Course Outline of GEB/PHI205 in 1st and 2nd Term, 2009-10

Course Title Course Code Recommended Year of Study No of Credits/Term Mode of Tuition Teaching Hours Category in Major Programme Prerequisite Brief Course Description

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Business Ethics GEB205/PHI205 Year 2 or Year 3 3 Lecture/Tutorial 42 hours (3 hours per week) General Education or Free Elective Any one General Education A course.

This course introduces ethical issues and dilemmas concerning various aspects of business and management, and provides a foundation of ethical concepts and a wide range of perspectives that are relevant to resolving and preventing such problems. Topics include ethics in business, using ethical principles in business, why things go wrong, establishing ethical safeguards, ethics in the marketplace, ethical issues related to investors and stockholders, ethics of consumer protection and marketing, and ethical issues related to employment. Course Aims The course aims to help students to develop the skills of reasoning and analysis that are needed to apply ethical concepts to business decisions. It also aims to enhance students ethical awareness and sensitivity, and to encourage them to develop their own considered judgments on the basis of critical evaluations from a wide range of perspectives. Learning Outcomes - On completion of this course, students will be able to: 1. 2. 3. 4. Distinguish between moral and non-moral standards for judging business behaviour, decisions and policies. Recognize the ethical implications (positive or negative) of a range of business situations, and apply appropriate concepts and principles to the analysis of such situations. Argue why particular business practices may be regarded as unethical, with reference to the ethical norms or principles that are at issue. Explain, challenge, and suggest practical safeguards and regulatory frameworks that companies, related organizations and associations may adopt in order to maintain and improve ethical standards in business. Examine the role of leadership in influencing an organisations moral climate, and the role of moral climate in influencing moral behaviour.

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Indicative Content Ethics and Business - What do we mean by unethical and ethical behaviour at work? Moral standards and business ethics; sources of ethical principles; challenges of ethical relativism; moral development; systematic moral reasoning; ethics and the law; arguments for and against business ethics; moral responsibility. Using Ethical Principles in Business - Utilitarianism; rights and duties; justice and fairness; care; 1

Course Outline of GEB/PHI205 in 1st and 2nd Term, 2009-10

virtue ethics; the basis of moral judgments. Why Things Go Wrong; and Establishing Internal Ethical Safeguards Why ethical problems occur in business; influences on ethical behaviour; managers goals and values; business ethics across business functions; making ethics work in corporations, including establishing codes of ethics, developing appropriate company culture and ethical climates; whistle blowing. Ethics of Consumer Protection and Marketing Consumer movement; consumer rights; moral duties to consumers under contractual theory; the due care theory; product liability; advertising ethics; consumer privacy. Ethical Issues related to Employment - Rights and duties of employers; workplace rights of employees on health and safety, job security, privacy and equal opportunity; sweatshops; the caring organization. Ethical Issues related to Investors and Stockholders - Stockholders rights and safeguards; corporate governance; insider trading issues. Ethics in the Marketplace Implications of corporate market power; antitrust issues; practices to preserve fair competition; free trade versus fair trade; international bribery/corruption; international anti-corruption. Teaching Method/Class Activities - The course will adopt a lecture/tutorial format. Lectures will be delivered once a week. While primarily aiming to discuss theoretical ideas and concepts, and to review organisational practices, lectures will also incorporate interactive elements. Students will be asked to explain particular concepts, challenge issues and problems, and suggest solutions with the consideration of different perspectives. Each student will attend one one-hour Tutorial class, which will be held weekly. Students will form smaller groups (4-5 members) which will be their base group within each tutorial class throughout the term. Students will work in their base groups on problem-based exercises, based on actual or hypothetical ethical cases. Case Presentations - Each base group will select a recent business ethics issue or dilemma that reflects a particular theme covered in the lecture programme for presentation in their tutorial class near the end of the term. Students will also be expected to respond actively and critically to presentations by other teams. Measurement of Learning Outcomes 1. Classroom activities and exercises done in small groups will be assessed, and these will test students ability to recognize ethically problematic behaviour by individuals or organisations, and to respond appropriately to this in the light of theory. A mid-semester individual essay will assess students understanding of fundamental ethical concepts, as their implications for the diagnosis and resolution of actual problems. Case presentations will reflect students ability to explain the nature of the ethical issue(s) or dilemma(s) involved in their case, to perform a stakeholder analysis, to evaluate existing actions and decisions, to propose solutions, and to provide well-reasoned justifications, with 2

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Course Outline of GEB/PHI205 in 1st and 2nd Term, 2009-10

reference to relevant ethical concepts and principles. 4. A written final examination will comprise a choice of essay questions designed to test each individual students critical understanding of theoretical concepts and principles concerning a selection of topics that have been covered during lectures.

Assessment - Continuous Assessment (60%), (40%) Continuous assessment elements: Participation and performance in group based exercises and discussions during tutorial classes * Attendance at, and participation in exercises during lecture classes Group based case presentation in the tutorial class Participation in discussion of other teams case study presentations at the tutorial classes Individual essay assignment (1 paper of around 800 words) % of total marks 15 % 10 % 20 % 5% 10 % 60% 40%

End-of-term Examination Notes *

Group based exercises during the tutorial classes will normally be undertaken within the base group. For such work, members of the base group may be given a common mark reflecting the groups overall performance, but this mark may be adjusted for individual students in the light of peer review and attendance record. Exercises during the lecture classes will be undertaken in small ad hoc groups whose membership may change from week to week. All students are expected to contribute actively to these exercises and the mark received will reflect the students individual record of participation throughout the semester. Members of each base group will normally receive the same mark reflecting the groups overall performance, but this mark may be adjusted for individual students in the light of peer review and attendance record. Each student is required to attend all the presentations made by other base groups within his/her tutorial section, and is expected to participate actively in the discussion of each of these presentations. The mark received will reflect the level and quality of such participation.

Important Notes: 1. Plagiarism will not be tolerated, will result in failure of the entire course, and may be referred to the student disciplinary committee. Students shall be aware of the University regulations about dishonest practice in course work and the possible consequences as stipulated in the Regulations Governing University Examinations. 3

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Course Outline of GEB/PHI205 in 1st and 2nd Term, 2009-10

Required Text Velasquez, M. G. (2006) Business Ethics: Concepts and Cases. 6th Edition. Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey Recommended Readings Fisher, C. and Lovell, A. (2006). Business Ethics and Values: Individual, Corporate and International Perspectives. 2nd Edition. Harlow, UK: Prentice Hall/Financial Times Hartman, L. P. (2004). Perspectives in Business Ethics. 3rd Edition. Boston: McGraw-Hill, Irwin. Lawrence, Anne T., and Weber, James. (2008) Business & Society Stakeholders, Ethics, Public Policy. 12th Edition. McGraw-Hill OR Thorne McAlister, D., Ferrell, O. C. and Ferrell, Linda. (2005) Business and Society. 2nd Edition. Aromix Books Company Ltd. Trevino, L. K. and Nelson, K. A. (2007). Managing Business Ethics: Straight Talk About How To Do It Right, 4th Edition. New York: Wiley. Business Ethics: A Manual for Managing a Responsible Business Enterprise in Emerging Market Economies <http://www.ita.doc.gov/goodgovernance/business_ethics/manual.asp>

Also, please refer to the readings associated with each lecture, which comprise various commentaries and articles, most of which are available on the Web.