Thesis format
The initial section of the thesis should deal with the approach taken by the subject
company in terms of how it either deals with CSR or SSCM. That is, the Senior Thesis needs to
address one but not both of these two dimensions of sustainability. Information regarding a
company’s CSR or SSCM can be found in the academic and popular press and can also likely be
found in the company’s annual report or in other materials issued by the company. Information
on SSCM may also be found in industry publications dealing with the particular industries that
the subject company competes in. There are also industry publications that deal with the general
subject of supply chain management. The module articles and information presented by student
pairs should provide a good framework from which to consider one of these aspects of company
sustainability. This section should be 3-5 pages in length, double-spaced.
The second section of the project should deal with the approach taken by the company in
terms of how it deals with employee development. Information regarding employee
development of a particular firm can be found in the same places as mentioned above. Articles
discussed in class and covered in the modules may be useful for this section. Internal
information sources, such as from an employee at the subject company, can be pertinent in this
section and may be included. It may be possible to gain this information from sites like
Glassdoor.com. This should not, however, be the sole source of information for this section of
the project. This section should also be 3-5 pages in length.
The final section, Sustainability, should be approached in the manner indicated in Figure
1 on p 277 of the Figge et al. (2002) article. That is, you should first choose the strategic business unit of a company you wish to study, then
identify the environmental and social aspects of concern and then determine the strategic
relevance of these environmental and social aspects. Identification of the environmental and
social exposure of the business unit studied should be approached using the Environmental and
Social exposure frameworks found in Figures 2 and 3 in Figge et al. (2002). See Below As is described in Figge et al. (2002), students will prepare a Strategic Matrix presented
in Figure 4 that will include the four strategic perspectives of the Kaplan and Norton (1992)
article for their subject company.
A non-market perspective should be evaluated and its inclusion will depend on the its
relevance to the company in question. That is if the student, once (s)he has completed the
analysis, believes that there is significant environmental or social exposure to the company that
has not yet been addressed by the four conventional perspectives, then this exposure should be
included in the Matrix as a non-market perspective.
Once the Strategic Matrix, has been completed, students should present the SBSC in the
form of a strategy map, a sample of which is found in Figure 5, p 282 of Figge et al. (2002).
Each strategic perspective will be described using qualitative and quantitative information found
during the company analysis and will be arranged in the hierarchical method indicated in Figure
5 (Below) This section should be 5-9 pages in length. Written Portion (75 points)
1) The analysis clearly follows the form described in these instructions i.e. three distinct sections
corresponding to the three dimensions of sustainability as presented in the course. Points will be
deducted for a form not corresponding to the above.
2) Examples of an actual company are used to address the strategic perspectives indicated in the
Figge et al. (2002) article. The analysis should not make guesses about the way things are done
in the subject company. If it is not possible to obtain information regarding certain aspects of the
strategic perspectives analysis found in Table 1 or Table 2 in Figge et al. (2002), then those
aspects should not be included and only those points for which actual information or data are
available should be included. Points will be deducted for excessive guesses or presumptions.
3) There is sufficient and appropriate use and application of business theory as presented in the
text and the course. Points will be deducted for insufficient use of theory.
4) There are correct and appropriate citations of business theory using APA citation style. At
least 15 different references must be cited. Incorrect citations will result in a deduction.
5) Writing issues such as spelling, grammar and punctuation are important and the paper should
reflect care in terms of these issues. Persistent incidences of errors in these areas will result in
deduction of points.
