SMU Classification: Restricted

The Lee Kong Chian School of Business

Academic Year 2022/23
Term 1

COR3304 ETHICS AND CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY

Instructor : Ronald Tay
Title : Adjunct Faculty of Organisational Behaviour & Human Resources
Tel : +65 8877 4484
Email : ronaldtay@smu.edu.sg (please cc the TA as well)
Office : LKCSB Level 5 Adjunct Suite

COURSE DESCRIPTION
In this day and age, it is no longer sufficient for managers and leaders in organizations to be simply transactional or
simply transformational. They also need to be fair, just, ethical, moral and responsible. This course is designed to
explore, inform, and stimulate thinking on issues related to behavioural ethics and responsibility as encountered in the
corporate world. To create this intellectual exchange, this course will focus on how individual and organizational
behaviour is shaped by context as well as by biases, why these factors make it difficult for managers to be responsible
leaders, and what can be done about the influence of these factors.

It is important to emphasize that the goal of this course is not the ethical or moral transformation of students but to
develop a set of tools and frameworks (where possible) that allow us to manage effectively in a world increasingly
characterized by stakeholders with competing needs and responsibilities.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
By the end of the course,
1. Students should have a working understanding of established ethical theories; be able to explain their
distinctive features, attractions and limitations; and be able to articulate their usefulness across disciplines.
Candidates for professional degrees should furthermore be familiar with the standards to which these
professions are held, especially in light of the role these professions play in society.

2. Students should be able to recognize the ethical dimension of human activities on the domestic as well as
international plane, in public as well as private life; be able to identify the stakeholders, interests and risks
involved; and be able to apply appropriate ethical frameworks of analysis to articulate distinct justifiable
outcomes.

3. Students should be able to internalize and recognize the place of ethics in society and the workplace; master
the ability to work through social dilemmas to arrive at an ethically sound outcome; and demonstrate how
ethics can be applied to strengthen corporate and/or social governance.

PRE-REQUISITE/ CO-REQUISITE/ MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE COURSE(S)

Please refer to the Course Catalogue on OASIS for the most updated list of pre-requisites / co-requisites for this
particular course. Do note that if this course has a co-requisite, it means that the course has to be taken together
with another course. Dropping one course during BOSS bidding would result in both courses being dropped at the
same time.

ASSESSMENT METHODS
OB Research Participation 1%
Written Assignment 15%
Class Participation 19%
Group Project Presentation 30%
Final Exam 35%

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1. OB Research Participation

You are expected to participate in research studies conducted by the Organizational Behavior and Human Resources
faculty at SMU. You are expected to complete one unit of research participation during the term; each unit typically
involves one hour of participation. Each unit of participation is worth 1 percentage point out of a possible 100% total
in this course.

Information regarding research studies will be provided throughout the term at the LKCSB’s online SPS at
https://mercury.smu.edu.sg/PrjgSPS. You can also sign up for studies conveniently through the same website. