Publication records

Corporate responsibility has gone global. It has secured the attention of business leaders, governments and NGOs to an unprecedented extent. Increasingly, it is argued that business must play a constructive role in addressing massive global challenges. Business is not responsible for causing most of the problems associated with, for example, extreme poverty and hunger, child mortality and HIV/AIDS. However, it is often claimed that business has a responsibility to help ameliorate many of these problems and, indeed, it may be the only institution capable of effectively addressing some of them. Global Challenges in Responsible Business addresses the implications for business of corporate responsibility in the context of globalization and the social and environmental problems we face today. Featuring research from Europe, North America, Asia and Africa, it focuses on three major themes: embedding corporate responsibility, corporate responsibility and marketing, and corporate responsibility in developing countries.

The purpose of this report can be summarized as follows: 1. Update our awareness of the issues and challenges facing European firms in terms of technology management. 2. Understand the future of ESMT's sponsors and clients in terms of their R&D and technology organizations. 3. Develop our understanding of the need for skills and capabilities development of the current and future managers and executives in the areas of Research, Development and Engineering (i.e. all those making technology decisions). 4. Seek input for R&D/technology program portfolio that ESMT could offer in the future.

Michel Portal, an executive with Auchan in France, has been appointed to head up a new acquired subsidiary in the imaginary country of Syldavia. This case is based on a real situation that has been disguised to ensure confidentiality of the persons involved. Syldavia, as a the host country is depicted as a economy in transition, and as such could be considered as one of the eastern and central European countries, although the case that inspired this situation is not situated in this part of the world. Auchan Syldava is typical of a "taking charge" case study where participants are expected to help Michel Portal, the new CEO, to develop a strategy for his new assignment for a company that he is expected to turn-around in a relatively short time span. The case provides a detailed description of the Grünfeld group which Auchan has acquired as well as the strategic, organizational and cultural context both at the mother company and the new subsidiary.