MBA Students Are Getting Responsible
The London Business School has created a strategy game aimed at promoting social responsibility amongst business students. The game puts participants in the shoes of a fictitious Eastern European pharmaceutical company called "Chusco", tasked with navigating the closure of a local factory and minimizing the adverse effects on its stakeholders. Academic experts collaborated with Accenture – formerly Anderson Consulting – to educate students about the importance of businesses engaging with society in positive ways. Through the use of the game, participants learn that it is possible for companies to contribute to society without sacrificing profitability. The game outlines several strategies for achieving this goal, including improving customer service, staff motivation, efficiency, and reducing waste and pollution. After playing the game, students gain a deeper understanding of how complex business models can be when considering social responsibility. The game was initially created to prepare management for Prince Charles’ International Business Leaders’ Forum to promote responsible business practices. Recently, the University of North Carolina piloted the game, receiving positive feedback. As a result, they plan to use it in August to teach new MBA students. Individuals from the UK’s Industrial Society and attendees of the Business for Social Responsibility Conference in New York have also played the game. Vernon Ellis, International Chairman of Accenture, believes that "CHUSCO reflects and encourages a more sophisticated and substantial approach to corporate social responsibility in which a business can legitimately pursue its own enlightened self-interest while benefiting society at large." He suggests that this approach to corporate responsibility has the greatest chance of long-term success.
