MGMT 368 DEG Business Ethics

Transcription

1 Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 1 MGMT 368 DEG Business Ethics March Session March 23 May 16, 2015 Course Description Analysis of principles used to evaluate ethical issues facing today's business community as well as to formulate possible solutions. This course satisfies the General Education Ethics requirement for Business Administration and Computer Information Systems majors. Prerequisite: MGMT 3 Proctored Exams: None Textbooks Business Ethics, 7th ed., by Richard T. DeGeorge. (Prentice Hall, 2010), 523 pages with index. ISBN-13: MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers 7 th ed., Gibaldi, ISBN: Publ.: Mod.Lang. Assoc.of Am. You will need access to a MLA handbook to complete assignments. MLA guidelines are required for format and resources. You will need in-depth knowledge of how to cite MLA sources within the text of a paper. Purchase of this text is NOT mandatory but access to the proper MLA format is necessary. Textbooks for the course may be ordered from MBS Direct. You can order online at (be sure to select Online Education rather than your home campus before selecting your class) by phone at For additional information about the bookstore, visit Course Overview This course will focus on issues and perspectives of right and wrong in American business. The course begins with a survey of philosophical approaches to ethics and morality and continues in an application of these approaches to real world cases drawn from the functional areas of business. Each week we'll focus on the understanding and application of philosophical ethical perspectives to actual business situations through our online discussions, which are based on your reading of the text and cases. Technology Requirements Participation in this course will require the basic technology for all online classes at Columbia

2 Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 2 College: A computer with reliable Internet access, A web browser, Acrobat Reader, Microsoft Office or another word processor such as Open Office. You can find more details about standard technical requirements for our courses on our site. Course Objectives This course seeks to: Describe the important moral issues that arise in various business contexts; Identify the moral, social, and economic environments within which these problems occur; Identify the ethical concepts that are relevant to resolving those moral problems, and Demonstrate the necessary reasoning and analytical skills for doing so. Measurable Learning Outcomes By the end of this course, students will be able to: Describe widely accepted consequential/teleological (Utilitarian) and nonconsequential/deontological (Kantian) theories of ethics. Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of major theories of ethics. Analyze ethical dilemmas in business. Evaluate the economic justice of capitalism. Prepare a written professional case analysis. Describe the utilitarian view of justice. Describe the libertarian approach to justice. Describe Rawls theory of justice.

3 Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 3 Grading Grading Scale GRADE POINTS PERCENT A B C D F Grade Weights ASSIGNMENT POINTS PERCENT Discussions Dropbox Assignments (4) Papers (3) 0 Midterm Exam Final Exam TOTAL Schedule of Due Dates WEEK ASSIGNMENT MAX. PTS DUE DATES Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Discussion #1 response Discussion #1 replies Dropbox assignment #1 Discussion #2 response Discussion #2 replies Dropbox assignment #2 Discussion #3 response Discussion #3 replies Dropbox assignment #3 Paper #1: Utilitarianism 100 Discussion #4 response Discussion #4 replies Paper #2: Deontology 100 Discussion #5 response Discussion #5 replies Midterm Exam 140 Discussion #6 response Discussion #6 replies Dropbox assignment #6 Discussion #7 response Discussion #7 replies Paper #3: Topic of Choice 100 Discussion #8 response Discussion #8 replies Saturday Final Examination 200 Saturday Total 1000

