MBA 6301, Business Ethics 1

Course Description

Explores the role of individual, business, and government activities related to ethically responsible commerce and socially
beneficial business activity.


Prerequisites

None


Course Textbook

Stanwick, P. A., & Stanwick, S. D. (2009). Understanding business ethics. Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Prentice Hall.


Course Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:
1. Analyze the concepts of business ethics from a personal and an organization perspective.
2. Assess the ethical issues facing business leaders.
3. Evaluate and distinguish between the concepts of social responsibility, integrity, and business ethics.
4. Explain the framework required to make ethical decisions in today's business environment and how it improves
the business climate.
5. Summarize how moral philosophies, on a corporate and individual level, influence ethical decision-making in
business.
6. Analyze the influence of corporate culture, including leadership, power, and motivation, on business ethics in the
workplace.
7. Explain the pressures that influence ethical decision making in the organization.
8. Evaluate the need for ethical standards, codes of ethics and practices in business.
9. Assess the auditing process to assure ethical practices are being followed.
10. Analyze the role that culture plays in global business ethics.


Credits

Upon completion of this course, the students will earn three (3) hours of college credit.


Course Structure

1. Unit Learning Objectives: Each unit contains learning objectives that specify the measurable skills and
knowledge students should gain upon completion of the unit.
2. Unit Summaries: Each unit contains an overview, or summary, of the information to be covered.
3. Reading Assignments: Each unit contains reading assignments from one or more chapters from the textbook.
4. Key Terms: Key terms are intended to guide students in their course of study. Students should pay particular
attention to key terms as they represent important concepts within the unit material and reading.
5. Assessments: Unit Assessments appear in Units I, IV, V, and VIII. They are composed of written response
questions.
MBA 6301, Business Ethics
Course Syllabus
MBA 6301, Business Ethics 2

6. PowerPoint Assignment: Students are to submit a PowerPoint Assignment for Unit II. Details and instructions
are provided below and in the Unit II Study Guide. A grading rubric is included with this assignment. Specific
information for accessing this rubric is included below.
7. Case Studies: These assignments appear in Units III and VI. Details and instructions are provided below and in
the respective unit study guides.
8. Code of Ethics Assignment: Students are to submit a Code of Ethics Assignment in Unit VII. Details and
instructions are provided below and in the Unit VII Study Guide.
9. Final Exam (proctored): Students are to complete a Final Exam in Unit VIII. All Final Exams are proctoredsee
below for additional information. You are permitted four (4) hours to complete this exam, in the presence of your
approved proctor. This is an open book exam. Only course textbooks and a calculator, if necessary, are allowed
when taking proctored exams.
10. Ask the Professor: This communication forum provides you with an opportunity to ask your professor general or
course content related questions.
11. Student Break Room: This communication forum allows for casual conversation with your classmates.


Unit II PowerPoint Presentation

You are a high level manager who has been asked to present a PowerPoint Presentation to your employees on the
concepts of stakeholders and corporate social responsibility. Your PowerPoint Presentation must include the following:

What is a stakeholder?
How does your business define stakeholder?
Identify your stakeholders and what makes them stakeholders in your business:
o The employee
o The supplier
o The customers
o The government
o The local community and society
How does your business communicate with its stakeholders?
Discuss corporate social responsibility in your business.
Discuss the social issues facing your company.

The PowerPoint must contain a minimum of 15 slides. You can assume anything in developing the PowerPoint (person,
place, time), and you can use your own employer, your own business, an actual business, or a fictitious organization.
Make sure you identify your organization at the beginning of the slide show. Points will be deducted if you do not include a
reference list. This can be the last slide in your PowerPoint, but make sure it includes all sources used: your textbook,
websites, journal articles, etc.

Remember, if you paraphrase or quote words or ideas from your course textbook or other resources, you should cite your
sources following the APA style citation guidelines.

PowerPoint contains a notes feature where the presenter can insert notes under each slide. You can add notes to your
PowerPoint presentation by clicking in the area titled Click to add notes. This is located under each slide. Use this
feature to add additional content that is not included in your slides.

Format: You are free to design your PowerPoint in any format that you see fit. This includes color scheme, font, layout,
etc. However, the level of professionalism in your PowerPoint will affect your grade. Excessive use of clip art, sound
effects, and animation is inappropriate in a professional/scientific presentation. You might want to review the following
website for tips on creating PowerPoint presentations: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/powerpoint-help/tips-for-creating-
and-delivering-an-effective-presentation-HA010207864.aspx.

Submit your PowerPoint assignment by uploading it through the "PowerPoint Assignment" link located in Unit II. Do not e-
mail your paper directly to your professor. By uploading through Blackboard, your university record will automatically
be updated to indicate you have submitted your paper and it will be provided to your professor for grading.


