INDEPENDENT UNIVERSITY, BANGLADESH

School of Business
MBA Program Course Outline

Semester Course Code Course Title Section

Autumn MBA 515 Legal and Ethical Issues in 01
2019 Business (3 Credits)

INSTRUCTOR’S DETAILS:
Instructor: Class Time: 6:30pm-9:30pm (Wednesday)
Dr. Ireen Akhter Class Room: 3009
Associate Professor, Office Hours: Wednesday: 5:00 pm – 06:30 pm
Institute of Business Administration (IBA-JU), Mail Address: ireenmahmud@gmail.com
Jahangirnagar University Mobile: +8801711-345773
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course is designed to acquaint students with legal and ethical issues in directing human behavior in
organizations. Organizations, as buyers and as well as sellers, need to have some basic familiarities with the laws
governing the business. At the same time to meet social and economic obligations organizations need to
understand ethical issues relating to business. Students, as an individual citizen and as part of corporate citizen,
will develop concepts and strategic skills necessary for legal and ethical decision-making process and will also
learn how to apply these concepts in theoretical and practical aspects of decision making.

PREREQUISITE:
Introduction to Business, Management Fundamentals, Organization Behavior, and Marketing
Fundamentals.
COURSE POLICY:
1. It is the student’s responsibility to gather information about the assignments and covered topics during the
lectures missed. Regular class attendance is mandatory. Points will be taken off for missing classes. Without
70% of attendance, sitting for final exam is NOT allowed. According to IUB system students must enter the
classroom within the first 20 minutes to get the attendance submitted.
2. The date and syllabus of quiz, midterm and final exam is already given here, however, announcements will be
given ahead of time. There is NO provision for make-up quizzes.
3. It is expected that prior to the class, students have a cursory look into the materials.
4. Class participation is vital for better understanding of legal and ethical issues in business. Students are
invited to raise questions.
5. Students should take tutorials with the instructor during the office hours. Prior appointment is required.
6. Students must maintain the IUB code of conduct and ethical guidelines offered by the School of Business.
7. Students must refrain from any type of cheating and/or plagiarism in a course. Any student acting otherwise
will receive an “F” grade in the course. School of Business, IUB, maintains a zero tolerance policy regarding
violation of academic integrity.
8. Students are not allowed to keep bags, handouts, books, mobile phones, smart watches or any other smart
electronic devices with them during any exam. Students are advised to keep everything in the front of the
class room before the exam starts. Please note that, just carrying any smart electronic devises (even if the
devise is turned off or put it in silent mode) during the exam will be considered as “cheating”. Moreover,
during the exam, anything written on hand palms (or anywhere else) and carrying paper materials (whatever
is written) will be considered as “cheating”. Any sorts of “cheating” will result in an “F” grade with no
exception. During the exam, students are only allowed to carry pen, pencil, eraser, sharpener, ruler,
highlighter and calculator in a clear plastic bag.

REQUIRED TEXT: The course will be based mostly on the following books [some other books and journals may
be referred time to time]:
 Andrew Crane and Dirk Matten, Business Ethics (3rd Edition), Oxford University Press, 2010.
1
  A. K Sen and J. K. Mitra, Commercial Law and Industrial Law.
 A I Khan, Fundamentals of Company Law (Amendment 1994); University Publications, Dhaka.

MORE READINGS:
 Dr. A R Khan, Business Ethics (4th Edition), Brothers’ Publication, Dhaka.
 Dr. Muhammad Ekramul Haque, Law of Contract (2nd Edition), Law Lyceum, Dhaka Bangladesh.
ASSESSMENT AND MARKS DISTRIBUTION:
Type of Evaluation Nos. Weight Total
Class Attendance and Participation 100% 5
Quiz (Best two will be counted) 3 15
Assignment, Project and Presentation 01 20 100%
Midterm Exam 01 30
Final Exam 01 30
[Class attendance is mandatory; failure to do so may deduct the final marks]

