What Responsible Management

Competencies do

BA INFORMATION MANAGEMENT

Students Acquire?

This report was prepared by the CBS Office of Responsible

Management Education and is part of our engagement in

the UN-backed Principles for Responsible Management

Education (PRME).

Photos: Bjarke MacCarthy, Jakob Boserup

IntroductIon

This report highlights the role responsible manage-

ment education plays in the Information Manage-

ment (BA IM) programme. Through the Curriculum

Development project, the CBS PRME office has sought

to identify and explore what competencies related to

responsible management are acquired by BA IM stu-

dents during their time in the programme. This report

presents results based on findings from student focus

groups and from meetings and on-going interaction

with faculty members. The purpose is to explicitly

address how these IM competencies are integrated

in different courses and to encourage a coherent pro-

gression across the entire programme.

The IM bachelor programme is a three-year study pro-

gramme structured around three key areas of study:

digital technologies, communication and organisa-

tion. This division develops student competencies

within organisation theory, information science and

communication. The first year focuses on different

types of digital media and on understanding the role

that information and communication play in organis-

ing processes. The second year is dedicated to organ-

isational analysis and the implementation of digital

solutions to match the needs of companies. The third

year develops a deeper understanding of digitalisation

and information management in order to further the

development of companies and organisation practice.

Cooperation with companies is sought throughout the

programme to help students gain a realistic view of

the different tasks they will be asked to perform as

professional information managers.

competency profIleDiscussions with the members of the study board and faculty have identified the following competencies in responsible

management acquired by BA IM students:

While all courses are naturally aimed at supporting the development of these competencies in BA IM, they are specifi-

cally addressed in the flagship course Fundamentals of Information Systems (1st semester), and further elaborated on in

the following corner stone courses: Introduction to Organisation Communication, Organisational Theory (1st semester);

Introduction to Business Administration (2nd semester); Information in Context, Project Management (3rd semester);

Corporate Communication (4th semester); Communication and Knowledge Management and Business Economics and

Information Management (6th semester). The competencies are developed in a natural progression through the following

steps of the programme:

1) The development of a basic understanding of the ethics of information and communication, as taught in the course In-

troduction to Organisational Communication, and of the social implications of digital information, discussed in the course

Fundamentals of Information Systems. 2) The development of students’ ability to reflect explicitly on responsible ways

of managing other people’s information, as taught in Information in Context. 3) The development of students’ ability to

recognise the responsibilities of creating common ground to facilitate mutual understanding, as taught in Communication

and Knowledge Management.

Finally, we would like to express our gratitude to all those who contributed to this project. In particular, we would like

to thank Attila Marton for his help with the development of this report and for acting as ambassador for the BA IM pro-

gramme. We would also like to acknowledge the study director, Matthias Trier, for his continuous support.

• The ability to understand the unique and central role of information in responsible management.

• The ability to reflect explicitly on the politics and ethics of information practices and the power

asymmetries these practices engender.

• The ability to recognize the particular responsibilities of information managers to engage in and

facilitate responsible management in the information society.

fIrst semester

responsIbIlIty day is the first time IM students have the opportunity

to reflect on how companies engage with society. In the course of

this day, responsible management education is presented through a

selected case study, which is then critically discussed by the students.

Mareike Buus was the IM representative at Responsibility Day in 2014

and 2015, while Attila Marton facilitated the event for IM in 2016.

fundamentals of InformatIon systems includes an interactive lecture and student debate on ethical and social issues

related to information systems and security. The lecture draws on the framework of the five moral dimensions

of the information age (i.e. information rights and obligations, property rights and obligations, accountability

and control, system quality, and quality of life). These topics are discussed using examples from contemporary

events such as the Volkswagen car emission scandal and the profiling of air travel passengers. During this ses-

sion, students lead an in-class debate on the ethical consequences of the use of cookies to identify returning

visitors to websites. This is the flagship course of the BA IM programme in terms of responsible management

education.

