04-71-300 (03, 04) Business Ethics in a Global Context (Fall 2011)

General Information: Class meetings Tuesdays and Thursdays: Section 3 14:30 15:50 Room 110 OB Section 4 17:30 18:50 Room 110 OB Dr. John R. Phillips Tuesdays & Thursdays: 12:00 13:30; and by appointment 519-253-3000 ext. 3115 Ms. My (May) Nhan 405 Odette Matija Nenadovic E-mail jrp@uwindsor.ca

Instructor Office hours

Telephone Secretary Office Teaching Assistant

Office 453 Odette

E-mail nhan@uwindsor.ca E-mail nenadov1@uwindsor.ca

Course Description: This required third year course examines ethical issues encountered in the management of business organizations operating domestically and globally. The course is designed to increase student awareness of the ethical dimension of business and to provide a decision making model for resolving ethical dilemmas encountered in business operations. The course begins with an examination of the basic philosophical perspectives on ethical behaviour and then focuses on issues such as discrimination and employee equity, environmental effects of business activities and advertising ethics. The overall goal of the course is to contribute to the development of the moral manager. Learning Objectives and Expected Outcomes: 1) Demonstrate knowledge of the basic philosophical perspectives on ethical behaviour. 2) Recognize and discuss the ethical issues facing the management of business organizations operating domestically and internationally. -1-

3) Identify the possible consequences of alternative courses of action in a situation involving an ethical question. Textbooks: Sexty, R. W. (2011). Canadian business and society: Ethics and responsibilities (Second Edition). Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson. (Bookstore). Phillips, J. R. (2006). CEO moral capital. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada. (Posted on CLEW) Bourdieu, P. (1998). Acts of resistance: Against the tyranny of the market. R. Nice (Trans.). New York: The New Press. (Bookstore). Student Website: http://www.mcgrawhill.ca/olc/sexty/ Course Website: To access the course website, go to https://clew.uwindsor.ca - Enter your UWin Id and password into the appropriate boxes and click the Login button. This will bring you to your My Workspace page. (If you have difficulty logging in, contact the Help Desk at helpdesk@uwindsor.ca or by phone at ext. 4440.) - Click on the Courses tab near the top. You will see all the courses to which you are registered and which are using CLEW. - Click on the course number for this course to take you to the course Home Page. Odette School of Business Policies: Academic Integrity and Code of Conduct Missed Exams and Late Assignments Registration, Adding, and Dropping Courses Odette School of Business Grade Conversion Scale Odette School of Business Grading Policy Student Evaluation of Teaching (SET)

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Refer to the Odette School of Business Course Policies document for specific information on all the above subjects. The Course Policies document is available electronically on each course CLEW site and in paper form outside each Area Secretarys office on the 4th floor of the Odette building. Academic Honesty: Academic honesty is crucial for all students and must be one of the central values for all business students. All forms of academic dishonesty will be severely punished and can result in the expulsion of the offender from the University of Windsor and a reference to the behaviour being placed on his/her transcript. Tentative Course Schedule: Date: Sep 8 Schedule of Main Topics:
(Note: See Detailed Lesson Plans)

Lesson Plan: 1

Course Introduction Theme: The Ethics of Your Education (Indoctrination?); Course Structure; and Standards for Performance Theme: The Paradox of Business Text: Chapter 1 The Relationship Between Business and Society Your Moral Capital: Front End, Chapter 1, and References Theme: Do We Need a New Business/Economic Model? Text: Chapter 2 Ethics and Capitalism Your Moral Capital: Chapter 8 and Chapter 9 Theme: The Jungle of Self-Interests Text: Chapter 3 Identifying Stakeholders and Issues Your Moral Capital: Chapter 2 and Appendix A Final Registration Day Theme: Starting Out by Taking Responsibility OCAPS: The Ethics of Job Searching Group and Project Assignment Theme: What Will You Do with Your Golden Guitar? Text: Chapter 4 Understanding Stakeholder Relations Your Moral Capital: Chapter 4 and Appendix D

Sep 13

Sep 15

Sep 20

Sep 21 Sep 22

Sep 27

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Date: Sep 29

Schedule of Main Topics:

Lesson Plan: 7

Theme: Winning, Losing, and Out of the Game Text: Chapter 5 Ethics of Business: The Theoretical Basis Your Moral Capital: Chapter 5 (Part 1) (pages 57-75) & App. G Theme: Going With the Flow or Taking a Stand? Text: Chapter 6 Ethics of Business: Management and Leadership Your Moral Capital: Chapter 5 (Part 2) (pages 76-94) Academic Amnesty - Vote Theme: Malfeasance and Consequence Text: Chapter 7 Corporate Social Responsibility: The Concept Your Moral Capital: Chapter 5 (Part 3) (pages 95-120) Theme: Insanity Continuing to Practice the Same Moral Behaviour Yet Expecting a Different Outcome Text: Chapter 8: Corporate Social Responsibility: In Practice Your Moral Capital: Chapter 7 (pages 168-194 also page 122) Theme: Performing Under Pressure Text: Chapter 9: CSR Auditing, Reporting, and Communication Your Moral Capital: Chapter 8 and Chapter 9 Midterm Examination Preview Midterm Examination Text: Chapters 1-9 Your Moral Capital: All Reading Assigned Also: Themes and Supplementary Material Covered Theme: On a More Positive Note (Or So We Thought!) Text: Chapter 10 Regulating Business Bourdieu (1998): The Left Hand and the Right Hand of the State Theme: Authority Who Is In Charge? Text: Chapter 11 The Ownership and Governance of the Corporation Bourdieu (1998): The Myth of Globalization and the European Welfare State Theme: Responsibility What Are They In Charge Of? Text: Chapter 12 Ethics and Responsibilities in the Workplace and Marketplace Bourdieu (1998): For a New Internationalism

Oct 4

Oct 6

Oct 11

10

Oct 13

11

Oct 18

12

Oct 20

13

Oct 25

14

Oct 27

15

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Date: Nov 1

Schedule of Main Topics:

Lesson Plan: 16

Theme: Accountability Who Will Fix the System? Text: Chapter 13 Civil Society Stakeholders Bourdieu (1998): Job Insecurity is Everywhere Now Group Projects Due. Theme: When is Enough Enough? Text: Chapter 14 The Environment and Business Responsibilities Bourdieu (1998): Neo-liberalism, the Utopia (Becoming a Reality) of Unlimited Exploitation Theme: Choosing the Ethical Path Forward Ethical Decision Making Workshop Final Voluntary Withdrawal Day. Group Project Presentations: Two Groups (Part 1) Group Project Presentations: Two Groups (Part 2) Group Project Presentations: Two Groups (Part 3) Group Project Presentations: Two Groups (Part 4) Group Project Presentations: Two Groups (Part 5) Student Evaluation of Teaching Submit Group Member Evaluation Forms Theme: Neo-liberalism, Domination, and Imperialism Text: Chapter 15: Globalization and Business Responsibilities Theme: Redefining Success From Domination Through Indoctrination Toward Emancipation Through Education Text: Chapter 16 Ethics, Responsibilities, and Strategy Final Examination Preview Course Conclusion Final Examination Text: Comprehensive Chapters 1-16; Focus Chapters 10-16. Your Moral Capital: All reading assigned. Bourdieu (1998): All reading assigned. Also: All Themes and Supplementary Material Covered.

Nov 3

17

Nov 8 Nov 9 Nov 10 Nov 15 Nov 17 Nov 22 Nov 24 Nov 29

18

19 20 21 22 23 24

Dec 1

25

Wed Dec 14 15:30

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Grading Components: The following grading opportunities will occur throughout the semester. Seventy-five percent of the final grade comes from individual performance, including mid-term exam, final exam and class participation. Twenty-five percent of the grade comes from group performance, including the group project (written) and group project (presentation). Your final grade will be determined according to the following weights: In-class Participation Midterm Examination Group Project (Written) Group Project (Presentation) Final Examination As recorded by instructor Scheduled on October 18 Scheduled due on November 3 As assigned by instructor Scheduled on December 14 10% 25% 15% 10% 40%

Unofficial grades will be posted to the course website as soon as available. You are cautioned that posted grades are neither final nor official until vetted through the Deans office, authorized by the Registrars office and then posted on your transcript in the SIS. A Note on the Grading of In-class Participation: Identification and preparation: All students are required to: 1. Fill out a name card and display it in class. 2. Prepare for class to enable their in-class participation. Participant selection: The instructor will select, on an equitable basis, from among those students who display name cards and show hands. If there is no show of hands, the instructor may cold-call from among all students (cards or no cards). Participation grading: The in-class participation component is weighted at 10% of the overall course grade. Students are expected to demonstrate high levels of: 1. Subject knowledge. 2. Complex reasoning. 3. Critical thinking. 4. Moral conduct, i.e., integrity, respect, fairness, and steadfastness. The instructor will grade participation based upon the perceived comprehensive value of student contributions on the following scale. 12%: Excellent 6%: 0%: Fair None 10%: Very good 4%: Poor 8%: 2%: Good Very poor

-2%: Negative

-4%: Very negative

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A Note on the Grading of Group Projects: The project is to be completed on a group basis no freeloaders please! An early start and effective teamwork are critical components of project work. In working together you are expected to demonstrate integrity, respect, fairness and steadfastness of positive moral values. Every group member is expected to do his/her share of the work or face the consequences. To encourage contributions of equivalent value: 1. Cases of academic misconduct will be dealt with severely. 2. The group project duration is six weeks. Within the first three weeks groups have the responsibility to report to the instructor, with supporting documentation signed by a majority of group members, any serious lack of contribution by a group member(s). Documentation will detail the groups efforts to keep the specific group member(s) involved and incidences of the specific group members(s) non-compliance. Based upon the evidence at hand, the instructor has the option of removing the offending group member(s) from the group and re-assigning the project to him/her/them on an independent basis. Furthermore, there is to be no communication or collaboration among groups either within, or across, sections of the course. Any such communication(s) or collaboration(s) will be treated as academic misconduct (see 1. above). 3. Upon completion of the overall group project, i.e., including both written and presentation components, each individual group member must complete the following confidential group member evaluation form on an individual and independent basis and submit it to the instructor upon request. The overall final project grade received by each group member will equal the product of the overall grade awarded for the project by the instructor multiplied by the average contribution factor received from the group, e.g., an instructor awarded group project grade of 80% when multiplied by an average contribution factor of 0.50 gives a final individual project grade of 40%, or conversely, when multiplied by an average contribution factor of 1.25 gives a final individual project grade of 100%. Any undue influence attempt(s) or intimidation in this process will be treated as academic misconduct (see 1. above).

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04-71-300: Business Ethics in a Global Context - Group Project Group Member Evaluation Form (NOTE: Confidential When Completed) Section__________

Guidelines for Completion: The total number of points you must award is # of group members x 1.0, e.g., 6 group members x 1.0 = 6.0 points. You are to award each group member (including yourself) a number between 0.50 and 1.25 inclusive, based on the value you attribute to each individuals relative contribution to the overall group project, i.e., written and presentation components combined. Please print clearly and legibly. Group Member Name: Score: Comments:

Group Number:

Total Score:

Certification: I have completed this evaluation form on an individual and independent basis. The scores above represent my true assessment of the relative value each member of my group contributed to the group project. Signature:

Name:

Date:

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