Lectures, seminar discussions, case analyses, role playing, interactive exercises and formal presentations.
This is a fourth year seminar class. Student presentation and interactive discussions will form an integral part of the learning experience.
- The basics of moral reasoning in the context of business ethics; the distinctions between and overlapping of morality and law.
- Ethical organizational behaviour and outsiders: social and shareholder governance and accountability, environmental issues, advertising issues, governmental and community relations, consumer protection, and international cultural differences.
- Ethical organizational behaviour and insiders: the role of whistleblowers, employee and employer conflicts over power, discrimination and recognition of human rights, health and safety issues, respect for the law, and the development of employee autonomy, success and happiness.
- Ethics for professionals: the role of codes of conduct, legal sanctions and protections, conflicts of interest, ethical issues unique to our leading professions (e.g. auditing issues for accountants, taxation compliance or avoidance, etc.), governmental regulation.
- The role of leadership in the ethical process: various leadership theories and their manifestations in our world; charismatic and ‘hero’ leadership models, transformational and values based leadership, and Robert Greenleaf’s ‘Servant Leadership’ concept.
At the end of the course, the student should be able to:
- describe and demonstrate knowledge of the leading ethical theories introduced in this course;
- utilize a decision making model to explain and understand how an ethical decision is made;
- think critically, on a continuing basis, about the moral issues surrounding business and professional practice and imbedded in all executive decision making;
- apply ethical decision making models to real world business, public sector and professional moral issues, controversies and dilemmas facing practitioners in a 21st century organization;
- explain the ethical decision making processes, or lack thereof, that occurred in the numerous cases studied in depth in this course;
- demonstrate an understanding of the role and importance, for both leaders and followers, to develop a moral compass that will guide and influence them in their future careers.
- recognize and develop the practices upon which moral leadership is derived.
Evaluation will be based on the following in accordance with Douglas College policy:
| Quizzes, short written assignments and/or participation | 10% |
| Written essay | 25% |
| Mid term exam | 25% |
| Formal written case analysis | 20% |
| Formal presentation of case analysis | 20% |
| 100% |
Textbooks and Materials to be Purchased by Students
Texts will be updated periodically. One or more of the following will be used:
Beauchamp, Tom. Case Studies in Business, Society and Ethics (Latest Edition). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Brookes, Leonard J. Business & Professional Ethics for Directors, Executives & Accountants (Latest Edition). Thomson Southwestern.
Hartman, Laura P. Perspectives in Business Ethics (Latest Edition). McGraw Hill.
Newton, Lisa, and Schmidt, David P. Wake-Up Calls. (Latest edition) Thomson.
Post, James, The Collapse of Enron. (Latest Edition) McGraw Hill.
Wexler, Mark N. Confronting Moral Worlds: Understanding Business Ethics. (Latest Edition). Prentice Hall Canada.
Handouts of the instructor, from time to time.