DESIGNING AN INTERNATIONAL BACHELOR DEGREE SYLLABUS - CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN INDUSTRY 4.0

Abstract

The project "Adaptation of strategies for corporate social responsibility to address the implications of the Industry 4.0" is currently in the second year of its implementation. It is executed within the ERASMUS+ Program, key activity "Strategic Partnerships in Higher Education" and is coordinated by a team of the "D. A. Tsenov” Academy of Economics (Svishtov, Bulgaria) in partnership with the National Federation of Employers of Disabled People (Sofia, Bulgaria), the Accreditation Council for Entrepreneurial and Engaged Universities (Münster, Germany), the Catholic University of Murcia (Murcia, Spain) and the University of Nis (Nis, Serbia). The project is focused on current challenges of corporate social responsibility as an expression of the impact of organizational activities on society and the environment. Currently, corporate social responsibility is an extremely important factor influencing the development of companies, the formation of their profits and maintaining the image of product brands. Along with their main activity, socially responsible enterprises also perform activities of social significance, such as offering donations, supporting charitable actions, social events, etc. Such companies also award grants and scholarships, provide support to disaster-affected areas and support other aid causes. As an ex post result from the project http://csr-project.eu/ the partners have developed a curricula for a bachelor degree subject entitled “Corporate social responsibility in Industry 4.0” for students in the field of economics, administration and management”. As an in medias result the academic lecturers and researchers are on the final stage of writing the content of the academic textbook containing 8 chapters grouped in two parts – theoretical and empirical. The first theoretical part “Theoretical developments of CSR in Industry 4.0” includes the following four chapters: 1) Evolution of corporate social responsibility; 2) Financial and managerial dimensions of CSR; 3) Emerging social challenges with Industry 4.0; 4) Strategic approach to corporate social responsibility. The second part entitled “Case studies of CSR in Industry 4.0” includes other four chapters: 5) National evidences for implementation of the concept of CSR; 6) CSR and Industry 4.0 - evidences from Spain; 7) CSR and Industry 4.0 - evidences from Germany; 8) CSR and Industry 4.0 - evidences from Bulgaria. As a main conclusion from the paper, we argue that the project "Adaptation of strategies for corporate social responsibility to address the implications of the Industry 4.0" with reference number: 2020-1-BG01-KA203-079025 is an excellent opportunity to create added value through international partnership under the Erasmus + program. The achievements as of the last month of the second stage of the project implementation give grounds to expect its successful completion and achievement of all set goals and objectives. Besides the initial project topic, the Covid-19 environment has opened before all main economic agents – the companies, the households and the government – a new opportunity to prove the concept of CSR is a vital and important attitude to be more health protecting and ecologically responsible.