BADM 680-01, Ethics, Business and Society, Spring 2006

Abstract

This is neither a comprehensive course in ethical philosophy nor is it a course in which I will pretend to be able to confer on students a previously undiscovered ability to tell right from wrong. Instead, this course is designed to give you the opportunity to think about applying your own moral code to a wide variety of business situations. This process will be enriched by allowing you to compare your opinions and arguments to those of other students and to those that have currency in society or in academic discussions drawn from philosophy, economics and other disciplines. While much of the emphasis in the classroom will be on learning through consideration of real or simulated examples (cases, role playing, presentations, and videos), I will also direct your attention to ethical philosophy. Among the more abstract questions we will examine are such issues as whether corporations (as opposed to individuals) can have moral responsibilities and whether there are moral limitations on the exercise of free enterprise.