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Prince Sultan University
College of Business Administration
Department Marketing and Management
___ Semester 2009__ - 2010__
COURSE OUTLINE
Course Code : ETHC 301
Course Title : Business Ethics
Name of Faculty: CBA / M&M
Credit Hours : 3
Term:
092
Pre-requisite:
(Completed 60 hours).
I. Course Description: This course will examine business ethics and their relationship to the social,
political, and business environments. The course is built on two major themes: business ethics and
corporate social responsibility.
Discussion will provide a setting for a through analysis of environmental and societal problems as they
relate to business, and direct students’ attention to the strong need for sound business ethics in addressing
business, environmental, and social issues. This course confronts a number of morally and legally difficult
issues that arise on both at domestic and international scale. We will examine ongoing and emerging
controversies regarding such topics as the conduct of multi-national corporations, the globalization of the
economy, labor rights, and information technology. Our goal in the course is to learn to articulate and
defend informed opinions on topics of contemporary concern. A major goal of the course is to provide
students with a set of parameters by which they can develop ethical decision making skills.
II.
Course Objectives:
 To develop the capacity to identify ethical issues.
 To built skills in conducting ethical analysis in critical situations.
 To understand the importance of ethical decision-making and to clarify one’s own ethical
beliefs and values.
 To identify the responsibilities of business to its various stakeholders beyond customers,
employees, suppliers, the community, and society.
 To understand the links between individuals, organizations, government and society.
 To alert student of the essential role of corporate social responsibility in the conduct of
business enterprise.
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Knowledge: In studying Business Ethics students will possess a
comprehensive, coherent and systematic body of vital knowledge in the field that
contributes to overall business success.
Cognitive Skills: In studying Business Ethics students will be able to
investigate relatively complex ethical issues and recommend the best
solutions taking account of relevant theoretical knowledge and practical
experience and the consequences of decisions made.
Interpersonal Skills & Responsibility: In studying Business Ethics
students will be capable to deal with ethical and professional issues
involving values and moral judgments in ways that are sensitive to others
and consistent with underlying basic values and relevant professional
codes of practice.
Numerical & Communication Skills: Business Ethics involve students to
interact more in dealing with complex ethical dilemmas, suggest the best
solution. This make them improve their communication skills effectively
both orally and in writing,
III.
Course Content
Topics
No. of
Weeks
Contact
Hours
1.5
5
Ch 2: Emerging Business Ethics issues
 Stake holders define ethical issues in business
 Ethical issues in business (honesty and fairness, conflict of
interest, fraud, discrimination and information technology.
 Recognizing an ethical issue
Case Study (1)
1.5
5
Ch 3: Ethics as a dimension of Social Responsibility
 The economic dimension
 The competitive dimension
 The legal dimension
 The Philanthropic dimension
Case Study (2)
1.5
5
2
6
Detailed Course Content
Ch 1: An Overview of Business Ethics
 Business Ethics Defined
 The development of Business Ethics
 The Benefits of Business Ethics
 Framework for studying Business Ethics
Ch 4: A framework for understanding Ethical Decision
Making in Business
 Ethical Issues Intensity
 Individual Factors:
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3
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
Organizational Factors:
Corporate culture
Significant others
Opportunity
Business Ethics Evaluations and Intentions
Corporate Governance as a Dimension of Ethical Decision
Making.
Using the Ethical Decision-Making Framework to improve
Ethical Decisions.
Ch. 5 Individual Factors: Moral Philosophies and Cognitive Moral
1
3
2
6
2
6
1.5
5
 Teleology ( egoism and utilitarianism)
 Deontology
 The Relativist perspective
 Virtue ethics
 Justice
 Applying Moral philosophy to Ethical Decision Making
 Stages of Cognitive Moral Development
Case (3) + Read a Long Case
Ch. 6 Organizational Factors: Corporate Culture




The Role of Corporate Culture in Ethical Decision Making
The Role of Leadership in a Corporate Culture
Organizational Structure and Business Ethics
Group Dimension of Organizational Structure and Culture
Case ( 4) + Read a Long Case
Ch. 7 Organizational Factors: Structure, Relationships, and
Conflicts.

Interpersonal Relationships in Organization:

The Responsibility of the Corporation as a Moral Agent
- Variation in Employee Conduct
- Role relationships
- Differential Association
- Whistle blowing
 Organizational pressures
 The Role of Opportunity and Conflict
 Improving Ethical Decision making In Business
(Case 5) + Read a Long Case
Ch 8. Development of an effective Ethics Program:
 The Need for Organizational Ethics Program
 Codes of Conduct
 Ethics Training and Communication
 Systems to Monitor and Enforce Ethical Standards
 Continuous Improvement of the Ethical Program
3
4
Read Two long Cases
Ch.9 Implementing and Auditing Ethics Programs
Read Long Cases
1
3
Ch. 10 Business Ethics in Global Economy
1
3
Read Long Cases
IV.
Course Components
Component
Lecture
Case and project
V.
Contact Hours
40
8
Teaching Strategies.
Although the lecture method will be utilized, class discussion, peer learning, and student participation will
be the primary tools for learning. Students are expected to actively participate in team presentations, and
a variety of writing and research assignments such as developing a code of ethics for different
organization in Saudi. In addition each student will choose one of the Eighteen (18) cases assigned from
the book (noted with case 1 to 18) to discuss in Class and hand in for grading. Questions to be answered
for each case are available at the end of each case. Case analyses should be presented using power point.
Grading will be based on thoroughness and on understanding of the case and of relevant concepts.
V. Student Assessment: Each graded component of the course will be evaluated on a 100 point
scale, with each weighted as shown to determine a final grade. Grades will be assigned as follows:
MAJOR EXAM (2 @18%)-36%)
FINAL EXAM - 40%
WRITTEN ASSIGNEMENT & CASE ANALYSES (2 @ 4% = 8%)
DEVELOPING A CODE OF ETHICS: 10 %
CLASS PARTICIPATION & ATTENDANCE - 6%
VII.
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Course text Book
O. C. Ferell, J. Fraedrich, and L. Ferell. Business Ethics: Ethical decision Making and Cases,
Houghton Mifflin Company.USA. 6th edition. 2006
Recommended reference:
Andrew Crane and Dirk Matten. Business Ethics: 2nd ed. Oxford Press, 2007.
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