Corporations as political actors? Facing the postnational constellation
In collaboration with the UN Global Compact, the first Swiss Master Class in CSR will be held on 8/9 December 2006 at the HEC Lausanne.
Young Scholars Wanted
Are you one of those young scholars who will influence the CSR debate of the next decade?
We are looking for the next generation, the leading voices of tomorrow! Are you a doctoral student in one of the relevant fields of research such as management, political studies, legal studies, political philosophy, or any other related field? If you want to make a contribution to the debate on corporate social responsibility this is the perfect opportunity!
Your participation will provide you with unique access to some of the best thinkers in the CSR debate of today and to top managers and CSR practitioners from multinational companies and nongovernmental organizations.
We expect you to deliver new insights and provoking ideas that might transcend the rigid borders of the established scientific division of disciplines.
How does the future of corporate responsibility look like? Do you have answers to one or more of the following questions? We invite you to redefine the debate!
What does corporate responsibility mean in a postnational constellation?
Do companies have a political responsibility and if so how can it be defined?
What are the consequences of a political conception of corporate responsibility for the mainstream theory of the firm?
What can the different scientific disciplines contribute to a political theory of the firm?
What does the future of democratic global governance look like?
Best Practice: What kind of engagement do multinational corporations show and what is their motivation?
What are the future standards of societal acceptance in a global context?
What is the role of consumers and consumption as drivers of CSR?
What are the future trends in corporate accountability, corporate reporting, and corporate transparency?
What are the challenges to the current design of the Global Compact as a framework for global governance?
What is the future role of the Global Compact and its members in the processes of global governance?
What is the future role of national governments and public authorities in the promotion of CSR?
What is the role of civil society in a global governance system?
What is the role of transnational political institutions in the process of cooperative self-regulation between corporations and NGOs?
Who should be involved in order to give meaning and legitimacy to a stakeholder dialogue and how should this process be designed?
What are mechanisms that would make civil society organizations themselves more accountable for their actions?
This is not a complete list, your ideas are welcome!
Application Process
Applicants are required to submit an essay of no more than 4 pages, a CV (1 page) and a confirmation of the enrolment in a doctoral program by August 15, 2006. In your essay you should focus on one of the aforementioned or related questions. You should NOT hand in a summary of your doctoral thesis. We are interested in your ideas!
Your proposal must be of interest for both, our masters and the participating CSR practitioners. This is not easy. But again: We want the best, the next generation of dominating voices.
In a second round, some of you will be invited to elaborate their ideas (about 10 pages). Nine applicants from around the world will be invited on a competitive basis.
Only complete applications will be considered. Notifications of admissions will be sent in the first two weeks of September.
All expenses (travel and accommodation) are covered by the organizers.
Eligibility
Participants must be currently enrolled in a doctoral program or equivalent.
Date and Venue Event
December 8 and 9, 2006 at the University of Lausanne, HEC Campus
Contact
Please send the application by email to:
Ulf Richter
University of Lausanne
Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales (HEC)
Phone: +41 (0) 21 692 3488
Mobil: +41 (0) 76 5187847
Email: ulf.richter@unil.ch
Further information: www.hec.unil.ch/csr
