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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "ETH/BUS 301-2"
COURSE NAME: "Business Ethics"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2022
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Annette Merle Bryson
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: TTH 11:30 AM -12:45 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisite: One previous course in Philosophy or Junior Standing. Co-requisite: EN 110
OFFICE HOURS:
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course examines some of the most important ethical issues in business today, such as businesses’ responsibilities to workers, consumers, and investors, the pros and cons of “free markets,” the challenges posed by environmental damage and automation, the ideas of “social” responsibilities and “ethical” consumption, and the special dilemmas faced by multinational businesses. Issues will be studied through a selection of contemporary cases, issues, arguments, and approaches, along with much class discussion, with the aim of helping students to develop a familiarity with the issues and debates and their ability to discuss, reflect on, and defend their own ethical views.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

In this course, we will explore the ethical dimensions of interactions between people in business contexts and explore some of the ways in which we can think about the challenges we face. We will focus primarily on some prominent moral theories, exploring how these can be applied to some of the important ethical issues in business today. 

 
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
By the end of this course, you will have gained:

• A broad knowledge of moral philosophy and how it applies to business issues;
• A better understanding of the shortcomings and strengths of these various approaches to addressing ethical issues in business;
• A refinement of your own critical reasoning and argumentative skills;
• A refinement of your capacities to recognize and assess philosophical arguments;
• An enhancement of the conceptual tools we need to develop and defend our own philosophical views;
• A refinement of your abilities to defend and express philosophical positions in a clear, well-reasoning way through both writing and conversation;
• The (re)discovery of the joy of philosophical inquiry! 

 
TEXTBOOK:
NONE
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Class Participation & AttendanceYou will receive an attendance and participation grade at the end of the semester reflecting your attendance in class and your preparedness, contribution to in-class discussion, and participation in smaller group activities. 20%
Final Exam There will be a final examination for this course. Any material discussed in readings or in class during the semester is eligible to appear on the exam.20%
First Written AssignmentThe written assignment will be a “take-home” assignment of 1400-1600 words, written in response to one of a selection of questions which I will provide. 20%
Second Written AssignmentThe written assignment will be a “take-home” assignment of 1400-1600 words, written in response to one of a selection of questions which I will provide.20%
Quizzes & AssignmentsThere will be weekly quizzes posted to Moodle. 20%

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
A maximum of two unexcused absences from class will be accepted. Beyond this, a zero grade will be given for each unexcused absence, bringing your average grade down. It is your responsibility to inform me if you miss or cannot participate fully in a class for a good reason. Good reasons include sickness, unavoidable appointments, religious holidays, and transport strikes, but not trips, guests, or malfunctioning alarm clocks. 
ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.
STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.
SCHEDULE

Note: This syllabus is intended to give the student guidance in what may be covered during the semester and will be followed as closely as possible. However, the professor reserves the right to modify, supplement and make changes as the course needs arise.

Week 1: Introduction: Perspectives, Businesses, and Ethics

Tues: Introduction to Course 

Thurs: Ferrell & Ferrell.  “The Importance of Business Ethics” & Valerie Strauss, “The Surprising Thing Google Learned about its Employees--and What It Means for Today's Students”

Week 2: Cases, Intuitions, Principles, and Applications

Tues: Patrick Lin, “Why Ethics Matters for Autonomous Cars”

Thurs: Bethany McLean, “How Wells Fargo's Cutthroat Corporate Culture Allegedly Drove Bankers to Fraud”

Week 3: Ethics, Firms, and Shareholders

Tues: Milton Friedman, “The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase its Profits” 

Thurs: Joseph Heath, “A Market Failures Approach to Business Ethics”   

Week 4: Stakeholder Theory & Analysis

Tues: Edward Freeman,  “Business is about purpose”(18min.); Freeman, "Managing for Stakeholders” 