IntroductIon to organIsatIonal communIcatIon addresses communication as either ethical or unethical. A series of

cases are presented to illustrate this point, such as the 9/11 events, Enron, Oticon, Eagle Smelting and Barings

Bank.

organIsatIon theory addresses responsibility in a more general sense, discussing the subject from a sociological

perspective. Students are asked to look at communication against the backdrop of today’s world. The course

also discusses the importance of honest information distribution in a business context, and the perils of using

communication to attain personal goals.

semester revIew of responsIble management at ba Im

second semester

In IntroductIon to busIness admInIstratIon, students are introduced to

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). During the course, students

participate in discussions on cases involving companies including The

Body Shop and Nike.

Semester 1

Semester 2

Fundamentals of Communication

Fundamentals of Information Systems

Introduction to Organisational Communication

Organisational Theory

Information Organisation in Practice

Introduction to Business Administration

1st Year Project Communication in

Organisations

thIrd semester

InformatIon In context continues to address responsible communication

by further discussing the theme of privacy. The course emphasises the

need for public awareness of the costs associated with distributing

personal (or others’) information over the internet. Students are also

taught to consider the usability of the media, and how the portrayal of

news stories can be achieved in a responsible way.

In the course project management, students learn how project managers are required to take responsibility for

their actions because their influence affects the results of projects. Cases are used to illustrate responsibility in

relation to project management and stakeholders, such as the Hallands Åsen Ridge and Turning Torso cases. Both

of these cases raise the question of whether the Turning Torso can be considered a successful project.

Semester 3

Computer Mediated Communication and

Collaboration

Information in Context

Project Management

Organisation, Innovation and System Design

fourth semester

corporate communIcatIon raises students’ awareness of the importance

of being a responsible communicator. Through a real corporate setting,

students are exposed to the complexity of corporate communication

and the importance of communicating responsibly with all stakehold-

ers.

Semester 4

Corporate Communication

Information Management and

Organisational Change

2nd Year Project

Information and Knowledge in Organisations

fIfth semester

This semester is dedicated to exchange or elective courses, and a

mandatory internship within a company. Of the 127 electives available

to student on the BA IM programme, 6 directly address responsible

management, including Introduction to Sustainable Business, Fashion

Entrepreneurship and Business Development and The Human Perspec-

tive in Business Administration.

Semester 5

Internship

Elective I

Elective II

sIxth semester

communIcatIon and Knowledge management prepares students to be open

towards information and data, to keep communication transparent

and to understand the importance of arriving at a common ground.

The course addresses challenges in communicating knowledge in or-

ganisational settings and in dealing with miscommunication between

‘experts’ and ‘lay-people’ at different organizational levels.

busIness economIcs and InformatIon management informs students about communication patterns and information

exchange practices in regards to decision-making. The course critically examines information management and

information efficiency at organisational and industry levels.

Semester 6

Communication and Knowledge Management

Business Economics and Information

Management

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contacts and resources

Below we have a list of the key people associated with BA IM, which you may find useful:

Im programme manager

Im study coordInator

Lavinia Iosif-Lazar is responsible for the Cur-

riculum Development project. Please send any

suggestions for amendments to her.

prme project manager

Professor Kai Hockerts is the Academic Director

of the Curriculum Development project.

prme academIc dIrector

Kai Hockerts: Tel: 3815 3175

E-mail: kho.msc@cbs.dk

cc: mmms.edu@cbs.dk

Lavinia Iosif-Lazar: Tel: 3815 3123

E-mail: li.msc@cbs.dk

Im ambassador

Assistant Professor Attila Marton has agreed to be the ambassador for BA IM. Please feel free to contact him if you have any questions regarding responsible management education within the programme.

Kamilla Lund Nielsen serves as the programme manager for BA IM.

Associate Professor Matthias Trier serves as the study coordinator for the BA IM programme.

Attila Marton: E-mail: am.itm@cbs.dk

Matthias Trier: Tel: 3815 2047

E-mail: ma.itm@cbs.dk

Kamilla Lund Nielsen: Tel: 3815 2776

E-mail: kln.stu@cbs.dk

This report refers to the Autumn semester, 2016.