BUS 4438 BUSINESS ETHICS COURSE SYLLABUS FALL 2012

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1 Sw BUS 4438 BUSINESS ETHICS COURSE SYLLABUS FALL 2012 Course Period: Mondays 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Sept Oct. 22 Classroom: 2R07 Instructor: Mark D. Reno Contact Info: mreno@ivey.ca Office: It is best to arrange an appointment ahead of time. OVERIEW This course is designed to provide students with opportunities to apply ethical reasoning to the demands of business management. We will analyze select readings and case studies to explore key ethical principles and the various ways in which business practitioners and ethical theorists address the issues that commonly arise in the business world. OBJECTIVES to enhance students ethical awareness and appreciation of the complexity of ethical decision making in business organizations to develop students' analytical skills for understanding and resolving ethical issues to facilitate student self-understanding of themselves as ethical agents OUTPUTS By the end of the course students will demonstrate reading, reflection, and comprehension of key ethical principles, concepts, and approaches demonstrate an ability to identify and analyze ethical issues, conflicts, and responsibilities in business contexts construct and communicate rational, responsible, and realistic responses to ethical issues demonstrate a critical awareness of their own values and morality Students will exhibit this through

2 pre-class preparation and substantive contribution to class discussions and activities (30%) a written analysis of a code of ethics from a business setting (20%) a take-home examination that uses key ethical principles to analyze a recent business ethics case in the news (50%) OUTCOMES develop skills to analyze, assess, and address ethical conflicts and dilemmas in business cases comprehend the need for ethics in business and three key ethical approaches develop a clear sense of one's own moral obligations and personal responsibilities in pursuing a career and the factors that will challenge and change one's moral compass acquire courage to make principled choices in the face of ethical challenges COURSE READING MATERIAL Textbook: Business Ethics - Concepts, Cases, and Canadian Perspectives, Kissick, W.P. (2012) Business 4438 Readings and Cases available from Ivey Publishing. CLASS SCHEDULE Unit 1a: Sept. 10th Awareness of Moral Issues & Ethical Standards Know yourself (forecourt inscription, Temple of Apollo at Delphi) What is Business Ethics and Why Study It? - Kissick Text, 3-12 Unit 1b: Sept. 10th Awareness of Moral Issues & Ethical Standards Reading: "Theories of Ethics - Kissick Text, Discussion: "Business Ethics in the News" - Various Authors

3 Unit 2a: Sept. 17th Ethical Reasoning & Decision-Making An unexamined life is not worth living (Socrates) Reading: Critical Thinking for Business Ethics - Kissick Text, "Making Ethical Decisions" - Kissick Text, Discussion: Advertising is Too Prevalent - Rusking & Schor Advertising is Not Too Prevalent" - Wall Street Journal Assess these authors' opposing arguments. Unit 2b: Sept. 17th Ethical Reasoning & Decision-Making Reading: An Introduction to Stakeholder Analysis - Kissick Text, Case: Conflicts of Interests in Subprime Mortgages and at Enron" - Desjardins Address the case discussion questions. Unit 3a: Oct. 1st Utilitarian Ethics The outcome justifies the deeds (Ovid) Reading: Utilitarianism: Weighing Social Costs and Benefits by Valsquez, Case: Pinto Madness, by Mark Dowie The Pinto Case and the Rashomon Effect, Patricia Werhane What better ways are there to make the kinds of decision Ford made?

4 Unit 3b: Oct. 1st Utilitarian Ethics Reading: Utility and Utilitarianism - DeGeorge, Case: Profit Maximization and Layoffs - Gentile Address the case discussion questions. Unit 4a: Oct. 15th Deontology / Universal Duties Good people do not need laws to tell them to act justly, while bad people will always find a way around the laws (Plato) Reading: A Kantian Approach to Business Ethics - Bowie, 3-16 Case: Jess Smith and the Design Firm - Neeley, Wicks, & Mead What should Jess Smith do? Unit 4b: Oct. 15th Reading: "Systems of Moral Evaluation" - Salazar, Case: Sneakers and Sweatshops - Schilling Address the case discussion questions. Deontology / Universal Duties Unit 5a: Oct. 22nd The Social Contract Any of you who does not like us and the city, and who wants to go to a colony or to any other city, may go where he likes, and take his goods with him (Socrates) Reading: Excerpts From A Theory of Justice - Rawls, Discussion: "Some Costs of American Corporate Capitalism" - Kasser et al Assess the pros and cons of American Corporate Capitalism from a social contract perspective.