4 Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 4 Assignment Overview Readings should be completed prior to submitting assignments for the week. Discussions Assignments should be completed by of the assigned week, and responses to classmates should be posted by of the assigned week, which is the deadline for both. Please post your initial response early in the week so others will have a chance to respond. Discussion postings should be done after the readings are completed and before other assignments due in the week. Dropbox Assignments are short biographies of individuals who are celebrated either because they have contributed a commonly adopted ethical theory or because they have earned acclaim for exemplary ethical conduct. These assignments should tell something about the person and their contributions to our study of business ethics. If no prior arrangements are made with the instructor, dropbox assignments submitted after the they are due will be assessed a penalty of 10% each day they are late. Papers will involve ethical analysis of a real world business case. The topics of the first two will be assigned. The topic of the third paper will be the student s choice. Detailed paper assignments appear in the Dropbox section of the online course. Exams The Midterm and Comprehensive Final exams are open book and taken online. They consist of multiple choice questions. The midterm is worth 140 points and the final is worth 200 points. Make-up examinations are allowed only for excused absences. Course Schedule Week 1 Conventional Morality and the Myth of Amoral Business This week we will get acquainted with each other and with the course expectations and discuss the myth of amoral business, Kohlberg s Stages of Moral Development, and conventional morality. Readings: Chapters 1 and 2. Internet: You may find it helpful to browse some of the web sites provided on the resource list for this course just to see what is there. You are not responsible for any particular site or content; the goal is to give yourself a tour of the resources. Discussion: Introduce yourself in the introductions topics of our class discussions, which is our virtual classroom. Please give us more than your name. Include your work activities, hobbies, interest in the course, and any other information that can help us get to know you. This is not a graded assignment. Discussions Assignment #1: This graded assignment for the Discussions section is on the general question "When being presented with an ethical problem you have not previously encountered, what criteria will you use to determine your action?" Write a response to the question and post it in the discussion. Tell us how your answer compares with others as well as replying to other student s postings. Dropbox Assignment #1: After watching the Kohlberg video in the Content section under Week 1 and upon completion of the readings, write a short essay in which you complete the following: "On Kohlberg's scale, I consider myself to be... Be sure to define this scale and relate your own sense of where you are on the scale to other levels, with a brief explanation. The focus of your paper should be on why you think you are on the particular level. See the dropbox for details. As with all written

5 Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 5 assignments, your response should be double-spaced, using 12 point font, with one-inch margins. Week 2 Systematic Approaches: Teleological Utilitarianism This week's readings from the text identify a classic approach to deciding what is right and wrong, that of the Utilitarian school. Those predisposed to this approach weigh the morality of a given action by asking "did it do the greatest good for the greatest number?" We will study and discuss the typical steps taken in this approach and how it could relate to business decisions. Readings: Chapter 3 Internet: Do a search on Jeremy Bentham and learn who he was. Discussions Assignment #2: After watching the Utilitarianism movie in the Content tab under Week 2 write a response to the question Does the end justify the means? Give examples of when the end justifies the means and when it doesn t. Post your responses in the Discussions section and feel free to respond to other students postings. Dropbox Assignment #2: Write a 2 page biography of Jeremy Bentham and his contribution to the study of Ethics. As mentioned in week one, your paper should be double-spaced, 12-point font, with one-inch margins. See the dropbox for details. Assignment of First Paper: Due in appropriate dropbox by end of Week 3: You should begin working on your first paper assignment, to be due the end of Week 3. It will involve a specific application of Utilitarian Ethics to a famous or infamous business decision. Detailed guidelines on topic, organization, and approach may be found by clicking on the First Paper dropbox or on the Content tab on your Course Navigation Bar and then clicking on First Paper. Week 3 Systematic Approaches: Deontological Duties, Rights, and Justice This week we explore approaches to ethics based on the deontological idea that matters of right and wrong are intrinsic and independent of the outcomes of individual or organizational action. We will discuss teleological views of ethics involving the Judeo-Christian tradition, the Kantian Categorical Imperative, and theories of social justice in the context of steps and cases. By the end of the week, you should understand these approaches, as well as have a general understanding of the steps to take in any general moral analysis. Readings: Chapters 4 and 5 Internet: Do a search on Immanuel Kant and find out who he was. Discussions Assignment #3: This week the assignment for the Discussions section is to answer the question, What does Rawls mean by a veil of ignorance? What purpose does it serve? Illustrate how the technique might be used in solving an issue of justice. Post your response in the Discussions section and feel free to respond to other student s postings. First Paper Due: The first paper on applied utilitarian ethical analysis is due in the appropriate dropbox folder by the end of the week. Dropbox Assignment #3: Watch the Kant Attack Ad video located in the Content tab under Week 3 then write a 2 page biography of Immanuel Kant and his contribution to the study of business ethics. See the Dropbox for details. Assignment of Second Paper: Due in appropriate dropbox by end of Week 4. You should begin working on your second paper assignment, to be due the end of Week 4. It will involve a specific application of Deontological (Kantian and/or Rawlsian) Ethics to a famous or infamous business decision. Detailed guidelines on topic, organization, and approach may be found by clicking on the Second Paper dropbox or on the Content tab on your Course Navigation Bar and then clicking on Second Paper.

