Business Ethics
SYLLABUS
Spring 2010
Instructor:
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Prerequisites:
Ed Sentell
MCC 420
601-925-3418
sentel1@mc.edu
www.mc.edu/~Sentell
3 semester hours
Senior Standing
Course Description: A practical approach to business ethics. Emphasis on identifying,
analyzing, and resolving ethical issues in the workplace.
Rationale for Course: The application of ethical principles in a business setting is an
essential and critical skill for a business manager. This is a course which gives students
an overview of the fundamental concepts and principles of ethics, as well as practical
approaches to recognizing and solving ethical dilemmas. The purpose of this course is to
strengthen the student’s ability to anticipate, critically analyze, appropriately respond to,
and provide leadership regarding ethical issues that students will confront as employees
and eventually as managers of people, projects, and enterprises. In addition to an
introduction to basic ethical definitions and principles, students will be presented with
both hypothetical and real examples of unethical behavior and given the opportunity to
resolve them. This course will help students understand how ethical issues emerge at all
levels of a business organization and give students the tools to make sound ethical
decision.
Instructor: Most of my career (35 years) has been spent working in corporate law,
where I dealt with many ethical issues in the workplace. I retired as Senior Vice President
and General Counsel of Southern Farm Bureau Life in 1998. I taught part-time for 20
years. I have taught full-time at Mississippi College for the past ten years.
Learning Objectives: Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:
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Explain how corporate culture influences ethical decision making.
Explain why ethics is important in business and why ethical responsibilities go
beyond compliance with laws and regulations.
Have a basic knowledge of the fundamental concepts and principles of business
ethics.
Analyze an ethical organizational culture and apply the analysis to thinking about
organizations students may wish to join.
Recognize and address the common ethical dilemmas occurring at all levels of a
business organization.
Identify their own values in making ethical decisions.
Have a sense of confidence in their ability to recognize, analyze and resolve
ethical dilemmas.
Text: Managing Business Ethics: Straight Talk about How to Do it Right, Trevino and
Nelson, 4th Edition, John Wiley Publishing Company.
Student Responsibilities:
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Come to class prepared. That is, read the assigned material. During class each
student is expected to be prepared to discuss assigned material if called upon to do
so.
Complete assignments, quizzes, and homework ON TIME.
LATE ASSIGNMENTS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. IT IS YOUR
RESPONSIBILITY TO FIND OUT ABOUT ANY ASSIGNMENTS MISSED
BECAUSE OF AN ABSENCE AND TO TURN THEM IN ON TIME.
Take all tests and quizzes on time.
If you are having difficulties with material, come to see me as early as possible
during the semester. I am available to you for any questions and for help.
See Rules of Class which are attached to this syllabus.
Grading Scale:
100-90
89-80
79-70
69-64
63-
A
B
C
D
F
Honesty and Integrity: MC students bring the very highest ethical standards into the
classroom. If you have any questions regarding those standards, you may refer to the
Mississippi College Undergraduate Bulletin for specific prohibited practices and the
resulting punishments. Please also feel free to raise ethical questions of student or faculty
behavior in the classroom, or I will gladly speak to you on a confidential basis.
Attendance: Do NOT miss class. Each student should make every effort to attend class
and BE ON TIME. Good class attendance will help you in a situation where you are
borderline between grades. For example, if you have an 89 average and you have perfect
attendance, then I will give you an A for the course since you have had good attendance.
On the other hand, if you have an 89 average and poor attendance, then I will give the
grade as it is and give you a B. If a student is absent, he/she is responsible for missed
assignments. You are encouraged to attend every class because missing classes usually
results in less understanding of the course material covered.
Methods of Instruction: Primarily lecture with discussion.
Tests: There will be one major test in this course which will count as 1/3 of the final
grade. The tests will have true/false short answer, discussion, cases, multiple choice, and
definitions. Most of the test questions will come out of the material we cover in class. It
is important that you attend class and review material in the textbook PRIOR to class.
Make-up Test Policy: Make-up tests are given only with a valid excuse. These make-up
tests, if justified, will be given toward the end of the semester.
Assignments: The remainder of your grade is based on two outside assignments. Each
will count as 1/3 of the final grade.
Assignment 1: This assignment requires you to develop an individual case study in
ethics drawing on your personal work experience.
Assignment 2: Students will choose between two live case assignments for the second
outside assignment. Both include independent research, a report (a minimum of 5 pages,
not including references), and a 10 minute presentation.
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Option 1. This live case assignment requires you to select a company in
your industry that interests you. After selecting a company, you will
conduct independent research to write a report and prepare a presentation.
This option is preferred.
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Option 2. This live case assignment requires you to choose from a list of
companies who are viewed by the press, public or courts to have
undertaken unethical or illegal activities. After selecting a company, you
will conduct independent research to write a report and prepare a
presentation.
The following chapters will be covered.
Chapter 1:
Introducing Straight Talk about Managing Business Ethics
Chapter 2:
Why be Ethical?
Chapter 3:
Common Ethical Problems
Chapter 6:
Ethical Problems of Managers
Chapter 7:
Managing for Ethical Conduct
Chapter 8:
Ethical Problems in Organization [case studies]
Chapter 9:
Ethics as Organizational Culture – How to Set the Tone. This chapter
discusses codes of conduct. This chapter also discusses an “ethical culture
audit.”
Chapter 10:
Managing Ethics and Legal Compliance