Nepal Open University

Faculty of Management and Law

Curriculum for
Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Course:Leadership, Governance and Corporate Sustainability Credits:3

Course No.:MGMGT 695
Semester: Fourth

CourseDescription
This course has been designed to provide the learners with a critical understanding of the
concepts and practices of leadership, corporate governance and corporate sustainability,
which are inextricably interconnected with each other in dynamic environments facing the
modern day organisations. It aims at imparting the conceptual framework of leadership vis-à-
vis leadership role in managing corporate social responsibility, corporate governance and
corporate sustainability so that leaders are enabled to strategize their CSR, governance and
corporate sustainability practices to gain competitive advantages. Hence, this course
encompasses leadership, leadership styles and behaviour, corporate governance, socially
responsible leadership, and corporate sustainability.

Learning Outcomes
Upon the completion of the course, the students will be able to:
 To demonstrate and explain the concept of leadership and leadership styles;
 To appreciate leadership traits and behaviour, and essential aspects of leadership; and
assess leadership potential and effects;
 To explain leadership-power inter-linkages and dynamics, influencing tactics,
impression management, and hone leadership negotiation skills;
 To appreciate and explain the tenets of strategic leadership to manage changes by
matching organisation culture and structure with chosen strategies;
 To demonstrate a critical understanding of corporate social responsibility, corporate
citizenship and social audit for promoting socially responsible leadership in view of
Nepalese and global business codes;
 To appreciate and discuss the concept and theories of corporate governance, and
analyse the challenges and impact of corporate governance on business and society;
and
 To discuss the key issues involved in sustainability of corporate enterprises for
strategizing corporate sustainability to generate competitive advantage
CourseContents
Unit Main Contents Teaching
s Hours
1 Leadership 6
 Concept of leadership; Pre-requisites of organisational leaders
 Leadership styles: Authoritarian, democratic and laissez-faire leadership
 Task and interpersonal leadership
 2 Leadership Behaviour 7
 Leadership traits, situation, transactional, functional and relationship
leadership, steward and servant leadership, transformation and charismatic
leadership, value-based leadership
 Assessing leadership potential, measuring the effects of leadership, managerial
derailment and self-defeating behaviour, developing the planning and pipeline,
professional development
 Leader-member exchange theory
3 Leadership Power, Influence and Negotiation 8
 Power and leadership, sources of power, types of power and influencing
tactics, credibility, compliance-gaining strategies, developing argumentative
competence;
 Impression managementas an emerging issue in organisation power-politics;
 Negotiating, the leader as negotiator, the process of negotiation; Qualities of a
good negotiator leader
4 Strategic Leadership 6
 Concept of strategic leadership;
 Clarifying strategic intent; Building an organisation; Shaping organisational
culture; Developing talented operational leadership;
 Matching the existing organisational structure, leadership, and organisational
culture with newly chosen strategies
5 Corporate Social Responsibility and ResponsibleLeadership 7
 Review of corporate social responsibility (CSR) concepts; An overview of
stakeholder approach to CSR; CSR and corporate citizenship (CC); Concept
of corporate citizenship and corporate social performance; Shift from CSR to
corporate shared value (CSV)
 An overview of NBI’s Business Code of Conduct, 2013; UN Global Compact
 Concept of social audit; approaches and models of social audit
 Role of leadership in making corporate entities socially responsible
6 Corporate Governance and Leadership 8
 Concept, scope significance and theories of corporate governance; corporate
governance failures
 Challenges to good corporate governance
 Corporate governance practices and leadership in Nepalese organisations
 Impact of corporate governance practices on business and society
7 Corporate Sustainability and Leadership 7
 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),sustainable enterprises and
corporate sustainability
 Strategizing corporate sustainability to generate competitive advantage
 Identification of key issues of corporate sustainability
 Role of leadership in corporate sustainability
Text Books
 Compendium (of the NOU)
 Carroll, A.B., & Buchholtz, A. K. (2015). Business and society: Ethics, sustainability and
stakeholder management, 9th ed. USA: Cengage Learning
 Chapagain, B.R. (2018). Business and society, 1st ed., Kathmandu: Asmita Books
Publishers & Distributors.
 Haldar, U.K. (latest edition). Leadership and team building, New Delhi: Oxford University
Press
  Khanka, S.S. (2014). Business ethics and corporate governance, 1st ed., New Delhi: S.