6 Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 6 Week 4 Ethics and Justice of Capitalistic and Corporate Organizations This week we will examine American Capitalism and answer the following questions: Is capitalism moral? What are the moral responsibilities of corporations to stockholders and stakeholders? Can we morally defend the American version of capitalism? Readings: Chapters 6, 7, 8, and 11. Discussions Assignment #4: American Capitalism. Is a large discrepancy between executive pay and that of the average worker unfair to the worker? Is it unfair to increase a CEO s compensation at the same time that he or she downsizes the workforce? What is an ethically justifiable way to determine the pay of a CEO of a large corporation? Explain. Before answering, watch the Lehman Brothers CEO testifies on Capitol Hill video in the Content section under Week 4. Dropbox Assignment: None this week. Second Paper Due: Your second paper on applied deontological ethical analysis is due in the appropriate dropbox by the end of the week. Week 5 Ethics of Multinational Corporations This week we will examine the role that multinational corporations play in the countries it operates in. What moral responsibilities does a multinational organization have and may they ethically operate in a country that engages in gross abuses of human rights? Readings: Chapter 9 Discussions Assignment #5: Is it morally sufficient for a U.S. company to comply with the laws of the foreign country in which it operates? Why or why not? What guidelines should a multinational use to determine a fair wage to its employees in a less developed country? Before answering, read the article Multinational Corporations Ethical Obligations in the Content section under Week 5. Dropbox Assignment: None this week. Exam #1: This exam consists of 35 multiple choice questions from Chapters 1-9 and Access the Exam in the Quizzes section of the system platform and select the best answer. Your exam will be automatically graded. You have 90 minutes from the time you begin the exam to complete it. After completion, you will see your answers and the correct answer. Week 6 Morality of Corporations, Executive Compensation, Whistle-Blowing, and Truth in Advertising This week we turn our attention to the morality of corporations, ethics of executive compensation, whistle-blowing and truth in advertising. How may utilitarian and/or deontological approaches be used to determine executive compensation? When would whistleblowing be morally prohibited and how much loyalty should an employee owe a firm? Is manipulation and coercion in advertising moral? Readings: Chapters 10, 14 and 15. Internet: Read about Dr. Wigand at Many of you will know him as the subject of the movie The Insider, starring Russell Crowe and Al Pacino. Discussions Assignment #6: You are asked to post: an example of a consumer product currently being sold that you feel is not a morally responsible product, an example of when whistle blowing is morally mandatory and when it is morally wrong, an example of when marketing has crossed the line and become unethical. You may want to base your choices on examples from observations or experiences in your personal or professional life. To stimulate the discussion, watch the Early TV Commercials videos in

