Business & Organizational Ethics Essay

Course Description: This course is designed to develop an understanding of the theory and practical application of ethical issues facing business and organizational leaders/ in the 21st century. Students will explore a variety of ethical paradigms and will become actively engaged in the evaluation and in-depth examination of critical topics in management today. This course is organized in a seminar format and with 6 in-person and two virtual meeting times focusing on a specific topics in each session. Course Texts: Selected Readings – Provided by instructor Whitworth’s Educational Principles: Whitworth’s educational principles are grouped broadly into three categories as described on pages 7 and 8 of the Whitworth University catalog: 1. The knowledge that students will gain 2. The skills we believe are needed to work effectively in the world 3. The  faith and values that our community seeks to reflect This course is designed to integrate all three of these principles through the process of learning, practicing and applying knowledge in the area of business ethics. Students will gain knowledge and skills needed to understand basic accounting and its application in an ever-changing business environment through study, practice and application. The integration of ethics and values in a manager’s role in business will be addressed specifically in the course content. Program Mission and Outcomes: The mission of the Whitworth School of Business is to develop ethical global professionals. This course will provide a platform on which students will be able to demonstrate competency through the ethical application of managerial concepts in a â€Å"real-world† setting. The learning outcomes for students completing Graduate Studies in Business state that one should be able: 1. to understand the sources and uses of data and to know how to evaluate and use data and other information; 2. to think and function independently as professionals, and in particular to be able to foresee and solve problems; 3. to understand the legal, economic, business and organizational cultures and environment that frame their professional work. 4. to communicate well, both within and across cultural and national barriers, and work effectively in teams of diverse individuals; and 5. to begin to integrate their spiritual and ethical values with their chosen professional vocation. Course Outcomes: At course conclusion student will be able to: Critically evaluate complex business situations from multiple perspectives Understand and clearly articulate their personal ethic and maintain that when confronted with business world realities Demonstrate an in-depth understanding of current major issues in business/organizational management understand the practice of management from an â€Å"other† moral centered framework demonstrate strong writing competence essential for professional management/leadership Assignment Guidelines: All written assignments must be typed (double-spaced), stapled and have numbered pages. I expect all writings to be turned in on or before the due date. Assignments handed in after the date on which it is due will not be accepted unless you can demonstrate extenuating circumstances. Written assignments will be evaluated for clarity, construction and appropriate format. Unless the assignments states differently, all assignments and oral participation will be evaluated on the basis of the student’s comprehension of the course materials plus the student’s ability to articulate and to support an informed and critical personal analysis of the issues presented. Graduate students are expected to come prepared to class, as active participation is essential to learning in this course. To encourage this, I will typically call on several students to answer questions concerning assigned readings. Attendance: Attendance is essential to satisfactory completion of this course, as a major part of learning in an Ethics course occurs in classroom participation and discussion. Absences of any kind cannot exceed 25% of class meetings or an â€Å"F† in your final grade will result. Academic Dishonesty: Please note that I take seriously the college’s policy on the need for academic honesty in all your work. I refer you to the current college catalog, and the current Student Handbook, where guidelines on plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty are spelled out. Any form of dishonesty in an assignment will lead to a zero on the assignment, and I reserve the right to give a grade of F for the course as well. Special Needs: Whitworth University is committed to providing its students access to  education. If you have a documented special need that affects your learning or performance on exams or papers, you will need to contact the Educational Support Office (Andrew Pyrc – ext. 4534) to identify accommodations that are appropriate. Statement on Classroom Behavior: The University takes seriously its commitment to maintaining civility and mutual respect in the classroom. Please refer to the current Whitworth University catalog for more information on university policies and classroom behavior expectations. Course Content: The course consists of 8 sessions (Mondays Sept 29, Oct 6, 8(Wed), 13, 15(Wed), 20, 27, Nov 3). Two of these sessions (Wednesdays Oct 8 and Oct 15th) are allotted for team and project work, in-person or virtual. Each in-person session will focus on specific topical areas in business/organizational ethics. I will provide selected readings for each of these topical areas and generally spend the first part of each class period discussing these readings as well as related subject material. Additionally, working in teams, you will research contemporary literature relating to your assigned subject area and present a written summary as well as lead class discussion on the assigned class date. Reflection papers Four 5-6 page reflection papers will be submitted on the following dates: Oct 6, 13, 20, and 27. These are short essays in which you will present your thoughts and reflections on what you have learned in the course. They may be reactions to readings or insights you have picked up in discussions or lectures. These papers are to be typed and double spaced in essay format. Written assignments will be evaluated for engagement, clarity, and academic polish. APA style is expected. Late assignments will not be accepted. Personal Ethic Most adult learners have a fairly established moral/ethical belief system, although few have taken the time to analyze and articulate it. In this  paper, you will integrate information obtained in class as well as readings to describe and support what might be described as â€Å"your personal theory of ethics† or â€Å"the basis for your personal ethic† or â€Å"How do I know the difference between right and wrong?† This paper should be 8 – 10 pages in length (in essay format) and will be evaluated for clarity, comprehensiveness and persuasiveness. The paper is due the last night of class (Nov 3). Team Research and Presentation Students will work in teams and research current contemporary literature regarding a specific topical area within business and organizational ethics and present a summary of their findings to the class (and lead class discussion) according to the attached schedule. Each team will produce an annotated bibliography and a summary paper. This paper will be done in APA format and will be between 2500 – 3500 words in length. Your presentation to the class will follow the attached schedule, but the completed paper and annotated bibliography will be due the last night of class (Nov 3).