Chand & Co.
 McShane, S.L., & Glinow, M.A.V. (2014). Organization behavior, 5th ed., Tata McGraw Hill
 Pearce, J.A., Robinson, R.B., & Mital, A. (2013). Strategic management: Formulation,
implementation and control, 12th ed (Indian ed), New Delhi: McGraw Hill
 Robbins, S.P., & Judge, T.A. (2013). Organization behavior, 15th ed., New Delhi: Pearson.
 Tricker, B. Corporate governance: Principles, policies and practices. 3rd ed. New Delhi:
Oxford University Press
Further Readings
Adhikary, D. R. (2015). Organisation behavior, Kathmandu: Buddha Publication
Eccles, R. G., Ioannou, I., & Serafeim, G. (2019). The Impact of Corporate Sustainability on
Organizational Processes and Performance. Harvard Business School Working Paper
series. Available on https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Publication%20Files/SSRN-
id1964011_6791edac-7daa-4603-a220-4a0c6c7a3f7a.pdf
Ioannou, I., & Serafeim, G. (2019). Corporate Sustainability: A Strategy? Harvard Business
School Working Paper. Available on https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Publication%20Files/19-
065_16deb9d6-4461-4d2f-8bbe-2c74b5beffb8.pdf
Sthapit, A. (2015). International business: Environments & strategies, 1st ed., Kathmandu:
Taleju Prakashan.
Official publications
a) ILOs links
 https://www.ilo.org/100/en/story/enterprises/
 https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_emp/---
emp_ent/documents/publication/wcms_175537.pdf
 https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---asia/---ro-bangkok/---ilo-
kathmandu/documents/publication/wcms_655934.pdf
 https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_emp/---
emp_ent/documents/publication/wcms_093969.pdf
b) Publications of National Business Initiative (NBI), Kathmandu, Nepal
Further Reference Materials
The Instructor will prescribe reading materials for different units and issues:
 Relevant articles: For discussion
 Online websites/ resources
Elaborated Course Contents and Modus Operandi of Teaching
Unit Title and Learning outcomes Main Contents Key
Teaching Reference
Hours
1. Leader- To demonstrate  Concept of leadership  McShane et
ship: 6 hrs and explain the  Prerequisites of organisational leaders al (2014),
concept of  Leadership styles: 359-382
leadership and  Authoritarian Leadership,  Robbins et
leadership styles  Democratic Leadership and al (2013),
 Laissez-faire leadership 367-389
 Task and interpersonal leadership
Unit Title and Learning outcomes Main Contents Key
Teaching Reference
Hours
2. To explain  Leadership traits, situation, transactional,  Adhikary
Leadership leadership-power functional and relationship leadership, steward (2015)
Behaviour: interlinkages and and servant leadership, transformation and  McShane et
7 hrs dynamics, charismatic leadership, value-based leadership al (2014),
influencing tactics,  Assessing leadership potential, measuring the 359-382
impression effects of leadership, managerial derailment and  Robbins et
management and self-defeating behaviour, developing the al (2013),
hone leadership planning and pipeline, professional development 367-389
negotiation skills  Leader-member exchange theory
3. Leader- To explain  Power and leadership, sources of power, types  McShane et
ship leadership-power of power and influencing tactics, credibility, al (2014),
Power, inter-linkages and compliance-gaining strategies, developing 299-356
Influence dynamics, argumentative competence  Robbins et
and influencing tactics,  Impression managementas an emerging issue in al (2013),
Negotia- impression organisation power-politics 411-426
tion: 8 hrs management, and  Negotiating:Leader as a negotiator; the process
hone leadership of negotiation;key negotiation skills of leaders;
negotiation skills qualities of a good negotiator leader
4.Strategic To appreciate and  Concept of strategic leadership;  Pearce et al
Leadership explain the tenets  Clarifying strategic intent; (2013),
: 6 hrs of strategic  Building an organisation; 365-396
leadership to  Shaping organisational culture;
manage changes  Developing talented operational leadership;
by matching  Matching the existing organisational structure,
organisation culture leadership, and organisational culture with newly
and structure with chosen strategies
chosen strategies
5.Corporat To demonstrate a  Review of corporate social responsibility (CSR)  Carroll et al
e Social critical concepts, (2015)
Responsibi understanding of  An overview of stakeholder approach to CSR;  Khanka
lity and CSR, corporate CSR and corporate citizenship (CC); (2014),
Responsi- citizenship and  Concept of corporate citizenship and corporate  Chapagain
bleLeaders social auditfor social performance; Shift from CSR to corporate (2018),
hip: 7 hrs promoting socially shared value (CSV)  Sthapit
responsible  An overview of NBI’s Business Code of (2015),
leadership in view Conduct, 2013; UN Global Compact 377-390
of Nepalese and  Concept of social audit; approaches and models
global business of social audit
codes  Role of leadership in making corporate entities
socially responsible
Unit Title and Learning outcomes Main Contents Key
