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Ethics Course Syllabus
Contact | Intro | Overview | Grading | More on Grading | Instructors Pet Peeves | Policies | Required Texts | Topics and Readings |
Contact Professor Donna J. Wood
TH 8-9:15 and 9:30-10:45 CBA 127
Spring Term 2005
Office hours by appointment only
Office: Curris 253
e-mail: donna.wood@uni.edu
Telephone: 319-273-2196
Return to ContentsIntro It is well recognized today that such values as trust, loyalty, competence, and fairness are expectations that are more frequently met than not in business practice. However, the ethics found in business has failed to deal adequately with new and unexpected problems that arise in a rapidly changing economic scene. Problems such as environmental quality, working conditions, government regulation and protection of workers and consumers, the increasing gap between rich and poor both within our society and among nations, are pressing problems exacerbated by the global economy. Furthermore, ethical crises in business have led many to question the social purposes and consequences of business practice. Not only is ethics important for businesspeople to recognize and integrate into their practice, a critical attitude towardthe ethics in business needs to be fostered so that business people can approach new and unexpected ethical issues with deliberation and assurance. That is, ethics in business must be constantly critiqued and reconstructed to meet the changing needs of people and the planet. This course draws its content from an interdisciplinary mix of philosophy and the subfield of ethics, management, and social science. Philosophy as a discipline seeks to enhance our comprehension and appreciation of our world, of ourselves, and of practices such as business. Philosophy's power as a discipline flows from the human capacity to see at a distance or to take an enlarged perspective on questions concerning human life and meaning. Ethics is the branch of philosophy that questions and analyzes moral laws and values, human actions andends. When conduct and purpose are called into question, the issues need to be carefully articulated, arguments need to be brought forth either to buttress traditions anew or to replace them with new codes of conduct, freshly formulated ends, and reconstructed institutions. While ethics begins by questioning actions and ends, it expands its field of inquiry so as to place its questions within the larger framework of society, politics, psychology, science, technology and economics. Business ethics is an applied field that draws upon philosophical ethics as well as the pragmatic discipline of management and the social science disciplines of sociology, political science, economics and psychology. Its aim is to help managers grapple with the tough questions and the temptations of business in ways that are socially, economically and personally satisfying.
Return to ContentsOverview In this course we will read and discuss original work dealing with ethical issues in business, using academic research in business ethics, case studies and background textbook material. The purpose of case studies is to present problems as they arise in genuine complex business settings. Cases allow us to reflect upon the issues involved, to take the perspectives and note the interests of the various players, and discover and master the principles and theoretical arguments that can light our way toward the resolution of the cases' problems. We'll examine scandals, disasters and good news stories of business success in maintaining ethics and responsibility. Throughout the course, we will also be paying attention to what is currently happening in the business world, and we'll practice using our diagnostic analytical tools in these instances.
The course will be a combination of lecture, class discussion, presentations by teams of students, quizzes and exams, and informal assignments on a variety of topics. Students are strongly encouraged to attend class faithfully and to participate in discussions. Philosophy is carried on through discussion and argument; it can best be learned through engaging in those activities both orally and in writing. Management is carried on through analysis of real situations and action-oriented decision making; it can be learned via case study analysis and discussion in this relatively risk-free classroom setting. Discussion can be meaningful and substantive only if we all analyze and argue from a similar core knowledge base, so it is essential that students do assigned readings before class.
Return to ContentsGrading It's not the Olympics -- you begin the class with zero points. You earn points through your performance on assignments, exams and quizzes, class presentations, attendance and discussion. The various components contribute to the course grade as follows: - class attendance and participation 15%
- team presentation assignment 25%
- 9 of 10 quizzes (drop lowest grade) 35%
- one comprehensive final exam 25%
I don't curve, but I do standardize. That's how all the odd numbers of points eventually make sense. After converting your various points into percentages, I use this scoring system for your final grade: | 98-100 A+ | 88-89 B+ | 78-79 C+ | 68-69 D+ | 59< F | | 97-93 A | 87-83 B | 77-73 C | 67-63 D | | 90-92 A- | 80-82 B- | 70-72 C- | 60-62 D- |
Return to ContentsMore on Grading You will see in the extended list of readings that there are assignments called web searches. These are opportunities for you to bring helpful, legitimate information into class discussion. We'll talk more. More on Grading: On the final sheet of this syllabus, you'll find a score sheet so you can keep track of your points, as I do.Specific assignments earn points based on their nature, not on some arbitrary allotment.So, for example, quizzes may have different numbers of points. Class attendance and participation:Regular attendance is highly encouraged, and you earn points toward your 15% for each class you attend. In addition, participation is highly encouraged and rewarded. The classroom, believe it or not, is a relatively safe space for trying out your ideas, testing and training your ability to argue, practicing your presentation skills, making your mark on the class.You will earn points toward your 15% for valuable participation -- i.e., comments or questioning or analysis that move us forward in our understanding and ability to deal with ethics problems. I will challenge you to explain your answers, and I'll encourage others in the class to challenge you as well. I also cold-call, so be prepared! Note: Valuable participation is not the same as the right answer. Presentations: In teams of three, you will choose a class period in which you will give us a 20 minute report on a topic relevant to the unit we're studying. These reports/presentations might involve reading a book, doing web research, putting together statistics and interpretations, making a company analysis, or any number of other things. More on this shortly, but NOTE that the first presentation is about CEO compensation and the issues surrounding it, so that might give you a hint in advance. Quizzes: There are 10 short quizzes scheduled. I don't allow make-ups, but you can drop your lowest grade. Quizzes might cover anything dealt with in class or in readings for the previous few classes and/or the assigned readings for the day of the quiz. Quizzes may ask you to apply what you have learned so far to a specific short case or incident, or they may take other forms. Final exam: A comprehensive in-class exam will be given during exam week.
