Dominican University
Course: BAD 335 01: Business Ethics
Syllabus
Spring 2009
INSTRUCTOR:
Anthony J. Crement
Tel: 708 531-9342
E-Mail: acrement@dom.edu
Office hours: Before or after class, or by appointment
CLASS MEETINGS: Tuesday and Thursday 3:30 – 4:45 pm
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES:
This course is designed to expose students to basic ethical issues in business, to direct students to explore the complexities of those issues and to give students tools and strategies to deal with the issues. The course does not deal with laws and regulations but with the bedrock principles of value, character and integrity, along with the realities of the workplace and the world.
We will also discuss the concept of corporate social responsibility. It is a dynamic process that is growing in favor among many business leaders. In a very real sense you and other business leaders of your generation will define the contours and shape of the movement. The movement may stagnate and prove to be nothing more than fanciful business jargon. Or you may energize it and make it a truly important development for humankind.
Our course will come face to face with the challenge. You may accept it; you may reject it. But it is good that you struggle with it.
REQUIRED TEXTS:
Business Ethics and Ethical Business
Robert Audi
Oxford University Press 2009
Additional reading assignments will be made during the year.
RECOMMENDED READING:
The Sociopath Next Door
Martha Stout
Broadway Books, 2005
The Real Wealth of Nations
Riane Eislen
Barrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc, 2007
Green to Gold
Daniel C Esty and Andrew S. Windston
Yale University Press, 2006
Capitalism at the Crossroads
Stuart L. Hart
Wharton School Publishing, 2005
The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid
CK Prahalad
Wharton School Publishing, 2006
Are You Ready to Succeed?
Srikunar S. Rao
Hyperion, 2006
Does Ethics Have a Chance in a World of Consumers?
Zygmunt Bauman
Harvard University Press, 2008
When Jesus Came to Harvard
Harvey Cox
Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006
WEBSITES
Markkula Center for Applied Ethics.
Santa Clara University: www.scu.edu/ethic
Center for Corporate Citizenship
Boston College: www.bcccc.net
Caux Round Table Principles for Business:
www.cauxroundtable.org/principles.html
Center for Partnership Studies:
INSTRUCTIONAL METHOD:
The course will be taught using the Socratic method with a mixture of lectures, class discussions, case studies, debate, role playing, films and any other tool at our disposal.
EVALUATION:
Attendance and class participation 20%
Three short papers (3 to 4 pages) 30% (10 % per paper)
Written Project (10 - 15 pages) 40%
Class presentation 10%
Class Participation
Class participation grading will be based upon effort and quality and not frequency. Class contributions should demonstrate sound reasoning, knowledge of the facts involved with the issue under discussion and thoughtful analysis of the facts and the applicable principles. You should not be afraid to ask “dumb questions” which oftentimes lead to productive inquiry.
Papers
Three short written work products (three to four pages) will be assigned as practice in identifying key points and writing concisely - a very necessary skill in the business world. In addition, a longer written product (10 - 15 pages) is required. I will meet with each of you to select a topic which interests you. You will then present your subject area orally to the class. I will provide you with guidelines regarding what is expected in your written work.
GRADING SCALE
A 94 - 100
A- 90- 93
B+ 88- 89
B 83- 87
B - 80 - 82
C+ 78 - 79
C 73 - 77
C- 70 - 72
D 68 - 69
F 67 or below
COURSE CALENDAR
Thursday, January 15
1) Introduction: What I expect from you and what you have a right to expect from me.
2) Structuring our values: What do you value?
3) Discussion of written assignment and oral presentation.
Tuesday, January 20
1) Reading Assignment: Textbook Chapters 1 and 2, pp 3-22
2) Discussion
3) Case Study: To Be Assigned
Thursday, January 22
Film: Enron: The Smartest People in the Room.
How could so many people go so wrong?
Tuesday, January 27
1) Discussion of the Enron debacle
Thursday, January 29
1) Reading Assignment: The search for moral capitalism and the Holy Grail of business valuation, by Stephen B. Young, Ivey Business Journal, March/April 2004. Can be found at www.iveybusinessjournal.com (go to site, then archives, then 2004, then March/April.
2) Reading Assignment: Textbook chapter 3, pp. 23-29
Tuesday, February 3
1) Discussion on Corporate Responsibility
2) Case Study
Thursday, February 5
1) Stockholder v Stakeholder debate
2) Textbook Chapter 4 pp. 30-42
Tuesday, February 10
1) Guest Speaker: Robert Renaut, President Oberwies Dairy
2) First short paper due
Thursday, February 12
1) Reading Assignment: Textbook Chapter 5 pp. 43-37
2) Global warming
Tuesday, February 17
1) Film: Planet in Peril
2) Peruse the websites of the following organizations:
a) U.S. Climate Action Partnership (USCAP)
b) Global Roundtable on Climate Change (GROCC)
c) United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
d) Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies (CERES)
Thursday, February 19
The environment
Tuesday, February 24
1) Reading Assignment: Textbook Chapter 6 pp. 48-58
2) Case Study
3) Second short paper due
Thursday, February 26
1) Reading Assignment: Textbook Chapter 7 pp. 59-66
2) Case Study
Tuesday, March 3
Team Projects
Thursday, March 5
Team Projects
Tuesday, March 17
1) Reading Assignment: Textbook Chapter 8 pp. 69-81
2) Case Study
Thursday, March 19
1) Guest Speaker
Tuesday, March 24
1) Reading Assignment: Textbook Chapter 9 pp. 82-90
2) Case Study
Thursday, March 26
1) Case Study
2) Class Presentations
Tuesday, March 31
1) Reading Assignment: Textbook Chapter 11 pp. 98-106
2) Class Presentations
Thursday, April 2
1) Reading Assignment: Textbook Chapter 12 pp. 109-115
2) Class presentations
Tuesday, April 7
1) Reading Assignment: Textbook Chapter 13 pp. 116-128
2) Class presentations
3) Third short paper due
Tuesday, April 14
1) Reading will be assigned
2) Class presentations
Thursday, April 16
1) Reading will be assigned
2) Class presentations
Tuesday, April 21
1) Reading will be assigned
2) Class presentations
Thursday, April 23
1) Reading will be assigned
2) Class presentations
Tuesday, April 27
1) Reading will be assigned
2) Class presentations
Thursday, April 30
1) Reading will be assigned
2) Class presentations