Teaching Reference
Hours
6.Corporat To appreciate and  Concept, scope and significance of corporate  Khanka
e Govern- discuss the concept governance (2014),
ance and and theories of  Theories of corporate governance 439-472
Leader- corporate  Agency Theory  Chapagain
ship: 8 hrs governance, and  Transaction Cost Economics (2018),
analyse the  Stewardship Theory and 129-148
challenges and  Stakeholder Theory  Tricker
impact ofcorporate  An account of corporate governance failures (2009)
governance on
 Challenges to good corporate governance
business and
 Corporate governance practices in Nepalese
society
organisations
 Impact of corporate governance practices on
business and society
7. To discuss the  Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),  Sthapit
Corporate issues involved in sustainable enterprises and corporate (2015),
Sustain- sustainability of sustainability 379; 384-
ability and corporate  Strategizing corporate sustainability to generate 386
Leadership enterprises for competitive advantage  Ioannou et
: 7 hrs strategizing  Identification of key issues of corporate al (2019)
corporate sustainability  Eccles et al
sustainability to  Role of leadership in corporate sustainability (2019)
generate  UN
competitive publications
advantage  ILO
publications
Teaching Pedagogy and Student Activities
Teaching Pedagogy/ Delivery Modes Student Activities
 Study materials (including compendium and textbooks)  Attend lectures and interact with
 Live classes and interactions teacher and peers
 Videos and video cases  Watch videos and attempt review
 Cases, and Quizzes questions
 Field visits to National Business Initiative or NBI (office  Submit assignments
and projects) and other relevant organisations to give  Perform case analyses and
exposure to real-life practices on corporate governance attempt questions
and social responsibility and sustainability issues for  Answer quizzes
which NOU will provide field allowance and other relevant
allowances to the instructor(s), and fund administrative/
logistic expenses
Text Books
 Compendium (of the NOU)
 Carroll, A.B., & Buchholtz, A. K. (2015). Business and society: Ethics, sustainability and
stakeholder management, 9th ed. USA: Cengage Learning
 Chapagain, B.R. (2018). Business and society, 1st ed., Kathmandu: Asmita Books
Publishers & Distributors.
 Haldar, U.K. (latest edition). Leadership and team building, New Delhi: Oxford University
Press
  Khanka, S.S. (2014). Business ethics and corporate governance, 1st ed., New Delhi: S.
Chand & Co.
 McShane, S.L., & Glinow, M.A.V. (2014). Organization behavior, 5th ed., Tata McGraw Hill
 Pearce, J.A., Robinson, R.B., & Mital, A. (2013). Strategic management: Formulation,
implementation and control, 12th ed (Indian ed), New Delhi: McGraw Hill
 Robbins, S.P., & Judge, T.A. (2013). Organization behavior, 15th ed., New Delhi: Pearson.
 Tricker, B. Corporate governance: Principles, policies and practices. 3rd ed. New Delhi:
Oxford University Press
Further Readings
Adhikary, D. R. (2015). Organisation behavior, Kathmandu: Buddha Publication
Eccles, R. G., Ioannou, I., & Serafeim, G. (2019). The Impact of Corporate Sustainability on
Organizational Processes and Performance. Harvard Business School Working Paper
series. Available on https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Publication%20Files/SSRN-
id1964011_6791edac-7daa-4603-a220-4a0c6c7a3f7a.pdf
Ioannou, I., & Serafeim, G. (2019). Corporate Sustainability: A Strategy? Harvard Business
School Working Paper. Available on https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Publication%20Files/19-
065_16deb9d6-4461-4d2f-8bbe-2c74b5beffb8.pdf
Sthapit, A. (2015). International business: Environments & strategies, 1st ed., Kathmandu:
Taleju Prakashan.
Official publications
c) ILOs links
 https://www.ilo.org/100/en/story/enterprises/
 https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_emp/---
emp_ent/documents/publication/wcms_175537.pdf
 https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---asia/---ro-bangkok/---ilo-
kathmandu/documents/publication/wcms_655934.pdf
 https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_emp/---
emp_ent/documents/publication/wcms_093969.pdf
d) Publications of National Business Initiative (NBI), Kathmandu, Nepal
Further Reference Materials
The Instructor will prescribe reading materials for different units and issues:
 Relevant articles: For discussion
 Online websites/ resources
Evaluation Plan
Schemes Total weightage
Internal evaluation 40 per cent
 Assignments, project works, learning summary, participation 20%
 Mid-term exams 20%
External evaluation (End-term exams) 60 per cent

Evaluation Methods/ Components

In-semester Evaluation (Assignments and Mid-term and End-semester Exams
Projects)
a) Unit assignments/projects a) Case analysis: 25%
b) Critical appreciation and reviews b) Situation analysis: 25%
c) Case analysis c) Long answer question (one): 25%
d) Learning summary/ reflection report d) Short answer questions (five): 25%
e) Participation in interactions with the tutor
and live quizzes
f) Other assignments