PHI 370 Business Ethics Concepts & Cases
Final Exam and Transcript Provided by Davar Academy
PHI – 370 Business Ethics is a self-study course. This course consists of eight lessons based on the readings from the textbook. There are no formal homework assignments, but students are encouraged to answer all the review questions at the end of each chapter to ensure that they have understood the relevant course material are well prepared for the final exam.
Course Description:
This course offers an introduction into the concept of values, morality, as well as cultural beliefs and upbringing in all areas of business, from consumer rights to corporate social responsibility. The course provides a clear and practical examination of the type of ethical dilemmas students may eventually face at the workplace. The fundamental principles of philosophy are taught in a purely business context. The goal of this course is to prepare students to think rigorously about the ethics and social responsibility of people and organizations and to personally behave ethically and in a socially responsible manner in their roles as human beings, organizational citizens, and leaders in organizations
Learning Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- Deal with the eventual ethical dilemmas they will come to face in the business environment and workplace.
- Have a personal code of ethics to guide them in anticipating, avoiding, and grappling with ethical dilemmas.
- Identify constitutional liberties and rights and describe how controversies over such issues shape much of the content of American politics.
- Commit to influence others to anticipate, avoid, and grapple constructively with ethical dilemmas.
- Understand concepts about ethics, character, integrity, honesty, morality, and social responsibility they can apply to organizations and their personal lives
- Apply models, approaches, and tools for analyzing and synthesizing ethical issues in organizations and in their personal lives.
- Have a personal action plan to behave ethically and socially responsibly.
Velasquez, Manuel G. Business Ethics: Concepts and Cases, 7th Edition,
2012, published by Pearson
ISBN-13: 978-0205017669
ISBN-10: 0205017665
1) Students can obtain this text book from the following source:
http://www.mypearsonstore.com/bookstore/business-ethics-concepts-and-cases-9780205017669?xid=PSED
All reading and (optional) homework assignments referenced in this syllabus refer to this text
2) In addition, it is recommended that students have access to MyThinkingLab®, by Pearson. This can be accessed here:
http://www.mypearsonstore.com/bookstore/mythinkinglab-with-pearson-etext-instant-access-for-0205214142
3) The following study guide will be made available upon enrollment:
Velasquez, Manuel G, PowerPoint Presentation for Business Ethics: Concepts and Cases, 7th Edition, 2012, published by Pearson
Lesson Overview
Lesson 1: Ethics and Business
Read Chapter 1
This lesson the students look at the basic principles of ethics and business. The students examine the nature of business ethics and examine the case of National Semiconductor with respect to morally responsibility. The students think about different ethical issues in business and where to place moral responsibility and blame. The students examine the case of Worldcom and the ethics of whistle blowing. The students discuss responsibility associated with gun manufacturers and look at slavery in the chocolate industry. The students review the case of Aaron Beam and the Healthsouth fraud.
Lesson 2: Ethical Principles in Business
Read Chapter 2
In this lesson the students look at business ethics from the perspective of utilitarianism by weighing the social costs and benefits associated with business decision making. The students examine the concepts of rights and duties and consider the case of companies dump their wastes in poor countries. Case studies presented for discussion include Eli Lilly & Company, Conflict Diamonds, Exxonmobil, Amerada Hess, Marathon Oil in Equatorial Guinea, Traidos Bank and Roche’s drug trials in China
Written Assignment #1: Corporate Responsibility:
Write a 2-5-page paper answering the following questions. Be sure to include examples from at least two case studies presented in the chapter or that you research on your own:
How do moral obligations apply to business organizations? Can companies be held accountable for what they do, or are the individuals who make up the company the ones we must hold accountable? Discuss the major arguments concerning corporate responsibility.Minimum Length: 500 words
Lesson 3: The Business System: Government, Markets, and International Trade
Read Chapter 3
In this lesson the students study different theories associated with free markets. The students look at John Locke’s ideas on free markets and rights and Adam Smith’s ideas on free markets and utility. The students look at David Ricardo and his theory associated with free trade and utility. The students look at Karl Marx and his criticism of markets and free trade. The students learn about commodification and discuss how free markets should be. The students examine today’s mixed economy, the new property, and the end of Marxism. The students look at such case studies as Napster’ lost revolution and Brian’s Franchise. The students examine the GM bailout and accolade versus Sega.