7 Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 7 the Content section of the course under Week 6. Dropbox Assignment #4: Write a 2 page biography of Dr. Jeffrey Wigand. See the dropbox for details. Assignment of Third Paper: Due in appropriate Dropbox by end of Week 7: You should begin working on your third paper assignment, to be due the end of Week 7. The topic is your choice. Detailed guidelines may be found by clicking on the Paper of Choice Dropbox or on the Content tab on your Course Navigation Bar and then clicking on Paper of Choice. Course Evaluations: Please evaluate the course. You will be able to submit your course evaluation between of Week 5 and Thursday of Week 7. A link will be sent to your CougarMail that will allow you to access the evaluation. Week 7 Ethics of Wages and Employment What are the rights and responsibilities of employers and employees? When do wage differences compensate ethically and when do they not? What is discrimination and how are we to morally evaluate remedies for it? Readings: Chapters 12, 13, 16, and 17. Internet: Explore appropriate links involving wages, employment, and discrimination found in the general pages of links provided in the resource list for this course as time and interest permit. Discussions Assignment #7: Watch the Home Depot video in the Content section under Week 7 then answer the question: To what extent do employees retain the right of freedom of speech on the job? Off the job? What about freedom of expression? Are there limits to employee s rights to freedom of expression on or off the job? Explain and give examples. Respond at will to your fellow students' remarks. Dropbox Assignment: None this week. Third Paper Due: Third paper of your choosing is due in the appropriate dropbox by the end of the week. Week 8 Ethics and Justice in International Business This week we will consider best practices for a multinational company, exploring problems and ethical guidelines for multinational business practices. Readings: Chapters 18, 19, 20, and 21. Internet: Watch the Rev. Leon Sullivan Documentary Excerpt in the Content section under Week 8. Discussions Assignment #8: This week you are asked to critically assess Merck s deal with INBio. Was it ethically justifiable? Why or why not? Who, if anyone, owns the many species found in nature? Do they belong to the people who own the land or water on or in which they are found? Dropbox Assignment: None this week. Final Examination: Exam #2: This exam covers Chapters 10 and with 50 multiple choice questions. Your exam will be automatically graded. You have 120 minutes from the time you begin the exam to complete it. After completion, you will see your answers and the correct answer. Course Policies Student Conduct All Columbia College students, whether enrolled in a land-based or online course, are responsible for behaving in a manner consistent with Columbia College's Student Conduct Code and Acceptable Use

8 Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 8 Plagiarism Policy. Students violating these policies will be referred to the office of Student Affairs and/or the office of Academic Affairs for possible disciplinary action. The Student Code of Conduct and the Computer Use Policy for students can be found in the Columbia College Student Handbook. The Handbook is available online; you can also obtain a copy by calling the Student Affairs office (Campus Life) at The teacher maintains the right to manage a positive learning environment, and all students must adhere to the conventions of online etiquette. Your grade will be based in large part on the originality of your ideas and your written presentation of these ideas. Presenting the words, ideas, or expression of another in any form as your own is plagiarism. Students who fail to properly give credit for information contained in their written work (papers, journals, exams, etc.) are violating the intellectual property rights of the original author. For proper citation of the original authors, you should reference the appropriate publication manual for your degree program or course (APA, MLA, etc.). Violations are taken seriously in higher education and may result in a failing grade on the assignment, a grade of "F" for the course, or dismissal from the College. Collaboration conducted between students without prior permission from the instructor is considered plagiarism and will be treated as such. Spouses and roommates taking the same course should be particularly careful. All required papers may be submitted for textual similarity review to Turnitin.com for the detection of plagiarism. All submitted papers may be included in the Turnitin.com reference database for the purpose of detecting plagiarism. This service is subject to the Terms and Conditions of Use posted on the Turnitin.com site. Non-Discrimination There will be no discrimination on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, ideology, political affiliation, veteran status, age, physical handicap, or marital status. Disability Services Students with documented disabilities who may need academic services for this course are required to register with the Coordinator for Disability Services at (573) Until the student has been cleared through the disability services office, accommodations do not have to be granted. If you are a student who has a documented disability, it is important for you to read the entire syllabus before enrolling in the course. The structure or the content of the course may make an accommodation not feasible. Online Participation You are expected to read the assigned texts and participate in the discussions and other course activities each week. Assignments should be posted by the due dates stated on the grading schedule in your syllabus. If an emergency arises that prevents you from participating in class, please let your instructor know as soon as possible. Attendance Policy Attendance for a week will be counted as having submitted a course assignment for which points have been earned during that week of the session or if the proctoring information has been submitted or the plagiarism quiz taken if there is no other assignment due that week. A class week is defined as the period of time between Monday and (except for Week 8, when the week and the course will end on Saturday at midnight). The course and system deadlines are all based on the Central Time Zone.

