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Course
Description and Goals ·
Identifying
and evaluating the importance of resources provided by public stakeholders. ·
Evaluating
the role of the “moral manager” and personal character in making public and
private sector decisions including resolving tradeoffs among stakeholders. ·
Evaluating
the social contract between the firm and public stakeholders and evaluating
how this social contract should guide decision making. ·
Applying
a formal ethical framework that incorporates personal values and broader
utilitarian, rights/duties, and justice considerations into making decisions. A variety of teaching methods will be used to facilitate achieving
these goals including class case discussions, small group discussions,
mini-lectures, short stories/essays, and film/video.
Course
Requirements Cases (40%) It is expected that whenever possible, you will be present in class to
turn in and discuss your case analyses. If for some reason you cannot make
class, please let me know in advance and make plans to have the case turned
in before the beginning of class either by another student, via fax,
etc. Cases will not be accepted
after the beginning of the class when the case is due. Student Ethics
Papers (15%) Try to select a
case that you believe others will identify with either because they have
faced similar situations or may face a similar situation in the future. The
cases can address issues similar to those discussed in class or raise
important issues/dilemmas we may not have been able to discuss. Consider
cases where there is a real ethical dilemma and where the class has to
struggle with some tough ethical issues and make a recommendation on taking
action in the case. The cases will be due on September 28 and discussed in small groups. In addition
to turning in your one-page case, you will be responsible for a three-five
page (double-space, 12 point font, with 1” margins) write-up that includes
the central ethical issues brought out in the case, what you learned from this
particular dilemma and how (if at all) the experience influenced your
character, and what lessons you can pass on to others who might face similar
situations. The second student ethics paper will
involve you reflecting on an incident in the workplace in which an action you
took or a decision you made caused harm to another person. You will be asked to respond directly to
a series of questions regarding this experience and as with the first
assignment, to consider what you learned from this incident, how the
experience influenced your character, and the lessons you can pass on to
others. I will be discussing this assignment in greater depth later in the
course. This paper is due on December
3. Ethics Journal (25%) You will be asked to maintain an ethics journal throughout the course.
The purpose of the ethics journal is to provide an opportunity for you to
engage in written personal reflections as prompted by the literary readings
(short stories, essays, plays) assigned for the course. For each assigned reading
I will provide some questions in advance to guide your reading and journal
responses (you are welcome and encouraged to go beyond these questions -
perhaps write your own!). You will be asked to share your journal writing
in small group discussions. Through the ethics journal process your own
reflections and writing will become a central learning focus for the course. The ethics journal will be turned in on
December 3. I will evaluate
your journal efforts and determine a grade for this component of the course
based on four criteria: Class
Participation (20%) Required The Palace
Thief, Ethan Canin (TPT) Minding the
Store, Robert Coles and
Albert LaFarge (MTS) There are a number
of assigned cases/readings as well that you will purchase directly from the http://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cb/access/4457301
A number of readings will be placed on electronic reserve with the WSU
Vancouver Library (noted by "R" in syllabus). You can gain access to these readings
through visiting WSU
Vancouver - Library - Course Reserves. I will provide a password for you
to use in class. Office Hours Academic Integrity Students are expected to uphold the WSU standard of conduct relating
to academic dishonesty (see WSU Student Handbook, WAC 504-25-015 as well as
the Business Program Guidelines related to Academic Integrity). Students assume full responsibility for the
content and integrity of the academic work they submit. The guiding principle of academic integrity
shall be that a student’s submitted work, examinations, reports, and projects
must be that student’s own work.
Students shall be guilty of violating the honor code if they: 1.
Represent
the work of others as their own. 2.
Use or
obtain unauthorized assistance in any academic work. 3.
Give
unauthorized assistance to other students. 4.
Modify,
without instructor approval, an examination, paper, record or report for the
purpose of obtaining additional credit. 5.
Misrepresent
the content of submitted work. The penalty for violating the honor code is severe. The first offense will result in a grade of zero on the assignment/exam in question. A second offense will result in a failing grade for the course. All offenses will be reported to the Office of Student Affairs. If a student is unclear about whether a particular situation may constitute an honor code violation, the student should meet with the instructor to discuss the situation. Student Conduct Per the WSU Vancouver Student Handbook, students are, “Expected to
show due respect for …the rights of others.”
For example, “While students have the right to freedom of
expression…this expression cannot interfere with the rights of others or
disrupt the processes of the University.
Any malicious act which causes harm to any person’s physical or mental
well being is prohibited.” Such activities
include sexual harassment, discrimination, intimidation (e.g. bullying or
belittling fellow students), disruptive behavior (e.g., loud talking in
class, or slanderous comments made about other students or faculty (e.g.,
false and unsubstantiated claims of discrimination made for the purpose of
improving grades). Students should be
familiar with the Anyone wishing to report violations of the student or faculty conduct
code should use the following procedures.
