16914 Corporate Social Responsibility and People Management
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particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source
of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.
Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 6 cp
Subject level:
Undergraduate
Result type: Grade and marksRequisite(s): (16912 Construction Project Management Principles AND (48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10310 Bachelor of Property Economics OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10320 Bachelor of Property Economics Bachelor of International Studies OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10214 Bachelor of Construction Project Management OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10215 Bachelor of Construction Project Management Bachelor of International Studies OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10431 Bachelor of Property Economics Bachelor of Languages and Cultures OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10420 Bachelor of Construction Project Management Bachelor of Languages and Cultures))
Recommended studies:
16912 Site Management
Description
This subject explores the impact that the construction industry has on the people that work in it and on the communities in which it builds. Students critically debate contemporary issues relating to the relationship between business, employees and society, tackling subjects within the broader field of corporate social responsibility and human resource management. This subject aims to create a new generation of leaders in helping the construction industry to make a more positive contribution to society.
Students' knowledge and understanding is gained through lectures; discussions with leaders in this field; completing a major industry-based team assignment; making group and individual presentations communicating students' recommendations; and through the student's independent research and readings.
The subject applies the latest international thinking, research and best practice in a practical case study environment.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:
| 1. | Understand how your actions as managers affects the people you manage and the communities you build in. |
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| 2. | Understand the importance of managing people and stakeholders effectively. |
| 3. | Engage in ethical, critical and reflective thinking when managing people and stakeholders. |
| 4. | Effectively engage critical and independent thinking in the interpretation of theory and its practical application in corporate social responsibility and human resource management. |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject also contributes to the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes:
- Identify ethical issues and apply informed ethical judgements in professional Contexts. (A.1)
- Apply a variety of communication skills and technologies in professional contexts. (C.1)
- Work effectively in project teams in professional contexts. (C.2)
- Ability to provide and utilise innovative and creative solutions to industry/project issues and problems. (I.1)
- Apply the body of knowledge underpinning construction project management practice. (P.2)
- Identify efficiencies in the sustainable deployment and management of resources. (P.6)
- Analyse and advise on alternative design solutions to promote the achievement of value on projects. (P.7)
- Source evaluate and use information to approach new projects/problems. (R.1)
- Critically analyse, structure and report the results of a research project. (R.2)
Contribution to the development of graduate attributes
The term CAPRI is used for the five Design, Architecture and Building faculty graduate attribute categories where:
C = communication and groupwork
A = attitudes and values
P = practical and professional
R = research and critique
I = innovation and creativity.
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs) are linked to these categories using codes (e.g. C-1, A-3, P-4, etc.).
Teaching and learning strategies
The central teaching & learning strategy is the students’ active participation in your own learning through engagement in open and interactive debate in a Socratic learning environment. The teaching strategy involves face-to-face lectures, workshops, guest speakers and presentations. Lectures will introduce the theory behind topics and applications in industry with case studies and construction industry guest speakers will illustrate applications of these principles in current construction industry practice.
The lectures and guest speakers will be followed by workshops, where specific corporate social responsibility and human resource management issues will be discussed and guidance provided for assignments. Additionally, students will take part in team work and experiential exercises that link theory and practice.
Students are encouraged to discuss and debate corporate social responsibility and human resource management issues of contemporary relevance to current construction industry practice and to independently explore and research these areas and read on selected related topics of their choice and provided by the lecturers and guest speakers.
Content (topics)
- How to create social value through construction
- Introduction to Corporate Social Responsibility and business ethics
- Going green?
- Creating engaging, happy and productive workplaces.
- Social procurement in construction.
- The history of management theory when it comes to managing people.
- Why do people behave badly at work?
- Managing diversity.
- Managing cultural diversity.
- Communicating with communities.
