Ethics and integrity are key agendas in business and management education. AHIBS is committed towards this cause. One of its most distinct efforts has been on the curriculum.
Some of AHIBS’ courses have been specifically designed to develop students’ moral values through problem-based learning projects that also link AHIBS with a multitude of external partners.
Under the MBA program, AHIBS offers the Business Ethics, Responsibility, and Sustainability course. It was introduced in 2013 at the height of global criticisms towards the traditional MBA framework, accused of being bias towards shareholders’ and profit-maximisation interests. The course requires students to initiate projects that can promote responsible business practices and build their ethical values. One of the recent projects (under Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rohaida Basiruddin) was conducted by MBA students who are also medical doctors in the Johor state. The project facilitated fund collection and volunteers for the preparation of personal protective equipment (PPE) for health practitioners.
Within the Social Entrepreneurship course, a university general elective, AHIBS students are exposed to the values of social entrepreneurship in solving modern-world problems. In a recent project, the students collaborated with a local company, Al-Afasy Berkat Resources Sdn. Bhd., to provide digital business and marketing knowledge to dropship agents from the lower-income group. The project adopted the 5 MaGIC’s Impact Pillars to promote community livelihood and economic resilience. Led by Dr. Zuraidah Sulaiman, the project has since captured the University’s attention to be elevated further with a dedicated grant to benefit a bigger audience.
Then Business Ethics and Corporate Governance course, offered under the AHIBS Bachelor of Accounting, requires students to spread the importance of business ethics to entrepreneurs. The course recently held a social responsibility project involving 25 SMEs entrepreneurs. The students played advocacy roles to educate the business owners regarding ethical principles, dilemmas, good practices, and business challenges caused by the pandemic. The project was conducted under Assoc. Prof. Dr. Maisarah Mohamed Saat, as the course instructor. Based on pre and post-programme assessment, the team received positive feedback from the SMEs regarding their ethical awareness.
AHIBS’ DBA programme incorporates a course called Doctoral Seminar in Exploring Opportunities for Social Responsibility and Sustainability. The course trains students to evaluate the roles of businesses, governments, and societies in responding to the 3Ps (profit, people, and planet) challenges. As part of the assessment, students have to organise programmes that can influence responsible business practices.
In the past, DBA students have held an autism awareness campaign for the public and employers to promote empathy towards parents (employees) with such children. Indirectly, the program hoped to educate employers regarding the values of people with autisms as potential human capital. The project, led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rossilah Jamil, partnered with external organisations including the KPJ Hospital Muar and the National Autism Society of Malaysia.
These are only some of the examples. Many more efforts are embedded within the School’s practices to support the cause. These curriculum elements are important to develop responsible AHIBS graduates who can then positively impact the business and social arenas.
