August 2013
Letter of Renewed Commitment
On behalf of the faculty and staff of the John Cook School of Business at Saint
Louis University, it is my pleasure to express our renewed commitment to the
Principles for Responsible Management Education. I have found that our Jesuit
philosophy of being men and women for others is an ideal backdrop for teaching
aspiring business professionals to be ethical leaders, global citizens, and
responsible stewards of the world’s resources.
Much of the research being conducted by members of our
highly regarded faculty, for example, demonstrates an
interest in relevant topic areas such as immigration, social
justice, and accessible healthcare, just to name a few. It is
my sincere belief that our commitment to the 6 principles
of responsible management education begins with the
tireless efforts of these world class researchers in creating
new knowledge related to our Jesuit ideals and, indeed, to
the UN Global Compact Principles that inform and guide
PRME.
Beyond faculty research, we also have a dedicated staff in our centers of
distinction and other programs that provide opportunities for students to learn
about what it means to be effective and responsible business professionals. For
example, our undergraduates can explore leadership through the conduit of
service by enrolling in the Service Leadership Program. Students can learn to
appreciate cultural differences and global economics by studying abroad through
the Boeing Institute of International Business. We are also excited to announce
the opportunity for young scholars to engage in responsible environmental
practices through our Sustainable Business Practices Track through the Service
Leadership Program.
The John Cook School of Business at Saint Louis University continues to be an
exciting and challenging place for students to pursue their academic goals. I am
delighted that the Principles of Responsible Management will help shape their
business experiences now and in the future.
Dr. Scott R. Safranski
Interim Dean, John Cook School of Business
Saint Louis University
PRME Principle Descriptions and Major Achievements
A strong commitment to the Principles for Responsible Management Education
is evident in many of the academic and co-curricular initiatives available to
students in the John Cook School of Business at Saint Louis University. Below is
an outline of the 6 PRME Principles and descriptions of the initiatives within the
School of Business that support each principle.
Principle 1 - Purpose: We will develop the capabilities of students to be future
generators of sustainable value for business and society at large and to work for
an inclusive and sustainable global economy.
Commitment to an inclusive and sustainable global economy is achieved in a
variety of ways within the John Cook School of Business. Salient among them
are the study abroad exchange programs through our Boeing Institute of
International Business and the Sustainable Business Practices Track within the
Service Leadership Program. The Boeing Institute exchange programs give
students the opportunity to explore and appreciate diverse points of view by
living and studying in a culture different from their own. The Sustainable
Business Practices Track is a new element within the Service Leadership Program
that allows business students to consider ways that environmental responsibility
and sustainable practices can lead to greater profitability. Following are in-depth
descriptions of each program:
Boeing Institute of International Business Study Abroad Exchange Programs
The Boeing Institute of International
Business
manages
business-specific
exchange programs with a number of
world-renowned international business
schools around the globe that teach classes
in English. We welcome students from
these schools to our campus each semester,
and we send John Cook School of Business
students to these schools as part of the exchange agreement. Schools that
currently participate in our exchange program include Belgium (University of
Antwerp), China (University of International Business & Economics in Beijing),
Denmark (Aarhus School of Business), France (ESSCA in Angers), Germany
(GSO in Nurnberg), Hong Kong (City University of Hong Kong), Korea (KDI in
Seoul), Sweden (JIBS in Jonkoping).
Sustainable Business Practices Track
Building sustainable societies is increasingly important, both pragmatically and
as a social justice issue. Often there is the perception that environmental and
social sustainability are at odds with economic sustainability, especially when
considered from the perspective of the individual firm. However, it is possible
for businesses to promote environmental and social sustainability while also
being economically sustainable (i.e. profitable).
The Sustainable Business Practices Track within the
Service Leadership Program is intended to help
undergraduate business students understand how
firms can achieve economic sustainability while also
pursuing environmental and social sustainability. This
goal fits well with SLU's mission. The Sustainable
Business Practices Track combines coursework related to sustainability with
workshops and field work.
