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in Association with The Guardian and The European Academy of Business in Society

Most business schools are failing to equip managers with the knowledge and skills they need to run successful organisations in today’s operating environment. Companies large and small, the public sector and even civil society organisations are being held accountable in more ways and for a wider variety of things than ever before. Corporate responsibility is not just about comparatively simple questions of corporate governance, business ethics and corporate philanthropy, but also the practical requirement to balance stakeholder expectations. The challenges surrounding corporate responsibility are complex, fascinating, full of dilemmas and directly affect long term business success.

Many therefore argue that the core competence of tomorrow’s leaders will be relationship management, with the most effective managers being able to show a sure touch in fostering collaboration, engendering an organisational learning culture, managing conflicts of interest and dealing with complexity. The mindset will be more concerned with recognising tensions and trade-offs in stakeholder relations, and attempting to demonstrate good intentions in dealing with them. In short, effective managers will have the influencing skills, political savvy, cultural awareness and abilities in creating partnerships and communicating to shape and adapt to the business landscape.

Since 1998 Ashridge has run a competition to find the most thought-provoking essay, by a MBA candidate, on the changing role of business in society. The award exists to raise awareness about the relevance of these issues to mainstream management education and, of course, to the clients.

You can access the shortlisted and winning essays published by ACCA from the links on this page. Further information on the awards from the Ashridge Centre for Business and Society website.

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