9 Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 9 Cougar All students are provided a CougarMail account when they enroll in classes at Columbia College. You are responsible for monitoring from that account for important messages from the College and from your instructor. You may forward your Cougar account to another account; however, the College cannot be held responsible for breaches in security or service interruptions with other providers. Students should use for private messages to the instructor and other students. The class discussions are for public messages so the class members can each see what others have to say about any given topic and respond. Late Assignment Policy An online class requires regular participation and a commitment to your instructor and your classmates to regularly engage in the reading, discussion and writing assignments. Although most of the online communication for this course is asynchronous, you must be able to commit to the schedule of work for the class for the next eight weeks. You must keep up with the schedule of reading and writing to successfully complete the class. Discussion: Discussions must be posted during the week they are due in order to receive credit. Three Papers/Dropbox Assignments: If no prior arrangements are made with the instructor, dropbox assignments submitted after the they are due will be assessed a penalty of 10% each day they are late. Exams: If no prior arrangements are made with the instructor, the midterm exam will close at midnight the end of week five and the final exam will close at midnight Saturday the end of week eight. Course Evaluation You will have the opportunity to evaluate the course near the end of the session. Course evaluations will open on of Week 5 and will remain open until Thursday of Week 7. A link will be sent to your CougarMail that will allow you to access the evaluation. Be assured that the evaluations are anonymous and that your instructor will not be able to see them until after final grades are submitted. Additional Resources Orientation for New Students This course is offered online, using course management software provided by Desire2Learn and Columbia College. The Student Manual provides details about taking an online course at Columbia College. You may also want to visit the course demonstration to view a sample course before this one opens. Technical Support If you have problems accessing the course or posting your assignments, contact your instructor, the Columbia College Helpdesk, or the D2L Helpdesk for assistance. Contact information is also available within the online course environment ex

10 Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 10 Online Tutoring Smarthinking is a free online tutoring service available to all Columbia College students. Smarthinking provides real-time online tutoring and homework help for Math, English, and Writing. The Writing Center can be used for writing assistance in any course. Smarthinking also provides access to live tutorials in writing and math, as well as a full range of study resources, including writing manuals, sample problems, and study skills manuals. You can access the service from wherever you have a connection to the Internet. I encourage you to take advantage of this free service provided by the college. Access Smarthinking through CougarTrack under Students->Academics->Academic Resources. Library Resources It may be helpful for you to become acquainted with Columbia College s numerous library resources for any necessary research. Accessing the databases from your home computer is straightforward, but may require some practice if you are new to the process. Columbia College's library databases are available at: (You may access them using your CougarTrack login and password when prompted.) Grading Criteria Rubric for Discussion Criteria Description Points Content Level of participation Provides substantive comments with content that addresses the issue and enhances other students understanding Provides two or more substantive responses to classmates that extend the discussion Total Rubric for Biographies Criteria Description Points Content Content addresses issues critical to understanding the contributions of this individual to the field Supporting Details Provides supporting details, examples, and graphics 10 Format Uses MLA style 5 Total 15

11 Columbia College Online Campus P a g e 11 Rubric for Papers Criteria Description Points Introduction Moral Argument Alternative Conclusion Presents the problem and outlines the case; identifies pertinent details as well as the issues and stakeholders involved Presents the moral approach used and uses steps of a utilitarian or duty-based analysis Presents and responds to alternatives that someone on the other side of the question might take Presents a strong and persuasive conclusion with recommendations for action References References 3 citations including the DeGeorge text and 2 outside sources Uses reliable sources Sources properly cited, using MLA style (internal citations and reference list) Format 3-5 pages in length Double-spaced 12-point font 1 margins follows MLA style Total