From the normal Service Leadership Program requirements (15 hours of course
work, 24 leadership workshops, and 300 hours of service), students are required
to take 6 hours of approved coursework through the University’s Center for
Sustainability. In addition, students must complete 100 hours of field work
(subtracted from the 300 hours of service), and attend 6 approved seminars of a
topic relating to sustainability.
Principle 2 – Values: We will incorporate into our academic activities and
curricula the values of global social responsibility as portrayed in international
initiatives such as the United Nations Global Compact.
The value of global social responsibility is a natural extension of Saint Louis
University’s Jesuit philosophy of being men and women for others. As a result,
many aspects of the curriculum within the John Cook School of Business reflect
the expectation that students be exposed to discussions of ethical leadership and
social responsibility. Three specific examples of opportunities for students to
engage in this type of dialogue include the Foundations of Business course, the
Ethical Assessment Plan, and the Service Leadership Program.
Foundations of Business
The Foundations of Business course provides students with an overview of the
nature of business and shows students how the business curriculum is designed
to help prepare them for a business career. In addition, the course addresses
some common transition-to-college issues faced by freshmen.
One of the specific aims of the course is to teach students about relevant topics
such as ethical leadership, teamwork, and diversity. Because these areas of study
are viewed as being paramount to students’ curricular experience, an entire
module of the course is dedicated to them. The description of the module is as
follows:
Ethical Leadership, Teamwork, and Diversity—The purpose of this module is:
1.) To help students understand the importance of ethical leadership as it relates
to business decisions and personal decisions; 2.) To help students understand the
importance of developing teams and the importance of being cooperative,
productive team members; 3.) To help students appreciate diversity from a
business and personal perspective.
Ethics Assessment for Undergraduate Students in the John Cook School of
Business
As a Jesuit school, Saint Louis University’s John Cook School of Business aims to
create leaders who are not only well-versed in business but also well-versed in
ethics. In order to strengthen the ethical foundation of students, ethics education
has been integrated into the undergraduate business program of study.
However, the effectiveness of the ethics program is difficult to ascertain. To
determine if the educational programs are successful, students’ understanding of
ethics is measured quantitatively through the Ethical Lens Inventory and
qualitatively through personal statements and memo writing.
“The Ethical Lens Inventory (ELI) is a personal evaluation tool designed to help
students understand the values that influence their choices. It identifies how they
prioritize values when making ethical decisions. By understanding what values
are most important to them and what values are most important to the other
parties involved in an ethical situation, they can minimize unnecessary conflict,
make better ethical decisions, and live their values with confidence and
integrity.”1
1
http://www.ethicsgame.com/Exec/site/eli.html
Ethical Program of Study:
As freshmen, students take the ELI to learn their personal ethical perspective.
Students learn about the different perspectives, including the advantages of each
perspective and the blind spots associated with each perspective. Following this
introduction to the ELI, students write a personal statement detailing their
approach to ethics and what values are important to them.
Planning is underway to have students participate in a focus program in their
sophomore year consisting of an ethical simulation that is tied to the ELI
perspectives. Throughout the simulation, students will make different decisions
associated with different perspectives. Additionally, they will write memos
detailing their thought process and how they arrived at their final decisions.
During their sophomore year, students will periodically revisit the simulation.
As seniors, all business students take BIZ400. In this class, students retake the
ELI and see whether their ethical perspective has shifted during their college
career. Students also update the ethical statement they wrote as freshmen. In
addition, once the sophomore ethical simulation component is implemented,
they will repeat the simulation during their senior year.
Assessment:
Students are quantitatively assessed through looking at ELI score changes from
freshman to senior year. Movement across the ELI perspective map can
demonstrate ethical improvement, regression, or a strengthening of knowledge
of a certain quadrant.
Students are qualitatively assessed through examination of their ethical
statements and simulation memos. The ethical statements are evaluated through
identifying the ethical themes present. By senior year, students should gain a
deeper knowledge of the themes they wrote about as freshmen. Moreover,
seniors should be aware of new themes they had not written about as freshmen.
The simulation memos are evaluated by looking for deeper thought and
consideration; students should understand different perspectives more
thoroughly and therefore find optimal solutions to simulation challenges.
Service Leadership Program
The Service Leadership Program provides students in the John Cook School of
Business the opportunity to develop
and hone their leadership skills while
serving the St. Louis community. By
volunteering at service sites such as
Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Cardinal
Glennon Children's Hospital, Campus
Kitchen or one of the many other
available sites, students will practice
critical thinking, decision making,
effective communication and team
building. These are some of the skills
that will help students become more effective future business leaders.
The Service Leadership Program is unique to the John Cook School of Business.
Service Leaders complete 300 hours of community service, attend 24 leadership
workshops, and complete 15 hours of coursework centered on issues of social
justice and civic responsibility. Service Leadership often acts as a springboard
for students, encouraging them to use their business skills for social service
throughout their lives.
Principle 3 - Method: We will create educational frameworks, materials,
processes and environments that enable effective learning experiences for
responsible leadership.
Throughout the curricular and co-curricular offerings in the John Cook School of
Business, there are a variety of courses and activities that teach, encourage, and
endorse responsible business practices and responsible leadership. A few of
these curricular and co-curricular programs are described below.
Reclaiming the Human Spirit: Prison Experience and Learning from White
Collar Offenders
A new course this year will be offered to graduate students with the broad goal
of heightening their understanding of corporate fraud issues and increase ethical
awareness. The immersive experience involves Master of Business
Administration (MBA) students interacting with white collar offenders in varied
settings such as: a prison facility, halfway house, U.S. court proceedings,
meetings with probation office staff and offenders, probation office information
sessions, online sessions, and panels. The specific goal of this opportunity is
twofold:
1. Sensitize MBA students to the consequences of wrong doing from
offenders, and learn about the societal impact of such wrong doings.
2. Offenders may learn important business and life skills from the materials
developed by MBA students.
Social Justice Computing Project
The core of social justice is equality of opportunity. It is important for
communities to provide their citizens with the opportunities to gain the skills
and access the resources necessary for personal success. In an increasingly wired
world, the ability to access information through technology has become a vital
life skill for fully participating in society. An individual who cannot access the
vast array of information and services available over the Internet is at a severe
economic and social disadvantage.
Students from the Service Leadership
Program and the Sustainable Business
Practices Track within the Service Leadership
Program in the John Cook School of Business
at Saint Louis University are engaged in a
project called the Social Justice Computing
Project. The group solicits gently used
computers that are less than 6 years old. As
computers are collected, they are loaded with
Linux, a non-proprietary operating system that clears the hard drive and makes
the computers usable for recipients. The computers are then donated to lowincome students and not-for-profits in the St. Louis metro area in an effort to
support them in accessing the information and computer skills necessary for the
contemporary world.
Annual John Cook School of Business Service Day
The purpose of Service Day is to build community and to fulfill the Jesuit
Mission of service to others. Each year students, faculty, and staff in the John
Cook School of Business take some time to provide various services to the St.
Louis community. This year, volunteers helped “make-over” the MathewsDickey Boys’ and Girls’ Club. Volunteers spent the day cleaning, painting, and
doing landscaping.
Through athletic competition, team building, and personal development
programs, the Mathews- Dickey Club serves more than 40,000 young men and
women, ages 5-18, throughout the St. Louis-metropolitan area. The Club also
serves as a meeting center for various community, social and business
organizations and as an outreach resource center for troubled youth.
Principle 4 - Research: We will engage in conceptual and empirical research that
advances our understanding about the role, dynamics, and impact of
corporations in the creation of sustainable social, environmental and economic
value.
The John Cook School of Business is proud to be the academic home for a prolific
group of faculty researchers. Many elements of their research demonstrate an
interest in and dedication to corporate responsibility, sustainability, and social
justice. Following is a selected list of some of the relevant works produced by
our faculty:
McBride, T., Watson, S., Bednarek, H., Islam, M. Achieving Universal
Coverage in Missouri Using the Massachusetts Model.