Thurs: Urban & Sawayda. “Starbuck's Mission Social Responsibility & Brand Strength”; Bdaiwi, Yaman. “Stakeholder Analysis using the Power Interest Grid”; Stakeholdermap.com. "Stakeholder Analysis” 

Week 5: Utilitarianism & Respect for Persons 

Tues: Joseph DesJardines, “Modern Ethical Theory: Utilitarianism"  & Saylor Academy, “Can Money Buy Utilitarian Happiness? The Ford Pinto Case” 

Thurs: Joseph  DesJardines, “Principle-Based Ethics”; Excerpts from Arnold & Bowie's “Sweatshops and Respect for Persons” 

Week 6: Virtue Ethics

Tues: Joseph DesJardines, “Virtues and Business Ethics”; Peter Bregman, “Why Friends Matter at Work and in Life”

Thurs: [To be announced]


Week 7: Distributive Justice

Tues: Robert Nozick, “Distributive Justice” (Section I)

Thurs: John Rawls, A Theory of Justice (Sections 1-4, 10-13, 17)

 
Week 8: Regulation & Design Thinking

Tues: Kenneth Davis, “Big Pharma Has Broken Its Social Contract: How to Restore Fairness in Drug Pricing”; Anne Marie Knott, “The Real Reasons Companies Are So Focused on the Short Term” 

Thurs: Brown & Wyatt, "Design Thinking for Social Innovation” 

Week 9: Ethical Responsibility, & Creating Shared Value

Tues: Porter & Kramer, “Creating Shared Value"
Thurs: Stewart, “The world's largest investment firm wants corporations to 'service a social purpose’”; Newell, “How Nike Embraced CSR and Went From Villain to Hero”; & 3 short readings from Armstrong & Kotler: “Patagonia: Conscious Consumption: Telling Consumers to Buy Less”; “Sustainability at Unilever, 'Creating a Better Future Every Day'”; “Toms: Be the Change You Want to See in the World” 

Week 10: Discrimination and Sexual Harassment

Tues: Elizabeth Anderson, “Recent Thinking About Sexual Harassment: A Review Essay”

Thurs: Marianne Bertrand and Sendhil Mullainthan, “Are Greg and Emily More Employable than Lakisha and Jamal? A Field Experiment on Labor Market Discrimination” (Introduction, Sections IIIA, IVA, V)

Week 11: Ethical Responsibility and Sustainable Development

Tues: “Business, Investments, and the SDGs: A Powerful Opportunity for Shared Prosperity.” Intentional Endowments Network, “The Business Case for ESG"; Unruh et al., “Investing for a Sustainable Future: Investors Care More about Sustainability than Many Executives Believe"; PWC's “Navigating the SDGs: A Business Guide to Engaging with the UN Global Goals" pages 6 & 7: Introduction (including the stuff in the red box)

Thurs: Michael Porter, "Why Business Can Be Good at Solving Social Problems" (17m)

Week 12: Business & Toxic Cultures

Tues: Sonia van Gilder Cooke, “Bon Voyage!: Why Europe's Vaction-Loving Ways May Make Economic Sense”; Minda Zetlin, “Take your vacation and everyone benefits"; Will Yakowicz, “Why You Need to Encourage Employees to Use Their Vacation Time”; Geoffrey James, “New Research: Most Salaried Employees Only Do About 3 Hours of Real Work Each Day” from 2018

Thurs: Mac McClelland, “I was a Warehouse Wage Slave”   

Week 13: Importance of Business Culture

Tues: Carl Hoffman,  “Special Report: Why the BP Oil Rig Blowout Happened”  

Thurs: Edgar Schein, “The Learning Culture and the Learning Leader” (p365-373); Armstrong, “3M: Where Innovation is a Way of Life”; & Rosenbaum, “Happiness Culture: Zappos Isn't a Company--It's a Mission”  

Week 14: Importance of Business Culture

Tues. & Thurs: Wrapping up & Final Exam Review