The course is divided into five units; each week covers one unit.
1. The first unit provides an overview of modern business ethics. We will examine various considerations that inform decision-making in a business context, particularly as they pertain to the social responsibilities of corporations. What responsibilities do the corporations have to their shareholders and how do these responsibilities compare to those toward local communities and other stakeholders? What makes a corporation good and/or moral?
2. The second unit concerns the quality of life for employees We will study the treatment workers receive in a corporate setting—the kind of employment security they enjoy, the conditions under which they are expected to perform their professional duties, and their right to safe and decent working conditions. What kind of value is diversity in the workplace, and is it a value that business should promote? We will also examine the moral responsibilities of employees both to the corporation and to the consumer, with a special consideration of the issue of whistle-blowing.
3. The third unit is about honesty and financial information. We will examine the nature of advertising and the interesting and antagonistic relationship that exists between producers and consumers. What right do consumers have to receive quality products and how far can marketing go to entice consumers to buy their product? Also, what kind of ethical controls are appropriate in financial markets?
4. The fourth unit studies technology and sustainability. We will consider how modern technology has changed the issue of privacy in the economic order. Producers have access to a tremendous about of information, which they use to reach consumers. We will also study corporation responsibility with respect to the environment and future generations.
5. The fifth unit concerns international business and the challenge of economic justice. We will discuss the impact of globalization on business ethics: Is there an absolute standard for determining right and wrong? How do we balance a respect for local customs with a need for objective standards? In a world of extreme wealth and extreme poverty, what do we owe one another in our new global age?