Lenhert, K., Benmamoun, M., Zhao, H. (in press). FDI Inflow and Human
Development: Analysis of FDI’s Impact on Host Countries Social Welfare and
Infrastructure. To appear in Thunderbird International Business Review.
Guithues-Amrhein, D. (July 2013). Achieving Global Sustainability Through Proper
Measurement. IAJBS and CJBE World Forum on Sustainability & Business
Practices.
Kalliny, M., Kalliny, M. (in press). The Impact of Media Expansion on Religious
Conflict in the Arab World. To appear in Journal of Media and Religion.
Keane, T. P. (2011). Innovation, Conservation and Legislation: The
SustainabilityROI. St. Louis Business Journal.
Berkley, R. A., Beard, R., Kaplan, D. (in press). Global Diversity and CyberAggression: Leveraging Diversity in a Virtual Context. In Scott, C. L., Beard, M.
Y. (Ed.), Handbook of Research on Workforce Diversity in a Global Society: Technologies
and Concepts. IGI Global.
Martinez, C. (2012). Change and Informal Recycling: An NGO and a
Private Sector Partnership in Bogotá. In Stoner, J., Wankel, C. (Ed.), Managing
Climate Change Business Risks and Consequences: Leadership for Global Sustainability.
New York, NY: Managing Climate Change Business Risks and Consequences Leadership for Global Sustainability: Palgrave Sustainability Series.
Martinez, C., Bowen, J. D. (2012). The Clean Development Mechanism in the
Solid Waste Management Sector: Sustainable for Whom? Ecological
Economics/Elsevier, 82, 123-125.
Martinez, C., Bowen, J. D. Business, Human Rights, and the UN's Clean
Development Mechanism: Evidence from a Waste-to-Energy Plant in El
Salvador. Thunderbird International Business Review.
Niederman, F., Taylor, S. A., Dick, G., Land, L. (2011). Teaching IS Ethics:
Applying A Research Technique For Classroom Use. Journal of Information
Systems Education, 22(3).
Boyle, R., VanSlyke, C., Link, T., Safranski, S. (2012). The Social Justice
Computing Project. Verbum Incarnatum: An Academic Journal of Social Justice, 5, 7888 (10 pages). www.uiw.edu/verbum/index.htm
O'Boyle, E. J., Welch, P. J. "Integral Human Development and the Maximization
Principle of Mainstream Economics." The Journal of Markets and Morality.
Principle 5 - Partnership: We will interact with managers of business
corporations to extend our knowledge of their challenges in meeting social and
environmental responsibilities and to explore jointly effective approaches to
meeting these challenges.
The John Cook School of Business is fortunate to have several Executive
Advisory Boards that are associated with our various programs. Members of
these boards provide guidance, direction, and resources in a wide variety of
capacities, some of which overlap with the Principles for Responsible
Management Education.
For example, Nick Smarreli is a member of the Executive Advisory Board for the
Service Leadership Program. He is the Chief Operating Officer for GadellNet
Computer Consulting Services based in St. Louis. Nick has been instrumental in
providing advice to members of the Social Justice Computing Project described
above. Specifically, he is helping members solicit for high quality, gently used
computers that can be refurbished and distributed to those in need. His efforts
are helping business students provide technology to at risk youth, and helping to
keep used computer hardware out of landfills.
Following is a partial list of some of the companies represented on the various
boards in the John Cook School of Business: The Boeing Company, Innsbrook
Properties, Bissinger’s, Camelot Consulting Company, UMB Bank, Edward
Jones, Nestle Purina, CT Investments, LLC, The Cramer Institute, Hancock
Securities Group, LLC, Goldman Sachs, Wyman Center, CPI Corp., Schowalter &
Jabouri, P.C., Commerce Bank, International Packaging Innovations, News-Press
& Gazette Broadcasting, New Meadowlands Stadium Company, Network In
Human Services, Inc., Isle of Capri, AT&T Yellow Pages, Emerson, TIAA-CREF
Trust Co., Sabio Financial and Insurance, Thermadyne, St. Louis Business
Journal, Show-Me Institute, Nexstar Financial Corporation, Congruence, Inc.,
Manchester Capital, AHM Financial Group, LLC, Fifth Third Bank, Trenier
Enterprises, Heartland Bank, Grant Thornton, LLP, Monsanto, Laird
Technologies, Raising the Bar, LLC, Sense Corp, Wells Fargo Advisors, United
Way of Greater St. Louis, GadellNet Consulting Services.
