Course Syllabus

PSC business ethics logo

 

Course Description:

This course will focus on debate of ethical issues in business.  Particular emphasis will be given to businesses with entrepreneurial roots. Concepts including ethical reasoning, critical thinking, strategic thinking and professional articulation of personal ideologies will serve as a backdrop for the class. The goal is for students to learn not only what is involved in ethical decision making, but also how ethical decision making can be effectively used.


Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

  • Articulate a critical and informed view of business ethics issues
  • Apply research, analysis, and critical thought to strategic and ethical challenges
  • Define expectations of and realities faced by members of the workforce
  • Complete and analyze outcomes of business simulations
  • Analyze opportunities and problems from the perspective of ethical decision making
  • Recognize different approaches used to analyze real-life business ethics issues

Course Content:

[INSTRUCTORS: We have included sample course content from Foothill College as a place holder. Please insert your course content.]

  • Classic moral philosophy normative theories of ethics, including:
    • The nature of ethics and morality
    • Normative theories of ethics
    • Business ethics and professional ethics
    • Threats to ethics: Conventionalism, relativism
  • Convergence of justice and economics distribution, as pertains to:
    • The nature of justice
    • The Utilitarian perspective of justice
    • The Libertarian approach
    • John Rawls, "A Theory of Justice"
  • The nature of capitalism and the corporate world, as each impacts:
    • Historical background of capitalism
    • Key features of capitalism
    • Moral justification of capitalism
    • Criticism of capitalism
    • Economic challenges for the 21st century
  • Corporations' obligations and contributions to:
    • Corporate moral agency
    • Corporate responsibility - the social debate
    • Business compliance vs business ethics
    • Business and environmental ethics
  • Issues and challenges in the corporate workplace, as related to:
    • Civil liberties in the workplace
    • Personnel policies and procedures
    • Organizational influence in private lives
    • Working conditions
    • Outsourcing work
  • The moral issues and dilemmas facing today's employees, in response to:
    • Obligations to the firm and conflict of interest
    • Obligations to third parties
    • Whistle blowing: Professionalism and personal life
    • Job Discrimination
    • Affirmative Action: Legal and moral issues
    • Sexual harassment
  • The major issues of ethics in global business, impinging upon:
    • Ethical principles and global business
    • Ethics viewed from a multicultural perspective
    • First world vs. Third world values in conflict
    • Globalization: Economic and ethical challenges
  • Business and society
    • Consumer and product safety
    • Deception and unfairness in marketing and advertising
    • Business and ecology
    • Ethics of environmental protection
    • Animal Rights issues

Textbook:

Great newsyour textbook for this class is available for free online!

Business Ethics  (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.from OpenStax, ISBN-10: 1-947172-57-3

You have several options to obtain this book:

You can use whichever formats you want. Web view is recommended -- the responsive design works seamlessly on any device.


Important Notes:

[INSTRUCTORS: Insert important notes.]

  • Any student who needs an accommodation/academic adjustment based on the impact of a disability should inform the instructor and work with the Center for Accommodative Services (CAS) which coordinates reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities.  The student should contact the CAS in a timely manner so that their needs may be addressed as soon as possible.  Contact the CAS by phone: 518-327-6414, email: accommodativeservices@paulsmiths.edu, or in person: Weill Library room 209. All information will remain confidential.

  • Academic dishonesty and plagiarism will result in a failing grade on the assignment. Using someone else's ideas or phrasing and representing those ideas or phrasing as our own, either on purpose or through carelessness, is a serious offense known as plagiarism. Please see the Paul Smith's College Catalog for policies regarding plagiarism, harassment, etc. [link to your college's academic honesty policies]

Course Summary:

Date Details Due