institutional governance: The case study of a Nobel-winning bank
Grameen Bank, Commonly known as a rural bank, is considered a socially responsible business enterprise primarily based in a developing country named “Bangladesh” which is located in South Asia. Bangladesh is surrounded by India, Myanmar and the Bay of Bengal being the part of Indian Ocean, and also not too far from Nepal. There are no significant differences in the socio-economic conditions prevalent in these countries. Given the socio-economic perspective of Bangladesh, Grameen Bank was established to provide micro-credits to the Poorest of the poor. Eccentrically, the banking and governance systems of Grameen Bank were designed in a way so that the poor-illiterate loanees own the major share of this bank and take part in its governance system.
Over the years, since its inception, Grameen Bank together with its founder Professor Muhammad Yunus gained public trust and enormous appreciation from the domestic and international community for developing a business model targeting the financially disadvantaged and socially neglected people. As a result, both Grameen Bank and its founder received the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize. Subsequently, Professor Yunus received several awards including America’s Highest Civilian Award “Medal of Freedom” in 2009. However, from 2010, media grabbed headlines of ethical dilemmas surrounding Grameen Bank and its founder. There were major allegations about a financial impropriety and the magnitude of interest rates charged on loans. Despite the US political pressures on Bangladesh Government and external supports for Professor Yunus, at one stage he had to quit Grameen Bank. There are contentions as to whether or not Professor Yunus was misjudged in the political-governance system of Bangladesh. After the resignation of Professor Yunus, substantial changes occurred in the governance system of this bank.
ACCT 19083 Corporate Governance And Ethics
Requirements:
Part A
- What is a socially responsible business? Explain with examples.
- Explain whether or not Grameen Bank is a socially responsible business enterprise.
- What is ethical dilemma? Discuss with real and/or hypothetical examples of ethical dilemma
- Explain the ethical dilemma considering the accusations of financial impropriety and so claimed highest interest rates charged by Grameen Bank.
Part B
- Outline the political governance system in Bangladesh and then assess how it impacted on the institutional governance of Grameen Bank after the spate of ethical dilemma as discussed in Part A.
- Applying your knowledge of corporate governance principles and ethics, what would you suggest for improvement of the political governance systems in Bangladesh and institutional governance in Grameen Bank?
Guidelines
This assignment is not required to be submitted in a report format. That is, there is no need for executive summary, introduction and conclusion. You will need to simply answer the six (6) questions as stated above. Use the APA referencing guide for references in the texts (answers) for individual questions and in a list at the end of the answer to each question.
Grameen Bank website and its annual reports from the inception of its business to the present period are the good sources of data for this assignment. Five annual reports published in 1984, 2006, 2009, 2012 and 2016 are uploaded onto moodle. The vision and mission statements, CEO reports, Board of directors’ reports (about composition and governance system), statistical highlights/summary and financial statements in addition to the web/news articles, journal articles or other sources can be useful for understanding the case and answering the questions.
There is no word limit. There is no specific requirement for how many references you will use. It is expected that you use reasonable number of words and references to develop your answers. (Write approximately ½ a page to 1 page (in 11 or 12 Font) for each question in Part A and approximately 1 and 1/2 pages for Part B questions).
Due date: Friday – 16 February 2018 11.45 PM.
Marking criteria
Part A | Requirements | Marks |
1 | What is a socially responsible business? Explain with examples. | 5 |
2 | Explain whether or not Grameen Bank is a socially responsible business | 5 |
enterprise. | ||
3 | What is ethical dilemma? Discuss with real and/or hypothetical examples of | 5 |
ethical dilemma. | ||
4 | Explain the ethical dilemma considering the accusations of a financial | 5 |
impropriety and so claimed highest interest rates charged by Grameen Bank. | ||
Part B | ||
1 | Outline the political governance system in Bangladesh and then assess how it | 10 |
impacted on the institutional governance of Grameen Bank after the spate of | ||
ethical dilemma as discussed in Part A. | ||
2 | Applying your knowledge of corporate governance principles and ethics, what | 10 |
would you suggest for improvement of the political governance systems in | ||
Bangladesh and institutional governance in Grameen Bank? | ||
Total | 40 |
Marks will reflect the quality of research, answers, appropriate referencing and presentation of this assignment with (in)correct grammar.
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