on specific examples from the simulation. It should also reflect on whether and how their own attitudes or behaviour changed, or stayed the same, as a result of participating in the simulation.

A full assignment brief and marking criteria will be provided on Canvas by week 6.

Due: 5pm Mon 26 October (week 12)

Length: 1,000 words (+/- 10%). Any text submitted beyond the word limit will not be marked.

Submission: Turnitin on the Canvas course site.

Feedback: Mon 9 November.

Assessment Task 5

Final examination - individual assessment (45%)

In this final assessment, students are required to complete an examination. The exam assesses students’ ability to diagnose stakeholder relationships, apply course frameworks, formulate socially and economically sustainable strategies, and communicate recommendations clearly in a professional format.

Due date: Examination period (invigilated exam)

Return of assessment: with release of final grades

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of our culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically. This means that all members of the community commit to honest and responsible scholarly practice and to upholding these values with respect and fairness. The Australian National University commits to embedding the values of academic integrity in our teaching and learning. We ensure that all members of our community understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. The ANU expects staff and students to uphold high standards of academic integrity and act ethically and honestly, to ensure the quality and value of the qualification that you will graduate with. The University has policies and procedures in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Visit the following Academic honesty & plagiarism website for more information about academic integrity and what the ANU considers academic misconduct. The ANU offers a number of services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. The Academic Skills and Learning Centre offers a number of workshops and seminars that you may find useful for your studies.

Online Submission

Assessment items are submitted via Turnitin link on Canvas. The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day. Late submissions of assessments involving a presentation in the seminar are not permitted without an approved extension.

Requests for Assessment Adjustment (Assessment Extension and Extenuating Circumstances Application) should be submitted via ANUHub.

Referencing Requirements

Accepted academic practice for referencing sources that you use in presentations can be found via the links on the Wattle site, under the file named “ANU and College Policies, Program Information, Student Support Services and Assessment”. Alternatively, you can seek help through the Students Learning Development website.

Returning Assignments

All assignments will be marked and where appropriate feedback will be provided either: in class, or in person by appointment with the course lecturer, or via the course Canvas site.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure The Course Convener may grant extensions for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Resubmission of Assignments

Unless specified otherwise in the assignment requirements, re-submissions are permitted up until the due date and time, but not allowed afterwards.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information. In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service — including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy. If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes. Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Diversity and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students