Principle 6 - Dialogue: We will facilitate and support dialog and debate among
educators, business, government, consumers, media, civil society organizations
and other interested groups and stakeholders on critical issues related to global
social responsibility and sustainability.
The John Cook School of Business prides itself on providing educational
opportunities not only for students, but also for the business community and the
St. Louis community in general. Examples of School of Business educational
outreach efforts include “The Dean’s Breakfast” and “The Ameren Sustainable
Business Speaker Series.” Both series provide opportunities for members of the
community to think critically about important, relevant, and salient issues
related to business.
The Dean’s Breakfast
Examples of relevant speakers include:
Michael Hagedorn, Chief Financial Officer, UMB Financial Corporation
Joe Reagan, President and Chief Executive Officer, St. Louis Regional Chamber and
Growth Association
Andy Parham, Chief Executive Officer, Bick Group
Rita Numerof, PhD, President, Numerof and Associates, Inc.
Michael N. Abrams, M.A., Managing Partner, Numerof and Associates, Inc.
Rear Admiral William A. Brown, Director, Strategy, Policy, Programs, and Logistics
United States Transportation Command
Shankar P. Sharma, Ambassador of Nepal to the United States
Kathleen Ratcliffe, President, St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission
Ameren Sustainable Business Speaker Series
The Ameren Sustainable Business Speaker series is a new initiative coordinated
by Ben Smyth, Manager of Co-Curricular and Service Learning Programs in the
School of Business. The series, underwritten by a generous grant from the
Ameren Corporation, strives to deliver an informative, balanced seminar
evidencing how businesses successfully adapt their corporate operations and
strategies to meet the new realities of sustaining competitiveness while
integrating economic, environmental and social factors into their business model.
The inaugural speaking event “Sustainability Means Business” was held in
March of 2013 and featured Jean Ponzi, Green Resources Manager for EarthWays
Center, a division of Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis.
Future Perspectives/Key Objectives
There are a host of exciting initiatives in the John Cook School of Business that
will continue to reinforce and strengthen our commitment to the Principles for
Responsible Management Education this year and in the future. A few relevant
initiatives are listed below:
1. Renewed Emphasis on Global Connections
As a priority in the coming years, the John Cook School of Business is
working to develop a global mindset in its programs and curriculum. A
few examples of this effort are listed below:



The John Cook School of Business is working to develop closer
collaborations with the University’s Madrid campus.
New Global Immersion courses are being developed which would
place an emphasis on short study abroad experiences and
experiential learning while abroad.
The Service Leadership Program within the John Cook School of
Business is working to develop a short-term microfinance
immersion experience in Honduras.
2. Research Projects
Faculty members in the John Cook School of Business continue to generate
a breadth of research, much of it relevant to the Principles of Responsible
Management Education.
Examples of broad topics currently being
addressed include, but are not limited to, Information Technology and
Healthcare, Social Justice Computing, and Ethical Marketing Practices.
3. MBA Initiatives
Several new initiatives are being developed through the Master of
Business Administration program at the John Cook School of Business.
These initiatives include:
 The John Cook School of Business is continuing to work in close
relationship with the University’s Center for Sustainability to

develop new programs and initiatives. The most recent initiative
has been to develop a new dual degree program between the
School of Business and the Center for Sustainability. The new
program will be a Master of Business Administration and a Master
of Arts in Sustainability and is being launched in the fall of 2013.
New areas of emphasis are being developed for the Master of
Business Administration program, including in areas of Ethics and
Values, Sustainability, Corporate Social Responsibility, and Risk
Management.
Contact for PRME- Related Questions:
Benjamin Smyth, Manager of Co-Curricular and Service Learning
John Cook School of Business
Saint Louis University
smythbk@slu.edu
314-977-3609