BE-EMBA-17

BE-EMBA-17
MBA(Exe.) 2017-18: Term-II

BUSINESS ETHICS
EMBA-(2017 - 2018) TERM-II
Faculty: Dr.B.P.Patra, XIM, Bhubaneswar, E-mail:bibhu@ximb.ac.in
Mob: 9438303194; Phone: 0674-6647835(O)/6647869(R)

Many and varied are the paths to the summit of corporate greatness. One path is that of ethical business, involving issues such as: why there is a need for ethics in business; what moral principles are available to decision markers; how does moral development take place; how do we create an ethical culture in the organization; how can corporate management excel at business ethics even in a society that is not particularly ethical; and do business ethics have a cash value for the organization. Another path is that of corporate social responsibility: why must corporations step beyond profit maximization into such altruistic activities as sustainable development, community development, equal opportunity or meeting national priorities? Is corporate social responsibility a drain on profits or can it augment profitability?
The cases of Enron, WorldCom, Tyco, Adelphia, Rite Aid, Health South, Arthur Andersen, Earnest and Young, J.P Morgan, Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, Xerox, Boeing corporation, the most recent case of Lehman Brothers filing for bankruptcy of the 158-year old company, and the Rs.7800/- crore fraud by the former CEO, Satyam Computer System, clearly illustrate the perilous consequences of corporate misconduct. Financial institutions globally have been suffering write-downs and credit losses as the U.S. subprime mortgage crisis has engulfed other markets. The financial greed and lust for power in the last decade of 20th century not only ruined some organizations but also injured the society at large. They have done irrevocable damages to creditors, employees, and the share holders (particularly the small investor and community). The root cause of the problem lies in the ethical -break down of the organization.

The main aim of the course is to sensitize the students to different ethical issues involved in contemporary business. Students will learn how to maintain firm moral values while dealing with moral problems. This course is devoted to instill conceptual clarity of some basic moral conduct concepts like; right, wrong, good, bad, just, unjust, obligation, responsibility, virtue, vice and moral dilemmas and moral problems will be discussed through critical analysis. They will be able to understand moral theories and justify their action in a logical manner.

SESSION PLAN

Sessions Topic/Activity

Session-1 Introduction to Business Ethics

Adam Smith to Milton Friedman (Why Friedman was rejected?)

Reading: Ethics and Conduct of Business-Chapter.-1

Sessionion-2 The Myth of Amoral Business
Are profits and ethics truly related?
Surviving and Thriving in Business.
[Video-The Eagle’s Secret, by: David McNeil]
Quiz related to the video

Session-3
Student participation through case presentation :Business ethics in practice
Some affirmative cases: Case discussion by students

Session-4
(Student participation through case presentation: Business ethics in practice
Some deviant cases: Case discussion by students

Session-5&6 [Lecture]
Nature and scope of ethics., understanding moral conduct concepts
e.g. Fact and Value, Moral and Non-Moral Value Judgment, Morality and Law

Moral Development (Lawrence Kohlberg)

Understanding Ethical issues, dilemmas:
Reading (prior to class): Difficulty of being Good by: Gurucharan Das
Video (in class): The Mahabharata–(From Bharat Ek Khoj Discovery of India, by:Jawaharlal Nehru
Ethical insight-1 and 2 (Class discussion following the video clip. It is expected that students will come prepared for meaningful discussion in the class.)

Session-7
Lecture plus 2 case presentations by students
The Individual within the Organization
Values, principles and virtues in human action: The Socratic Dictum
The Man in the Glass By: Dale Wimbro

Session-8&9

[Lecture]An overview of mainstream ethical theories (ET)and their application

Practical rationality: Deontology, Immanuel Kant [ ET-1]

The Principle of Utility Teleology, J.Bentham and J.S.Mill[ET-2]

Ethical insight-3 & 4

Session-10
An overview of mainstream ethical theories and their application
The foundation of human character :Virtue Theory, Aristotle[ET-3]
Video - Character is Destiny

Session-11
Business within the market economy: Justice and the Market System
Free and Perfect market, fare competition and Market regulations,

Session-12 &13
Frequent Ethical Violations in Business:
Morality of bribery and extortion
Business contracts, misappropriation and fraud; Conflicts of interest

Session-14
Individual right and duty inside the firm: Whistle blowing
Responsibility, accountability and reliability
Judgments in Business (Clear conscience key to one’s moral strength),

Session-15
Ethical Leadership-
The firm as a community of persons: Moral character in leadership:
Wisdom from leading organizations
:Parable of Leadership

Session-16
On Trust and Cooperation: Student presentations on HBR Article

Session-17

CSR &Environmental Ethics: Student presentations on HBR Article

Session-18

Ethics in Serving and fostering a sense of service in others: Student

presentation on HBR,Article

Session-19

Relevance of Indian ethos and values for global businesses

Sessions-20
Review and Discussion

Text Book:

Ethics and the Conduct of Business by John R. Boatright and Bibhu Prasan Patra, Pearson, 2011 (6th Edition)

Evaluation:

Quizzes - 25

Case Presentation (Group) -15

Mid-Term – 25

End-Term – 30

Class participation-5

Learning Goals:

1. The students will be able to understand the ethical complexities of conducting business.

2. The students will be able to apply suitable moral reasoning (Moral Theory) to resolve ethical problem and dilemma.

3, Students will be able to develop critical thinking and in conflicting situation will be able to propose and defend/ resolution

(i.e. by using sound moral judgment).

Business Ethics

Concepts:

Economics, Ethics, Morality, Rationality, Justice & Equality, Fairness, Governance, Loyalty, Trust, Social Responsibility,

Stakeholders Theory, Moral Reasoning (Deontology, Teleology, Virtue Theory) Social Capital, Natural Capital, Opportunity Capital, Insider trading,

Social capital, Trust and Whistle- blowing etc.

Reference Books:

Buchholz Rogene, A.

Fundamental Concepts and problems in Business Ethics

, Prentice Hall,

Eaglewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1989.

Donaldson, Thomson & Werhane Patrica, H.,

Ethical Issues in Business

A philosophical Approach

, (Fourth Edition) Prentice Hall Englewood Cliff, New Jersey, 1993

George Richard T.De.

Business ethics, (Third Edition) MacMillan Publishing Company New York, 1990.

Frankena William K.,

Ethics

, (Second Edition) Prentice Hall of India, New Delhi, 1973.

Sen., A.

Ethics and Economics

, Oxford University press, 1987.

Shaw William H.

Business Ethics

(4th edition), Thomson /Wordsworth, 2002

The case evaluation will be based on:

1. Description of Case facts.

2. Understanding of underlying moral issues

3. Clarity of thoughts

4. Handling of counter arguments

All students within the group will be given the same mark in presentation

The nature of the course is such that much of the learning comes form the students’ participation in the class discussion. Basically it is a critical thinking class.

Better understanding of the course is possible through your thoughtful deliberations in the class.

Attendance is compulsory

Course Material:

The course will rely on the Text Book and for case analysis each student

will be given one spiral bound by the instructor. .

Additional reading materials (if any) will be provided to students through intranet..

Created By: Alora Kar on 10/16/2017 at 10:11 AM
Category: MBA(Exe.)2017-18 T-II Doctype: Document

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