MBA Business Ethics: session 5
Dr Robert Shaw
Graduate School of Business
Guangdong University of Foreign Studies
15 December 2012
2
Agenda
1. Lecture 5:
Governance & rights theory
2. Paper writing
3. Group work
30 November 2012
3
Rights theory - sources
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/rights//
Your textbook:
Rights 72-73, 75-76
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Rights are a logical form
So how do we justify rights?
Political process
Ethical argument
Virtue ethics
Deontology
Utilitarianism
Rights are always up for negotiation
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Rights claims
The ethics of business participants
Claims to rights
Western countries
And now, China
The ethics of those without power
Democracy & governance
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Nature of rights
Every right implies a duty or responsibility
A right imposes a duty on someone else
Positive rights
Negative rights
Do rights depend on the bearer being reasonable?
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Rights
Slogans
Right not might
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Where is rights theory?
9
Right
“Right(s)” – a word with many uses
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Classification of rights
Contractual rights
Company ownership
Marriage
Political rights
Constitutional rights
Legal rights
Enforcement of contractual rights
Human rights / Natural rights
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Human rights
United Nations
Global struggles
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Historical development
Islamic concepts
The Zoroastrian religion taught Iranians that citizens have an inalienable
right to enlightened leadership and that the duty of subjects is not simply to
obey wise kings but also to rise up against those who are wicked
Stoics – no one is a slave
Jeremy Bentham
John Locke
John Stuart Mill
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John Locke
Life, liberty, estate
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Constitutional rights
The rights of the citizen
Historical development
Great Britain
France
United States of America
Charter of Medina, 622AD
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The Magna Carter, 1215
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Declaration of Arboath, 1320
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Declaration of Arboath, 1320
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Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, 1789
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The United States Constitution, 4 March 1789
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The Bill of Rights, 1789 (first ten amendments of the Constitution)
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How democracy works
Phenomenology study
Where is democracy?
Companies
Sports clubs
Local government
Central government
The essence of local government
Be with ...
Try to eliminate categories
What is the essence?
Local government
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Company ownership
When we decide to go into business
Ownership structures
Stock holder & share holder
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Company ownership
When we decide to go into business
Ownership structures
Stock holder & share holder
Boards of Directors
Chief executives
Other officers
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The Governance Management Divide
Divided interests – stakeholder analysis
The rights of the owners
The problem of votes
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The two currencies
Decision-making & power
Western structures – checks, balances and abuses
MBA Business Ethics: session 5
End of the lecture.
31
Agenda
1. Lecture 5:
Governance & rights
2. Where do your marks come from?
3. Paper writing
4. Group work
32
BUSINESS ETHICS 11c RESULTS 2012-2013
Number
1
20112750001
2
20112750008
3
20112750015
4
20112750018
5
20112750025
6
20112750027
7
20112750035
8
20112750037
9
20112750039
Weightings →
30%
20%
50%
Name
Group Work
Progress
Assignment
100%
FINAL
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Task – due 1 January
shaw@porirua.net, Business Ethics in the subject line, nothing else please
Developed paper:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
Introduction – reworked (about 900 words, link the situation to
your proposition, references support your Introduction)
Your proposition – in the “ought to” form. Give heading.
Statement of the ethical theory you are going to use to support
your arguments. Give it a meaningful heading. Include references
to support the theory. Use quotes. About 800 words .
Three arguments in support of your proposition (about 900
words on each, show how the theory of ethics relates to your
arguments, give references to support, give each of 3 a heading).
References in correct format
Attach to email your draft as a doc or docx file.
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Your paper is due
5 pm, 9 January 2013
One copy to MBA Centre with cover sheet
One copy email to me, also with cover sheet please
Put “Business Ethics” in the subject line
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Paper writing: Basic approach
Your essay should consist of the following parts:
a. Concise statement of your ethical proposition (X ought to Y).
b. Background to the problem (your Introduction section).
c.
d.
Three arguments in support of your proposition.
a. Your arguments
b. Support your arguments with the theory of ethics
a. State the theory of ethics (one theorist or a theory eg deontology
virtue ethics, utilitarianism). You can use two theories/theorists, no
more.
b. Show how theorist/theory relates to your argument.
c. Criticize the theory and/or your argument.
Conclusions about both the theory used and the problem you have selected.