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Social Innovation - Case Study
| Intent: | Assignment 1: Social Innovation case study This is an individual assignment Assessment task 1 requires students to submit a case study of what they consider a best practice CSR initiative implemented by a business operating outside the construction industry which contributes social value to the communities in which it operates. YOU CAN CHOOSE TO FOCUS ON ANY COUNTRY OR TYPE OF BUSINESS YOU LIKE. BUT IT MUST NOT BE RELATED TO THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY. NOTE THAT SOME CSR INITIATIVES COMBINE ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL OUTCOMES. HOWEVER, YOUR CASE STUDY MUST FOCUS ON INITIATIVES WHICH FOCUS ON SOCIAL OUTCOMES. In presenting your assignment please follow this structure:
Word limit: 1500 words max. Please note: common problems which cause students to lose marks include: · Poor research (make sure you do your research thoroughly) · Poor referencing (avoid over using company websites and try to use independent sources which can be trusted from respected sources) · Hard to read (This is not an essay. Use headings, sub headings and examples to make it easy to read. It is meant to be a business report which you would present to a senior manager). | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Objective(s): | This task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 1, 2, 3 and 4 This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.): A.1, P.7, R.1 and R.2 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Type: | Report | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Groupwork: | Individual | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 40% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Assessment task 2: Develop your own CSR initiative for the construction industry
| Intent: | This is an individual assignment In this assignment you are required to present a business case for a new CSR initiative in the construction industry. This initiative must focus on a social issue. This innovation must be something that will sit within an existing company. In presenting your assignment please follow this structure: 1) Background: What is the social issue being addressed, why it is important to address and how can the construction industry make a difference. 2) Initiative: Describe the company that you are implementing this new initiative into, describe your idea in detail to address the above issue, present a business plan which would be attractive to senior managers within your company and perhaps even external investors. You may want to use a business plan template to do this. There are many available online and reading chapter 3 of this book may be useful (freely available in the UTS library) https://www.routledge.com/Social-Enterprise-in-the-Construction-Industry-Building-Better-Communities/Loosemore-Higgon/p/book/9781138824065
Word limit: 2500 words max. Common problems which cause students to lose marks include:
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| Objective(s): | This task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 1, 2 and 3 This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.): I.1, P.6 and R.1 | ||||||||||||||||
| Type: | Report | ||||||||||||||||
| Groupwork: | Individual | ||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 50% | ||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Assessment task 3: Quizzes
| Intent: | Undertake regular quizzes release in class and available for one week following release. |
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| Objective(s): | This task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 2, 3 and 4 This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.): C.1, C.2, P.2 and R.1 |
| Type: | Quiz/test |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 10% |
| Length: | 500 words per feedback (2000 words in total) |
Minimum requirements
The DAB attendance policy requires students to attend no less than 80% of formal teaching sessions (lectures and tutorials) for each class they are enrolled in to remain eligible for assessment.
Required texts
Raiden A, Loosemore, M, Kind A and Gorse C (2019) Social value in construction, Routledge, London, UK
Loosemore, M and Phua, F (2015) Responsible corporate strategy in construction and Engineering, Taylor and Francis, London UK
Other resources
ARCOM web site (www.arcom.edu.uk) has a very useful search engine to track papers in the field of construction management that have been published in the main construction journals over the last 35 years.
Sourceable https://sourceable.net/ and Build Australia https://www.buildaustralia.com.au/ are useful construction industry online magazines which are free and provide interesting news to keep you updated with industry developments and trends
Other useful books:
Loosemore M and Higgon D (2015) Social enterprise in construction – building better communities, Routledge, London, UK
Loosemore, M (2014) Innovation, strategy and risk: turning serendipity into capability, Routledge, London.
Dainty A and Loosemore M (2015) Human resource management in construction: critical perspective, Routledge, London
Langford, D Hancock M R, Fellows R and Gale (1995) Human resources management in construction, Longman, London UK
Beder S (1998) The new engineer, Macmillan, London, UK
Gale A W and Davidson M J (2006) Managing diversity and equity in construction, Taylor and Francis, London
Murray M and Dainty A (2009) corporate social responsibility in the construction industry, Taylor and Francis, London
Fewings P (2009) Ethics for the built environment, Taylor and Francis, London
Emuze F and Smallwood J (2018) Valuing people in construction, Routledge, London
Dainty A, Green S and Bagihole (2007) People and culture in construction, Spon Press, London