BAFRO summary ‘26
, Radboud University 23-05-2026
Inhoudsopgave
Lecture 1......................................................................................................2
Chapter 1.....................................................................................................3
Lecture 2......................................................................................................3
Chapter 2.....................................................................................................5
Lecture 3......................................................................................................7
Chapter 3.....................................................................................................9
lecture 4.....................................................................................................11
chapter 4....................................................................................................12
lecture 5.....................................................................................................14
chapter 5....................................................................................................16
lecture 6.....................................................................................................18
chapter 6....................................................................................................20
lecture 7.....................................................................................................21
chapter 7....................................................................................................22
1
, Radboud University 23-05-2026
Lecture 1
A responsible organization is one that considers its impact across multiple dimensions, including
economic, social, and environmental value. Instead of focusing only on profit maximization or
shareholder value, it aims to create value for multiple stakeholders and balance different, often
conflicting, objectives. This includes recognizing social and environmental responsibility as an
essential part of business decision-making.
However, becoming a responsible organization comes with several important challenges.
Organizations often face complex trade-offs between competing goals such as profit and societal
value, efficiency and fairness, or growth and sustainability. These tensions can be observed in real-
world examples such as the platform economy, pharmaceutical pricing, fast fashion, and worker
productivity tracking. In these contexts, decisions rarely have clear solutions because improving one
dimension often comes at the expense of another.
Another major challenge is that organizational systems are complex and dynamic. There are often
delays between actions and reactions, which makes it difficult to predict outcomes. Additionally,
unintended effects and emergent behaviour can arise, meaning that small changes in one part of the
system can lead to unexpected consequences elsewhere. Organizations can also become “locked in”
due to sunk costs, making it difficult to reverse earlier decisions even when they are no longer
effective.
Becoming more responsible sometimes requires undoing previous actions, which can be difficult in
practice. This may involve phasing out existing processes, changing internal rules and regulations, or
shifting organizational culture and mindset at both individual and collective levels. In many cases,
organizations also face resource constraints, which limit their ability to implement change effectively.
Because of this complexity, responsible organizing is not about optimizing a single objective but
about managing multiple, sometimes conflicting values over time. This raises the central question of
how organizations can deal with these tensions and uncertainties while still making effective
decisions.
The course Business Analysis for Responsible Organisations focuses on developing practical skills and
tools to support this process. It emphasizes framing problems correctly, structuring decisions, making
trade-offs explicit, and improving communication in complex situations. The goal is to help students
understand how organizations can navigate multiple stakeholders, competing values, and long-term
versus short-term considerations in a responsible way.
2
, Radboud University 23-05-2026
Inhoudsopgave
Lecture 1......................................................................................................2
Chapter 1.....................................................................................................3
Lecture 2......................................................................................................3
Chapter 2.....................................................................................................5
Lecture 3......................................................................................................7
Chapter 3.....................................................................................................9
lecture 4.....................................................................................................11
chapter 4....................................................................................................12
lecture 5.....................................................................................................14
chapter 5....................................................................................................16
lecture 6.....................................................................................................18
chapter 6....................................................................................................20
lecture 7.....................................................................................................21
chapter 7....................................................................................................22
1
, Radboud University 23-05-2026
Lecture 1
A responsible organization is one that considers its impact across multiple dimensions, including
economic, social, and environmental value. Instead of focusing only on profit maximization or
shareholder value, it aims to create value for multiple stakeholders and balance different, often
conflicting, objectives. This includes recognizing social and environmental responsibility as an
essential part of business decision-making.
However, becoming a responsible organization comes with several important challenges.
Organizations often face complex trade-offs between competing goals such as profit and societal
value, efficiency and fairness, or growth and sustainability. These tensions can be observed in real-
world examples such as the platform economy, pharmaceutical pricing, fast fashion, and worker
productivity tracking. In these contexts, decisions rarely have clear solutions because improving one
dimension often comes at the expense of another.
Another major challenge is that organizational systems are complex and dynamic. There are often
delays between actions and reactions, which makes it difficult to predict outcomes. Additionally,
unintended effects and emergent behaviour can arise, meaning that small changes in one part of the
system can lead to unexpected consequences elsewhere. Organizations can also become “locked in”
due to sunk costs, making it difficult to reverse earlier decisions even when they are no longer
effective.
Becoming more responsible sometimes requires undoing previous actions, which can be difficult in
practice. This may involve phasing out existing processes, changing internal rules and regulations, or
shifting organizational culture and mindset at both individual and collective levels. In many cases,
organizations also face resource constraints, which limit their ability to implement change effectively.
Because of this complexity, responsible organizing is not about optimizing a single objective but
about managing multiple, sometimes conflicting values over time. This raises the central question of
how organizations can deal with these tensions and uncertainties while still making effective
decisions.
The course Business Analysis for Responsible Organisations focuses on developing practical skills and
tools to support this process. It emphasizes framing problems correctly, structuring decisions, making
trade-offs explicit, and improving communication in complex situations. The goal is to help students
understand how organizations can navigate multiple stakeholders, competing values, and long-term
versus short-term considerations in a responsible way.
2