GRADE CONVERSION SCHEME: The following chart will be followed for grading. This has customized
form the guideline provided by the school of Business.
A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D F
90-100 85-89 80-84 75-79 70-74 65-69 60-64 55-59 50-54 45-49 0-44
* Numbers are inclusive
CLASS AND EXAM SCHEDULE, TOPIC AND READINGS:
Sessions Date Topic Learning Outcomes Readings
Session 11-09- Introducing  To get an overview of business ethics, its Andrew Crane
-1 2019 Business importance, and key issues; & Dirk
Ethics  To know the relationship between business Matten,
ethics and law; Chapter 1
 To know the differences among morality, ethics
and ethical theory; Pages 4-43
 To understand the ‘triple bottom line’ of
sustainability of business ethics.
Session 18-09- Framing  To get an overview of corporate social Andrew Crane
-2 2019 Business responsibility, its nature and strategy; & Dirk
Ethics  To understand the stakeholder theory of the firm Matten,
and its use in the firm; Chapter 2
 To know about corporate citizenship and assess
its contribution to the framing of business ethics. Pages 46-89
Session 25-09- Making  To understand what is ethical decision is; Andrew Crane
-3 2019 Decisions in  To understand ethical decision making process & Dirk
Business and identify the factors influencing on the Matten,
Ethics process; Chapter 4
 To identify points of leverage for managing and Ppges 140-
Quiz 1 improving ethical decision making in business. 181
Session-- 02-10- Law of  To understand the essential elements of law and A. K Sen and J.
4 2019 Contract to know the area of its use. K. Mitra,
Commercial
Session 09-10- Law of Same Law and
-5 2019 Contract Industrial
Quiz 2 Law.
Session 16-10- The Law  Law relating to the sale of movable goods.
-6 2019

Session 23-10- Midterm  CHAPTERS 1, 2 , 4 &

-7 2019 Exam Law of Contract, and The Law Relating to Sale of Goods.

2
 Session 30-10- The Law  To know about the law relating to different types A. K Sen and J.
-8 2019 Relating to of negotiable instruments, its ownership. K. Mitra,
Negotiable  To understand the rights and liabilities of parties Commercial
Instruments to a negotiable instruments Law and
Industrial Law.
Session 06-11- The Company  To understand different types of A I Khan,
-9 2019 Act companies. Fundamentals
 To know how to form a company. of Company
 To understand partnership business. Law
 To know how to form a partnership
business.
Session 13-11- Employee  To know the specific role of employees Andrew Crane
-10 2019 and Business among various stakeholder groups. & Dirk Matten,
Ethi  To know the ethical issues and problems Chapter 7
cs faced by employees by focusing their rights.
Quiz 3  To have clear idea about how organization Pages 288-337
manage their employees in the different cultural
contexts.
Session 20-11- Government,  To understand the stake that consumers Andrew Crane
-11 2019 Regulation, have in corporate activity. & Dirk Matten,
and Business  To know what type of ethical issues and Chapter 8
Ethics problems faced in business-consumer relations.
 To understand arguments for more Pages 340-388
responsible marketing practices.
Session 27-11-  To understand the stake that governments Andrew Crane
-12 2019 have in corporate activity. & Dirk Matten,
 To know what type of ethical issues and Chapter 11
problems faced in business-government
relations. Pages 491-543
 To understand the importance of strong
governmental regulation for achieving
potentially sustainable solutions.
Session 04-12- Final Exam CHAPTERS 7, 8, 11, The Law Relating to Negotiable Instruments
-13 2019 & The Company Act 1994 and partnership.

AUDIT:
Students who are willing to audit the course are welcome during the first two classes and are advised to contact
the instructor after that.

NOTE:
Plagiarism- that is the presentation of another person’s thoughts or words as though they were the students’ own
– must be strictly avoided. Cheating and plagiarism on exam and assignment are unacceptable.

UNIVERSITY REGULATION AND CODE OF CONDUCT:

Please see the green book for further information about academic regulation and policies, including withdrawal
and grading, apples and penalties for pilgrims and academic misconduct.

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES:

Students with disabilities are required to inform the School of Business/ Department of Economics of any
specific requirement for classes or examination as soon as possible.

Reuse, Recycle, and Reproduce.