5 Unit 5b: Oct. 22nd The Social Contract Reading: Ethical Leadership - Kissick Text, Viewpoint: On Being an Ethical Executive by McCallum, 1-7 Discussion: The Ivey Ring Pledge Identify and be prepared to discuss the ethical principles that inform each of the statements of The Ivey Ring Pledge. EVALUATION OF STUDENT WORK Component (detailed below) Percentage Due Date Class Contribution 30% Throughout course period Analysis of a Business Code of Ethics Take-home Examination Total 20% Due by: TBA 50% Due by: TBA 100% Class Contribution (30%) The primary criteria for evaluating student contribution to class is based on evidence of pre-class preparation, engagement during class, and the nature and content of comments within class discussions. We do not value quantity of comments so much as quality of comments that is, lots of comments that leave the class unfocused are not as valued as highly as well-directed comments that move discussions forward. This is described in more detail below.

6 Analysis of a Business Code of Ethics (20%) This assignment will require you to find a code of ethics from a North American corporation (most are published online) and to analyze it in light of the relevant moral principles discussed (i.e., Utilitarianism; Deontology; and Social Contracts) and identify which, if any, moral principle(s) have guided the production of the code of ethics. For this assignment you may want to focus on more well-developed codes of ethics, perhaps even choosing one from a business sector within which you are interested in working. Your write-up should take the form of a short essay or a memo (not to exceed 4 pages, 1.5 spacing) and should focus on analysis not description or summary of the codes. Your assignment can be submitted to me via at mreno@ivey.ca. Due by: TBA Take-home Examination on Ethical Reasoning (50%) The take-home examination will require you to identify and analyze a recent business case in the news (within the past 5 years) involving ethical issues. Further details will be provided in the last week of the course. Your assignment can be submitted to me via at mreno@ivey.ca Due by: TBA COURSE POLICIES Attendance Attendance at all sessions in this course is mandatory. Circumstances may arise which make it impossible for you to attend; for example, if you are unable to attend a class due to health-related reasons. As a matter of professional courtesy, I expect you to inform me about your absence in advance. There is no way to make up your contributions for a missed class. Under University regulations, the professor can determine at what point absenteeism has become excessive and thus can prevent you writing the final exam ( ). If you miss 30% or more of the course (that is 2 or more classes) you cannot have fully mastered the material, and thus you will be barred from taking the final exam. This makes it extremely likely that you will receive a failing grade in the course which will prevent your completion of the requirements for the HBA program.

7 Academic Integrity Students are expected to abide by the values and practice of Academic Integrity. Departures from Academic Integrity are serious academic offences and may result in a range of penalties. Students are advised to acquaint themselves with Western University's Scholastic Offense Policy in the Western Academic Calendar. Plagiarism is a major academic offence. All submitted work, including essays, assignments, exams, and reports, must be the student's own work or must accurately reference any and all ideas or quotations used from other sources, including internet sources. All required work may be subject to submission for textual similarity review to the commercial plagiarism detection software under license to the University for the detection of plagiarism. All papers submitted will be included as source documents in the reference database for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of papers subsequently submitted to the system. Use of the service is subject to the licensing agreement, currently between The University of Western Ontario and Turnitin.com ( Disability Policy If you have a physical, psychological, or learning disability and might require accommodations in this course, please contact immediately Western's Student Development Services (see Assessment of Class Participation Effective contribution to the learning environment incorporates a variety of behaviors: Preparation your contributions should demonstrate that you have read the materials carefully and have come prepared with thoughtful questions and reactions. Critical Thinking your contributions should demonstrate an ability to analyze the core ideas and practices and you articulate the underlying assumptions. Reasoning you should use evidence and logic in shaping arguments and your comments should be on topic and make the point concisely (i.e., you should not hold the floor for too long). You should avoid comments that fail to add to the conversation (e.g., me too comments). Listening you should be attentive to the comments of others in the class and show open-mindedness and respect toward other points of view. Your own comments should not interrupt others who are speaking nor should you carry on side conversations with your neighbours. Respect your demeanor in the classroom should reflect respect for the professor, guests, and your classmates. Computers should be used only for purposes directly