Unit III Case Study

Read Case Study 22, Wal-Mart: But We Do Give Them a 10 Percent Employee Discount. Summarize the overall
viewpoint of the author. Discuss ethical issues facing Wal-Mart dealing with, off-the-clock-work, sexual discrimination,
MBA 6301, Business Ethics 3

health benefits, the role of unions, the use of undocumented workers, as well as issues relating to child and labor laws.
Review the Questions for Thought. Answer these four questions using the business ethics principles from the textbook.

Your discussion of the ethical issues facing Wal-Mart must be in paragraph form. However, your responses to the four
Questions for Thought can be answered either in paragraph form or as a numbered list. There is no minimum word count
requirement for this case study. You will be graded on your discussion of the ethical issues facing Wal-Mart and your
responses to the questions.

Remember, if you paraphrase or quote words or ideas from your course textbook or other resources, you should cite your
sources following the APA style citation guidelines.

To submit your completed Case Study upload it through the view/complete link under the Unit III Case Study link
located in Unit III. Do not e-mail your paper directly to your professor. By using this link, your university record will
automatically be updated to indicate you have submitted your paper and the paper will be provided to your professor for
grading. Instructions for submitting your assignment can be found under the Case Study link in Unit III.


Unit VI Case Study

Read Case Study 20, Tyco: Im Sure That Its a Really Nice Shower Curtain. Summarize the overall viewpoint of the
author, and discuss the major issues presented in the case. Review the Questions for Thought. Answer these three
questions using the business ethics principles from the textbook.

Your summary of the authors viewpoint and your discussion of the major issues presented in the case must be in
paragraph form. However, your responses to the three Questions for Thought can be answered either in paragraph form
or as a numbered list. There is no minimum word count requirement for this case study. You will be graded on your
summary of the authors viewpoint, your discussion of the ethical issues facing Tyco, and your responses to the
questions.

Remember, if you paraphrase or quote words or ideas from your course textbook or other resources, you should cite your
sources following the APA style citation guidelines.

To submit your completed Case Study upload it through the view/complete link under the Unit VI Case Study link
located in Unit VI. Do not e-mail your paper directly to your professor. By using this link, your university record will
automatically be updated to indicate you have submitted your paper and the paper will be provided to your professor for
grading. Instructions for submitting your assignment can be found under the Case Study link in Unit VI.


Unit VII Code of Ethics Assignment

Your task is to create an original Code of Ethics for your company or organization. You may also choose to create a
Code of Ethics for a fictitious company or organization if you prefer not to use your employer. Codes of conduct for
military do not qualify for this assignment. In your company Code of Ethics, please include the following:

Guiding principles
Purpose of the code
Core values
Training and education
Definitions
What employees it covers
How it will be implemented/communicated
How it will be enforced and reported
Mission statement
Other pertinent elements you feel necessary to have a comprehensive Code of Ethics

Please include a short introduction and background of the company/organization and a summary of the Code in
your paper.

This assignment must be 6-8 pages in length. The title page and reference pages are not included in the required paper
length. CSU requires that students use the APA format in writing course papers. Therefore, the APA rules for formatting,
quoting, paraphrasing, citing, and listing of sources are to be followed. Your paper should contain at least three references
MBA 6301, Business Ethics 4

in addition to the textbook and may include Internet sources, books, and professional journals or other pertinent
resources. Do not copy or plagiarize others materials. Use references less than four years old.

Submit a comprehensive outline by e-mail to the professor for approval prior to initiating writing. Points can be
deducted if your assignment is submitted without an approved outline.

To submit your completed Code of Ethics upload it through the view/complete link under the Code of Ethics
Assignment link located in Unit VII. Do not e-mail your paper directly to your professor. By using this link, your
university record will automatically be updated to indicate you have submitted your paper and the paper will be provided to
your professor for grading. Instructions for submitting your assignment can be found under the Code of Ethics Assignment
link in Unit VII.


APA Guidelines

CSU requires that students use the APA style for papers and projects. Therefore, the APA rules for formatting, quoting,
paraphrasing, citing, and listing of sources are to be followed. A document titled APA Guide is available for you to
download from the APA Guide link, found in the Learning Resources area of the myCSU Student Portal. It may also be
accessed from the Student Resources link on the Course Menu. This document includes examples and sample papers
and provides links to The CSU Success Center and the CSU Online Library staff.


Blackboard Grading Rubrics

Assignment Rubrics

One or more assignments in this course utilizes a Blackboard Grading Rubric. A rubric is a tool that lists evaluation
criteria and can help you organize your efforts to meet the requirements of an assignment. Your professor will use the
Blackboard Grading Rubric to assign points and provide feedback for the assignment.