Lesson 4: Ethics in the Marketplace
Read Chapter 4
In this lesson the students study different types of market structures such as perfect competition and monopoly competition. The students look at case studies of drug companies with respect to monopolies and profits. The students discuss oligopolistic competition with respect to public policy. The students look at case studies with respect to the computer memory market. Other case studies include Oracle and Peoplesoft. The students discuss Intel’s “rebates” and the other ways it “helped” customers and look at Archer Daniels Midland and the friendly competitors.
Lesson 5: Ethics and the Environment
Read Chapter 5
This lesson examines the dimensions of pollution and resource depletion. The students discuss the ethics of pollution control and the ethics of conserving depletable resources. The students discuss such case studies as Ford’s toxic wastes and the auto companies in China. The students look at the case of the OK Tedi Copper Mine
Lesson 6: The Ethics of Consumer Production and Marketing
Read Chapter 6
This lesson looks at markets with respect to consumer protection. The students examine the contract view of business firm’s duties to consumers and the due care theory. Case studies of the tobacco companies and product safety are examined as well as the social costs view of the manufacturer’s duties. Students look at the ethical issues surrounding selling personalized genetics. Advertising ethics are discussed with respect to targeting minors. The ethical issues surrounding consumer privacy are discussed and students look at the case study of Becton Dickinson and Needle Sticks.
Open Task: Ethics and Advertising
Download two advertisements that are
- informative and helpful
- misleading and/or unethical.
Discuss what makes each example either ethical or unethical. Discuss the audience that each advertisement seems to be aimed at.
Lesson 7: The Ethics of Job Discrimination
Read Chapter 7
In this lesson the students look at the nature of job discrimination and examine the case study of helping patients at the Plainfield healthcare center. Students examine the extent of discrimination with respect to utility, rights, and justice. The ethical issues surrounding affirmative action are discussed and the case studies of Old Dominion, Peter Oiler and Winn-Dixie stores are examined. Salary issues are examined with respect to the case studies of Kroger, Ralphs’ and Wal-mart.
Written Assignment #2: Affirmative Action:
Write a 2-5-page paper answering the following questions. Be sure to include examples from at least two case studies presented in the chapter or that you research on your own.
What are the two types of arguments used to justify affirmative action? What are the strengths and weaknesses of both attempts? Minimum Length: 500 words
Lesson 8: Ethics and the Employee
Read Chapter 8
In this lesson the students examine the diverse goals of different organizations including the implications the rational organization, the political organization, and the caring organization. Employee issues are examined using the case studies of HP and Oracle. The ethical issues surrounding insider trading are discussed. Case studies of employment issues are examined with respect to pizza delivery and Sergeant Quon’s text messages. Howmet Corporation’s “employment at will” program is examined as well as the issues surrounding who is responsible for the deaths of minors at Massey Energy Company.
The student’s final grade will be based on a final examination. Examination questions will cover all topics covered in the readings. Students will have two hours to complete the final examination. Students will be assigned a number grade from 0-100. A letter grade will also be issued in accordance with the following scale:
90-100 – A
80-89 – B
70-79 – C
0-69 – non passing
All quizzes are optional to prepare you for final exam. Only the score on your exam will appear on your transcript.
All relevant study material needed to pass the final exam can be found in study guide and prep quizzes.
Starting Course
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1
Chapter 1: Ethics and Morality -
2
Chapter 2: Ethical Principles in Business
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3
Chapter 3: Ethic of Care
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4
Chapter 4: Ethics in the Marketplace
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5
Chapter 5: Ethics and the Environment
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6
Chapter 6: The Ethics of Consumer Production and Marketing
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7
Chapter 7: The Ethics of Job Discrimination
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8
Chapter 8: Ethics and the Employee