Return to ContentsInstructors Pet Peeves - Don't ask me, "What exactly are we supposed to do on this assignment?" I'll give you instructions, and then it's up to you to figure it out from there.
- Don't ask me, "Did we do anything important in last week's classes?" Need I say why?
- Don't ask me, "When can I stop by your office so you can catch me up on the class I missed?" If you miss class, it is your responsibility to get notes from a classmate.
- Don't say "I don't know", when you really mean, "I wish you'd call on someone else." If you really don't know, then you are probably not prepared for class.
- Don't e-mail me at 9 p.m. the night before your class and then ask, "Did you get my message?" I'm not constantly on e-mail, so I most likely didn't get your message.
Return to ContentsPolicies CBA Non-Attendance Policy: College of Business Administration policy states: "All students taking courses from the College of Business Administration must attend the first two classes or the first night class or they may be dropped from the course." The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA): provides protection from illegal discrimination for qualified individuals with disabilities. Students requesting instructional accommodations due to disabilities must arrange for such accommodation through the Office of Disability Services. The ODS is located at 213 Student Services Center, and the telephone number is 273-2676. Business Communication Skills: Communication skills do matterfor success in coursework and in your career. If you want help with this important set of skills, resources are available at www.cba.uni.edu/buscomm. I will hold you responsible for the minimum CBA communication requirements, found at www.cba.uni.edu/buscomm/cbaexpectations.html These requirements include the ability to properly reference the works of others when you use them in an assignment. Feel free to make use of Strunk & White, as well, for this class's assignments and throughout your life. Academic Integrity: University regulations on plagiarism and academic integrity will be observed. Students are reminded that all work submitted for credit should be their own, unless the instructor has explicitly permitted group work or some mode other than independent work. If you're not quite sure what plagiarism or academic integrity means, don't hesitate to ask. You might especially want to be careful about plagiarism from internet sources. If you are discovered to have plagiarized an assignment or cheated on a quiz or exam, at a minimum you will receive a zero grade for that assignment and you risk earning an F in the course as well. Winter Weather Policy: Use a rule of prudence when faced with driving in severe weather conditions or on icy/snowy roads. Here's my rule of prudence: if the Cedar Falls Public Schools are closed for weather or have a 2 hour delay, we will not have class that day (neither section) and will make up the work we miss during the next scheduled class, or at another time.
Return to ContentsRequired Texts - Thomas Donaldson, Patricia H. Werhane, and Margaret Cording, Ethical Issues in Business: A Philosophical Approach 7th ed.(Prentice-Hall, 1999); hereafter referred to as D-W-C.
- William H. Shaw and Vincent Barry, Moral Issues in Business 8th ed.(Wadsworth 1998); hereafter referred to as S-B.
- The Little Guide to Critical Thinking (booklet distributed in class)
- Additional materials (Toolkits, any other materials listed) will be made available in class, are available on the web, or can be found as instructed.
Return to ContentsTopics and Readings Here is my best estimate of when we are likely to be addressing certain topics. As we go along, I will give you more detailed assignment sheets to show you what readings to do for which classes. 1/11, 1/13, 1/18, 1/20, 1/25 WORKING: the meaning of work, the globalization effect, compensation and the good life. 1/27, 2/1, 2/3 COMMON PRINCIPLES OF MORALITY: When we say we respect someone or something, what do we mean? When we believe we're acting ethically, what are the Big Values or principles we're using? What difference does it make what values we hold? And what does all this have to do with virtue ethics? 2/8, 2/10, 2/15 CAPITALISM AND UTILITARIAN ETHICS: Does capitalism have room for ethics? What's the relationship between capitalist thought and utilitarianism? Is utilitarian ethics the same as cost-benefit analysis? Are there any new ideas about capitalism and ethics? 2/22, 2/24, 3/1 REASON AND RIGHTS:Can people grow morally? What the heck is a categorical imperative? What was Kant thinking about thinking? How can we apply rights thinking to employment issues? 3/3, 3/8, 3/10 STAKEHOLDER THEORY: What do managers need to know about the effects of business actions on others? 3/22, 3/24, 3/29, 4/5, 4/7 FRAUD AND WHISTLE-BLOWING: What's been happening in business in the last few years? Is this a new thing? Why is whistle-blowing such a big deal? Is it always so hard? 4/12, 4/14 ORGANIZATIONAL DESIGN AND ETHICS: What are the barriers to and facilitators of ethical action in corporations? Does the law give us any guidance here? 4/19, 4/21, 4/26 JUSTICE: What can a thought experiment tell us about how to define and understand justice? Are there different types of justice? Isn't any type of justice OK if it's practiced in a particular culture? What might global justice look like? 4/28 REFLECTIVE EQUILIBRIUM: What can we learn by examining many cases side by side, by looking at the parallels between cases, by checking out the common elements?
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