BE EM-15

BE EM-15
1yr MBA-Executive 2015-16T-II

Course Name : Business Ethics (BE)

Credits	02
Faculty Name	Dr.P.K.Mohapatra
Program	MBA (Executive)
Academic Year and Term	2015-16, Term - II

1. Course Description

There are various pathways to effective corporate management. One is the way of ethical business, which involves issues like: why is ethics necessary for doing business; what sort of moral principles are available and plausible for decision making in business; how can corporate management excel in business ethics , particularly in a society that is not ostensibly ethical; how can we create an ethical culture in organizations that are apparently unethical, or at best amoral, in conducting business for profit maximization; and related to this, does/can business ethics be said to have a cash value for the organization. Another way to effective business is what we call corporate social responsibility (CSR), which inevitably raises issues like: Why must the corporate world step beyond profit maximization to such altruistic activities as community welfare, sustainable development, social involvement and pursuing national priorities? Would it not be a drain on profits and how then can it cater to profitability ? What is the rationale of the philosophy of “giving back to the society”?
In view of all this, it is important to highlight some glaring cases of corporate misconduct that have been agitating the corporate world in particular and the social psyche in general: The scandals involving Enron, WorldCon, Tyco, Adelphia, Health South, Arthur Anderson, Ernest and Young, J.P.Morgan,, Merril Lynch, Morgan Stanley, Xerox, Boeing Corporation, the recent cases of Lehman Brothers filing for bankruptcy of this 159 years old company, and the Rs.7800/ crore fraud by the former CEO of Satyam Computer System clearly point to the perilous effects of the moral failings of the concerned organizations. Financial institutions globally have been suffering write-downs and credit losses as the US subprime mortgage crisis engulfed other markets. The financial greed and lust for power in the last decade of the 20th century not only ruined some major organizations but also crippled the society at large, They have done irrevocable damage to creditors,, employees and indeed to all stake holders. The root cause of all this lies in ethical break down of the organizations, which could have been prevented or minimized by reasonable resort to ethical business. Thus the importance of business ethics can hardly be exaggerated. Managers, owners and employers must follow at least the “dirty hand principle” in conducting their business: If it is inevitable to dirty your hands while doing business, one must take care to have as much less dirt in one’s hands as it is possible.

2. Student Learning Outcomes:

· Provide precise and better understand of complex managerial dilemma
· Provide conceptual clarity of ethical concepts, and the application of moral theories to business.
· Learn how to handle complex and tricky moral problems/dilemmas
· Relevant and interesting case studies presentation will sharpen their idea and able to see clearly the moral problems involved in business
· Build the confidence and capacity to prepare themselves to become good corporate citizen.

3. Required Text Books and Reading Material

- Ethics and the Conduct of Business by John R.Boatright and Bibhu Prasan Patra, Pearson, 2011 (6th Edition)
- Ethics and Society : An Essay in Applied Ethics by P.K.Mohapatra, Concept, New Delhi, 2008 (Chapte 5)
- Just Business by Elaine Sternberg , Warner Books, U.K.,(Chapters 1, 2 & 3)
- Additional reading materials will be provided

4. Tentative Session Plan

Topics/Activities	Session Plan
Introduction to Business Ethics · Why Business Ethics? · Adam Smith to Milton Friedman · Video on a Corporate Misconduct · Profits vis-à-vis Ethics : Long termism Vs. Short termism · Myth of Amoral Business · Corporate Conduct: Case 1. The Tylenol Crisis	Session : 1 & 2 Mode : Lecture & a Case Presentation
Conceptual Clarification · Nature and Scope of Ethics · Applied Ethics · Fact and Value · Moral and Non-moral Judgments · Ethical Objectivism and Subjectivism	Session : 3 Mode : Lecture
· Moral Development (Special emphasis : Lawrence Kohlberg) · Moral Reasoning · Understanding Moral Values/Principles · Objectivity and Defeasibility · Moral Dilemmas : Arjuna, Bhisma, Yudhistira, Truth-telling Vs. Confidentiality	Session : 4 & 5 Mode : Lecture
Some Ethical Theories & their Application · Utilitarianism (Bentham,, Mill) · Deontology (Immanuel Kant & Bhagavat Gita) · Virtue Ethics (Aristotle) · Video : Character is Destiny	Session : 6 & 7 Mode : Lecture & Video Show
· Ethics of Justice · Ethics of Rights: Whistle Blowing · Cases of Socretes,Manjunath and Satyendra Dubey	Session : 8 Mode : Lecture & case presentation
Ethics in Practice : Case Presentation by Students Case – 2 Marketing Infant Food Formula in less Developed Countries Case – 3 : Toy Wars	Session : 9 Mode : Case Presentation
Ethical Business is Good Business Lecture:: Why Good Managers Make Bad Ethical Choices Case – 4.Rise and Fall of Arthur Andersen Case – 5: Enron Case – 6: Satyam Case 7. The Bhopal Gas Tragedy	Session : 10 & 11 Mode : Lecture & Case Presentation by Students
Corporate Social Responsibility Lecture Case 8. Virtue of Matrix (HBR Article)	Session : 12 Mode :Lecture and Case Presentation
Individual Vs. Group Ethics Lecture & Case – 9. Parable of the Sadhu Case – 10. Ethical Breakdown	Session : 13 & 14. Mode: Lecture, Case Presentation

5. Evaluation: Quizzes (2) - 20%

Midterm - 20%

End term - 40%

Group Presentation - 10%

Assignment - 10%

6. Academic Integrity : Attendance is compulsory. Any team member absent on the day of their group presentation will get ‘0’ in the said component. Violation of academic discipline (i.e. proxy in the class, cheating in examination etc.) may lead to “F” grade in the course.

Created By: Alora Kar on 09/01/2015 at 04:40 PM
Category: MBA EX-15-T-II Doctype: Document

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