You are encouraged to view the assignment rubric before submitting your work. This will allow you to review the
evaluation criteria as you prepare your assignments. You may access the rubric in My Grades through the Tools
button in your course menu. Click the View Rubric link to see the evaluation criteria for the assignment. Upon receiving
your assignment grade, you may view your grade breakdown and feedback in the rubric.


CSU Grading Rubric for Papers/Projects

The course papers will be graded based on the CSU Grading Rubric for all types of papers, unless otherwise specified
within assignment instructions. In addition, all papers will be submitted for electronic evaluation to rule out plagiarism.
Course projects will contain project specific grading criteria defined in the project directions. To view the rubric, click the
Academic Policies link on the Course Menu, or access it through the CSU Grading Rubric link found in the Learning
Resources area of the myCSU Student Portal.


Communication Forums

These are non-graded discussion forums that allow you to communicate with your professor and other students.
Participation in these discussion forums is encouraged, but not required. You can access these forums with the buttons in
the Course Menu. Instructions for subscribing/unsubscribing to these forums are provided below.

Once you have completed Unit VIII, you MUST unsubscribe from the forum; otherwise, you will continue to
receive e-mail updates from the forum. You will not be able to unsubscribe after your course end date.

Click here for instructions on how to subscribe/unsubscribe and post to the Communication Forums.

Ask the Professor

This communication forum provides you with an opportunity to ask your professor general or course content questions.
Questions may focus on Blackboard locations of online course components, textbook or course content elaboration,
additional guidance on assessment requirements, or general advice from other students.
MBA 6301, Business Ethics 5


Questions that are specific in nature, such as inquiries regarding assessment/assignment grades or personal
accommodation requests, are NOT to be posted on this forum. If you have questions, comments, or concerns of a non-
public nature, please feel free to email your professor. Responses to your post will be addressed or emailed by the
professor within 48 hours.

Before posting, please ensure that you have read all relevant course documentation, including the syllabus,
assessment/assignment instructions, faculty feedback, and other important information.

Student Break Room

This communication forum allows for casual conversation with your classmates. Communication on this forum should
always maintain a standard of appropriateness and respect for your fellow classmates. This forum should NOT be used to
share assessment answers.


Grading

Unit Assessments (4 @ 11%) = 44%
PowerPoint Presentation = 11%
Case Studies (2 @ 11%) = 22%
Code of Ethics Assignment = 11%
Final Exam = 12%
Total = 100%


Course Schedule/Checklist (PLEASE PRINT)

The following pages contain a printable Course Schedule to assist you through this course. By following this schedule,
you will be assured that you will complete the course within the time allotted.



MBA 6301, Business Ethics 6

MBA 6301, Business Ethics Course Schedule
By following this schedule, you will be assured that you will complete the course within the time allotted. Please keep this
schedule for reference as you progress through your course.

Unit I The Foundation of Ethical Thought and Contemporary Issues in Business Ethics
Review: Unit Study Guide
Read:
Chapter 1: The Foundation of Ethical Thought
Chapter 2: Contemporary Issues in Business Ethics
Submit: Assessment
Notes/Goals:







Unit II Stakeholders and Corporate Social Responsibility
Review: Unit Study Guide
Read: Chapter 3: Stakeholders and Corporate Social Responsibility
Submit:
PowerPoint Presentation
Proctor Approval Form
Notes/Goals:







Unit III Corporate Governance and Corporate Compliance
Review: Unit Study Guide
Read: Chapter 4: Corporate Governance and Corporate Compliance
Submit: Case Study
Notes/Goals:







MBA 6301, Business Ethics 7

MBA 6301, Business Ethics Course Schedule
Unit IV Ethics and the Environment and Health-Care Ethics
Review: Unit Study Guide
Read:
Chapter 5: Ethics and the Environment
Chapter 6: Health-Care Ethics
Submit: Assessment
Notes/Goals:







Unit V Ethics and Information Technology
Review: Unit Study Guide
Read: Chapter 7: Ethics and Information Technology
Submit: Assessment
Notes/Goals:








Unit VI Strategic Planning, Corporate Culture, Ethics, and Financial Reporting
Review: Unit Study Guide
Read:
Chapter 8: Strategic Planning and Corporate Culture
Chapter 9: Ethics and Financial Reporting
Submit: Case Study
Notes/Goals:








MBA 6301, Business Ethics 8

MBA 6301, Business Ethics Course Schedule
Unit VII Establishing a Code of Ethics and Ethical Guidelines
Review: Unit Study Guide
Read: Chapter 10: Establishing a Code of Ethics and Ethical Guidelines
Submit:
Code of Ethics Assignment
Request to take Final Exam
Notes/Goals:








Unit VIII Evaluate Corporate Ethics
Review: Unit Study Guide
Read: Chapter 11: Evaluating Corporate Ethics
Submit:
Assessment
Final Exam
Notes/Goals: