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Sunway University Business School

SUBJECT OVERVIEW
MGT3044: BUSINESS ETHICS AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Programmes : B.Sc. (Hons) in Accounting & Finance
B.Sc. (Hons) in Business Management
B.Sc. (Hons) in Business Studies

Semester : March July 2014
Contact hrs per week : Lectures - 2 hrs.
Tutorial - 1 hr.
Workshop - 1 hr.

Lecturer/Tutor : Dr. Nagiah Ramasamy
E-mail address : nagiahr@sunway.edu.my
Room : Room 340 (3
rd
Floor, North Building)
Telephone number : (603) 7491 8622 Ext 8340
Consultation hours : Mondays 2.30 4.30 pm
Wednesdays 9.30 10.30 am
Thursdays 2.30 3.30 pm

Tutor : Mr. Chee Khye Luen
E-mail address : cheekl@sunway.edu.my
(603) 7491 8622 Ext 3661
Room Academic Staff Room (Level 3)
Consultation hours : Mondays 8.30 10.30 am; 12.30 1.30 pm
Tuesdays 9.30 10.30 am

Subject Description

Application of ethical principles in a business setting is a critical skill. Studies show that
firms that perform better financially over time are those with a commitment to ethical
behaviour and are socially responsible. Businesses have responsibilities beyond simply
enhancing their profits because they have such great social and economic power in our
society. With that power comes social responsibility. The methods employed to achieve
maximum profit or return on investment often raise issues of honesty and fair-play. The
focus of this course will be on the variety of ethical issues raised in the practice of
business and the professions. These include the normative theories of ethics, ethics in
business, professions, the workplace and the environment. It is important to gain some
familiarity with these issues, to consider the relevant factors involved, and to consider how
they might be reasonably addressed.

Subject Objectives

The overall objective of this course is to provide a comprehensive coverage of the
theoretical as well as application issues business and professional ethics. Within the
framework of the above goal, this course has several specific objectives. They are to:
1. introduce students to ethical theories and concepts;
2. enable students to understand and reflect on their own values and responses to the
difficult moral choices that the world of business can pose;
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3. provide students with a workable model of ethical decision making; and
4. develop students to practice as professionals or business persons in an ethically
responsible manner.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:
1. Demonstrate familiarity with a variety of ethical issues or dilemmas that are raised by
business and professional practice from different theoretical perspectives
2. Explain the factors that impact decision-making as a responsible professional
3. Examine business ethics in a globalised economy, including ethical perceptions and
international business, global values, the multinational corporation, and ethical issues
around the globe

Delivery Methods

Lectures will introduce key ideas and theoretical frameworks. They are delivered with MS
PowerPoint and often supported by relevant video clips, as visual aids. Students should
note that while a lecture is self-contained in terms of presentation, the topics are closely
interrelated, and this interconnectedness is essential to their understanding of the
substance of this course. While the focus will be on conveying facts and issues, lectures
also point students to important readings and case studies that should go hand-in-hand
with the lectures. These recommended readings are part of the knowledge base on which
students are assessed.

Tutorial and workshop sessions are designed to supplement lectures, and are built around
student-led discussions and presentations, encouraging students to discuss relevant
issues. Students are expected to participate actively in all discussions, and thereby
helping them to strengthen their understanding of the contents of lectures.

Assessment

Students are assessed in three parts, mainly the mid-term test, coursework assignment
and final examination.

Mid-term Test 10%
Assignment (Group) 30%
Final Written Examination 60%

Assignment
The objective of the group-based assignment is to apply the theoretical knowledge
learned in the subject to a practical setting. The group typically consists of 3 to 5
members. The length of the essay is 3,000 words. Submission of the assignment will be
during week 10, that is, the week immediately after the mid-semester break.

Mid-term test
The two-hour mid-term test, consisting of multiple-choice questions, would be held on
week 8, just prior to the mid-semester break.

Note: The mid-semester break is in week 9 (19
th
to 24
th
May 2014).

Final written examination
As for the three-hour final written examination, which is held in weeks 16 and 17 of the
semester, there are two sections: Section A consists of four short essay questions, and
Section B consists of six longer essay questions. Students will answer any two questions
in Section A and any two questions in Section B. These questions assess students
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mastery over the subject matter as well as their ability to think critically. Marks for each
question are provided on the examination paper.

Information on submitting your Assignment

You will first submit your assignment into the Turnitin. The Class ID and Password will be
provided to you in due course. After you have submitted your assignment to Turnitin,
please include the Turnitin report (after the reference list in the hard copy of your
assignment) and submit it to the lecturer during class, on due date.

Important Reminder
Plagiarism

Plagiarism, whether inadvertent or deliberate, shall include the following:
Word-for-word copying of sentences or whole paragraphs from one of more sources,
or presenting substantial extracts from books, articles, thesis, other unpublished work
such as working papers, seminar and conference papers, internal reports, computer
software, lecture notes or tapes, without clearly indicating their origin .
Using very close paraphrasing of sentences of whole paragraphs without due
acknowledgement in the form of reference to the original.
Submitting another students work in whole or in part.
Use of other persons ideas, work or research data without acknowledgement.

Collusion

Collusion, whether inadvertent or deliberate, shall include the following:
Submitting an individual assignment that was jointly prepared by the candidate and
any other third party, e.g. other students, family, professionals, or tutors/lecturers.
Submitting a group assignment that was jointly prepared by the group and any
external party, e.g. family, students from other courses, or professionals.
Copying each others work and passing it off as an individual effort.

Course Outline

The following are the lecture topics and the respective readings covered over the course
of one semester. Additional readings may be added during the course.

Lecture/
Week
Topics
Readings
1 Introduction to the course:
Morality, ethic
s, law and ethical relativism, Kohlbergs Moral
Development
Hartman et al: Ch. 1, 2
Velasquez: Ch. 1
Shaw: Ch 1
2 Normative theories of ethics:
Teleological and deontological theories
Hartman et al: Ch. 3
Shaw: Ch. 2
Velasquez: Ch. 2
3 The nature of capitalism:
Features; Moral justifications; Criticism;
Economic challenges.
Hartman et al: Ch. 2
Shaw: Ch. 3 & 4

4 Corporations and corporate social responsibility:
The social responsibility of business the rival
views, Debating corporate responsibility,
Hartman et al: Ch. 4, 5
Shaw: Ch. 5

5 Corporations and corporate social responsibility:
Models of CSR; Institutionalising ethics within
corporations
Hartman et al: Ch. 4, 5
Shaw: Ch. 5

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6 Consumers:
Contract relations, product safety, product
social issues
Hartman et al: Ch. 8
Shaw: Ch. 6

7 Consumers II:
Marketing and advertising
Hartman et al: Ch. 8
Shaw: Ch. 6/
Velasquez: Ch. 6
8 The environment:
Business and ecology, environmental ethics
Hartman et al: Ch. 9
Shaw: Ch. 7/
Velasquez: Ch. 5
9 MID-SEMESTER BREAK 19.5.14 - 23.5.14
10 Business and the workplace I:
Workers rights and working conditions
Hartman et al: Ch. 6
Shaw: Ch. 8

11 Business and the workplace II:
Employee privacy and monitoring
Hartman et al: Ch. 7
Shaw: Ch. 9

12 Moral choices facing employees I:
Loyalty, conflict of interest, insider trading,
proprietary data.
Hartman et al: Ch. 10
Shaw: Ch. 10

13 Moral choices facing employees II:
Bribes and kickbacks, whistle blowing.
Hartman et al: Ch. 4
Shaw: Ch. 10
14 Job discrimination and sexual harassment:
Affirmative action, Equal opportunity, Sexual
harassment
Hartman et al: Ch. 6
Shaw: Ch. 11
15 Ethics in international business:
Multinational corporations and ethics:
Sweatshops, Outsourcing
Hartman et al: Ch. 6
De George: Ch. 19


Reading List

Main reference

Hartman, L. P., DesJardins, J. and MacDonald, C. (2014) Business Ethics: Decision
Making for Personal Integrity & Social Responsibility, 3
rd
edn. New York: McGraw-Hill
International.

Some additional references

Arnold, D.G., Beauchamp, T. and Bowie, N. (Eds.) (2012). Ethical Theory and Business,
9
th
edn.. New Jersey: Pearson.
Boatright, J.R. (2012). Ethics and the Conduct of Business, 7th. edn. Pearson: New
Jersey.
Brooks, L.J. and Dunn, P. (2010). Business & Professional Ethics for Directors,
Executives and Accountants, 5nd. edn. Cincinnati: South-Western Cengage.
Cooper, D.E. (2004). Ethics for Professionals in a Multicultural World. New Jersey:
Pearson Prentice Hall.
De George, R.T. (2009). Business Ethics. 7
th
edn. New Jersey: Pearson Prentice-Hall.
Jennings, M.M. (2012). Business Ethics: Case Studies and Selected Readings. 7
th
edn.
Ohio: Cengage South-Western.
Shaw, W.H. (2014). Business Ethics, 8
th
edn. California: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
Thiroux, J. and Krasemann, K. (2012). Ethics: Theory and Practice. 11
th
edn. Boston:
Pearson.
Velasquez, N. (2012). Business ethics: Concepts & Cases. 7th. edn.. New Jersey:
Pearson.
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Periodicals (note: this is not an exhaustive list)

Business and Professional Ethics
Business Ethics
Business Ethics Quarterly
Ethics Digest
European Business Newsletter
Focus (Newsletter of the Institute of Chartered Accounts Ethics Network)
Hastings Center Report
Journal of Business Ethics
Journal of Value Based Management
Journal of Medical Ethics

Contemporary Readings

As this subject intends to develop a contemporary perspective of the ethical, political
socio-cultural, economic and environmental dimensions, students should keep abreast
with current issues, from current journals, newspapers and magazines. Besides the
journals listed above, other sources could include The Star, Star BizWeek, The Sun, The
Edge, Time Magazine, BusinessWeek, and regional and international newspapers.
Electronic media could include Bloomberg, Bernama, BBC and Al-Jazeera.

Making use of the Online Library

The Online Library contains a huge array of journal articles and other resources to help
you read widely and extensively. These can be assessed both within the campus and off-
campus, via the Tun Hussein Onn Library (http://thol.sunway.edu.my/).

Some useful websites

Markkula Center for Applied Ethics http://www.scu.edu/ethics/articles/articles.cfm
The Global Reporting Initiative http://www.globalreporting,org
Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility http://www.iccr.org/
Workplace Diversity http://workplacediversity.com/
Friends of the Earth http://www.foe.org.uk/
Business Ethics: The magazine of Corporate
Responsibility
http://business-ethics.com/

Business Ethics Network http://businessethicsnetwork.org/
Microsoft Safety and Security Center:
Practice Cyberethics
http://www.microsoft.com/security/online-
privacy/cyberethics-practice.aspx
Transparency International http://www.transparency.org/
The Center for Business and Ethics http://www.ethicsandbusiness.org/
Institute for Global Ethics http://www.globalethics.org/
OECD Guidelines for MNCs http://www.oecd.org/
UN Global Compact http://www.unglobalcompact.org/
World Council for Corporate Governance http://www.wcfg.net
U.S. government product recall http://www.recalls.gov
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency http://www.epa.gov/sustainability/
Kyoto Protocol http://www.kyotoprotocol.com
Sustainable measures http://www.sustainablemeasures.com/
Green Marketing http://www.greemarketing.com
Malaysian Code On Corporate Governance
2012
http://www.sc.com.my/malaysian-code-on-
corporate-governance-2012 /


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Useful readings

Code of Medical Ethics
http://www.mma.org.my/Portals/0/pdf/MMA_ethicscode.pdf

Insider Trading in Malaysia
http://www.mia.org.my/at/at/200812/05.pdf

Auditors and the Whistleblowing Law
http://www.mia.org.my/at/at/2009/04/04.pdf

Ethics and professionalism in Malaysia
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sideviews/article/ethics-and-professionalism-in-
malaysia-rom-nain

Whistleblowing policy at Sime Darby
http://www.simedarby.com/Whistleblowing.aspx

PETRONAS Code of Conduct and Business Ethics (CoBE)
http://www.petronas.com.my/about-us/governance/Pages/governance/code-of-
conduct-business-ethics.aspx

Whistleblowing won't work in Malaysia
http://www.deloitte.com/view/en_MY/my/mysvc/myfa/forensic/2e375ecf32fd5210Vgn
VCM200000bb42f00aRCRD.htm