8 relevant to the tasks at hand (e.g., looking up background information or checking facts). Playing games, trading stocks, and other non-class relating computer activities distracts other students and interferes with their learning, as does texting on phones and taking and receiving phone calls (turn off your cell phone!). Professionalism your contribution to the class is about more than what you say; it is about your attitude to the learning process, your willingness to engage with the material, and accepting personal responsibility for the progress of the class. Some of the issues that we will discuss in class may prove to be sensitive to some of your peers. It is imperative that you respect the positions taken by others, even while disagreeing with them. Derogatory comments and off-colour jokes or jibes will not be tolerated in the class. 3/3 You demonstrate careful, concise, critical analysis through clear and brief comments based on the material at hand. Your comments reveal a willingness to explore beyond the initial learning situation. You add to the flow of the discussion by building on others comments or by redirecting the discussion into other critical areas, sharing your expertise (knowledge, skill, aptitude), posing questions, constructively criticizing, and summarizing the main learning points. You foster a positive learning environment for the class by engaging in a conversational tone that opens up avenues of exploration and shows respect for the opinions and positions of others while not necessarily agreeing with them. 2/3 You demonstrate a good analysis and some critical reasoning alongside a reasonable understanding of the relevant issues arising from the material. Your comments reveal an understanding of the relationship or connections among the core concepts. You need to be more concise or precise in details and more careful in articulating arguments. You give intelligent and intelligible responses to the core issues and to positions taken by other students. 1/3 You demonstrate an understanding of the basic facts, vocabulary, details, and elemental concepts arising from the material. Your comments reveal some understanding of the subject and show an ability to deal with simple issues arising out of the material. You need to engage the subject matter more fully and formulate ideas more clearly. Students whose comments fit into the higher categories but who show disrespect for other students will receive this grade for participation. 0/3 Failure to attend class without a documented excuse (e.g., doctor' note, late arrival, early departure, and frequently leaving class for short periods compromises the learning the learning environment for yourself and others and will result in this grade for a given day. Rude or disruptive behaviour in the large or small group work will also garner this grade.

9 Assessment of Written Work Wow! A+ Distinguished Assignment is of sufficient substance and style to be submitted to a refereed journal for publication based on the critical thinking evidenced. Exceeds expectations for this assignment for students at the graduate or undergraduate level. Meets expectations for this assignment for students at the graduate or undergraduate level. Below expectations for this assignment for students at the graduate or A Outstanding A- Excellent B+ Accomplished B Good B- Fine Superior understanding of the subject matter. Evidence of original thinking and an extensive knowledge base. Careful, concise, critical analysis with a clear and well argued hypothesis based on the material. Shows a capacity to analyze, synthesise, and evaluate material. Shows a grasp of all the scholarly issues involved. Shows evidence of learning being extended beyond the initial learning situation. Clear thesis and conclusion. Wellresearched and documented. Stylistically flawless. Superior understanding of the subject matter. A careful analysis with some precision and attention to the details of the material. Shows some critical capacity and analytic ability and some original thinking. Needs a bit of fine-tuning of the details. Clear thesis and conclusion. Good research and documentation. Stylistically flawless. Solid understanding of the subject matter. Good analysis and some critical reasoning. Reasonable understanding of relevant issues and familiarity with the material. Demonstrates a solid understanding of the relationship or connections among the basic concepts. Needs to be more concise or precise in details and more careful in forming arguments. Stylistically sound. Generally accurate account of the subject matter with acceptable analysis and some critical reasoning. Some interaction with relevant material. Demonstrates some understanding of the relationship or connection among the basic concepts. Needs more precision and attention to details and greater precision in the use of arguments. Some careless stylistic errors. Generally accurate description of the subject matter and an adequate grasp of the critical issues and ideas involved. Demonstrates rudimentary understanding of the relationship or connection among the basic concepts. Needs more attention to detail and better use of arguments. Some careless stylistic errors.

10 undergraduate level. C+ Developing Acceptable treatment of the subject matter. Demonstrates an understanding of the basic facts, vocabulary, details, and elemental concepts. Shows an ability to deal with simple issues arising out of the material. Needs to explore the subject matter more fully and formulate ideas more clearly. Closer attention should be given to stylistic elements including sentence structure and paragraph organization. C Adequate Generally acceptable treatment of the subject matter and issues. Demonstrates an awareness of the basic facts, vocabulary, details, and elemental concepts. Impressionistic or vague at points. Shows that the learning experience was profitable. Lacks clarity in formulating the issues and shows little or no evidence of critical reflection on the issues or data. Closer attention should be given to grammar, spelling, and punctuation. C- Marginal Ouch! F Inadequate Adequate understanding and treatment of the data and issues, but imprecise, impressionistic or vague. Lacks clarity in expressing the issues and shows no evidence of critical reflection on the issues or data. Major problems related to issues of style. Sloppy, imprecise or careless discussion of the material with little or no evidence of critical reflection.