Whenever possible, collect any documentation of the offending activity
(e.g. written comments from other students or faculty, e-mail messages
etc.). It is also useful for students
to put their concerns in writing to faculty or administrators pursuing the
matter can accurately convey the student’s concerns. Present the complaint
and supporting documentation to the appropriate faculty member or
administrator. The process should
begin with the class instructor. If
the instructor is unable to resolve the matter to the student’s satisfaction,
of the problem behavior spans multiple classes, or if the nature of the
problem makes this impossible, the complaint should be forwarded to the
Program Director. If the matter is
still not resolved to the student’s satisfaction, the complaint should
proceed to the Associate Dean, then the Chancellor and finally to the
University Ombudsman. See the WSU
Vancouver student manual for more detail concerning this process. Disability
Accommodation Accommodations may be available if you need them in order to fully
participate in this class because of a disability. Accommodations may take
some time to implement so it is critical that you contact Disability Services
as soon as possible. All accommodations must be approved
through Disability Services, located in the Emergency Notification System WSU has made an emergency notification system
available for faculty, students and staff. Please register at myWSU with
emergency contact information (cell, email, text, etc). You may have been
prompted to complete emergency contact information when registering for
classes on RONet. In the event of a Building
Evacuation, a map at each classroom entrance shows the evacuation point
for each building. Please refer to it. Finally, in case of class cancellation campus-wide,
please check local media, the WSU Vancouver web page and/or http://www.flashalert.net/. Individual class
cancellations may be made at the discretion of the instructor. Each
individual is expected to make the best decision for their personal
circumstances, taking safety into account. Campus Counseling Short-term counseling services for current
Washington State University Vancouver students are available for free on
campus from Dr. William D. Meek. Will is available for appointments Monday
through Friday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM in Student Services Center 111. To
schedule a visit, please call (360)546-9238 or go to http://www.vancouver.wsu.edu/ss/pc.htm
for additional information. |
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MGTOP
587: Seminar in Business Ethics Course Outline – Fall 2009
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Aug. 24 |
Ethical Focus: Course Introduction & Overview Case Discussion: For Kidz Sake (distributed in
class) Recommended |
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Aug. 31 |
Ethical Focus: Developing A Framework for Ethical Analysis and
Moral Inquiry Required Ethics Journal: Walker Percy,
“The Moviegoer” (MTS) |
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Sept. 7 |
Labor Day |
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Sept. 14 |
Ethical Focus: Authority & Loyalty Conflict on a Trading Floor (Sample Case) Required Ethics Journal: Ethan Canin,
“Accountant” (TPT) |
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Sept. 21 |
Ethical Focus: Balancing Work and Life Commitments Required “Work-Life: The End of the Zero-Sum Game,” Stewart Friedman et al. (R) Ethics Journal: Ethan Canin,
“The Palace Thief” (TPT) |
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Sept. 28 |
Ethical Focus: Giving Voice to Values (1) Case Discussion: Naivete or Boldness? “Ways of Thinking about Our Values in the Workplace,” Mary Gentile http://aspencbe.org/teaching/gvv/index.html Student Ethics Paper (1) Due |
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Oct. 5 |
Ethical Focus: Giving Voice to Values (2) Case Discussion: Better Wrong Than Right?(A) &
(B) http://aspencbe.org/teaching/gvv/index.html Ethics Journal: Raymond
Carver, “Are These Actual Miles?” (MTS) |
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Oct. 12 |
Ethical Focus: Conflicts of Personal, Professional,
& Organizational Ethics Required “Corporate Policy and
the Ethics of Competitor Intelligence Film Discussion:
Arthur
Miller, All My Sons |
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Oct. 19 |
Ethical Focus:
Globalization and Corporate Responsibility Case Discussion: Levi Strauss & Co. Global
Outsourcing (A) HBS Required DeGeorge, Chapter 19 Ethics Journal: John Cheever, “The Housebreaker of Shady Hill” (MTS) |
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Oct.
26 |
Ethical
Focus: Globalization and Corporate
Responsibility Case Discussion: Hitting the Wall: Nike and International Labor
Practices (HBS) Required “The Path
to Corporate Responsibility,” Simon Zadek (R) Ethics Journal: Jill Nelson, “Volunteer Slavery”
(MTS) |
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Nov.
2 |
Ethical Focus: Corporations & NGO’s Required “Collaborating with Activists: How Starbucks
Works with NGO’s,” Paul Argenti (R) Ethics Journal: Max Apple, “Indian
Giver” (R) |
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Nov.
9 |
Ethical Focus: Environmental
Responsibility Video Discussion: Exporting Harm: The High
Tech Trashing of Required “Not in our Backyard: Exporting Electronic Waste,” Elizabeth Grossman
(R) Ethics Journal: Raymond Carver,
“A Small Good Thing” (R) |
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Nov.
16 |
Ethical Focus: Global Outsourcing Revisited Required “Managing for Organizational Integrity,” Lynn Sharp
Paine (R) Film Discussion: Arthur Miller, Death of A Salesman (MTS) |
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Nov.
23 |
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Nov. 30 |
Ethical Focus: Moral Repair – Necessary Evils Required “Dying Words,” Jerome Groopman (R) “Necessary Evils:
A Diagnostic Exercise,” Joshua Margolis (HBS) Ethics Journal: Richard Selzer,
“Imelda” (R) |
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Dec.
7 |
Ethical
Focus: Moral Repair – Making Amends and Seeking Forgiveness Student
Ethics Paper (2) Due Ethics Journal: Leo Tolstoy, “Master and Man” (MTS) |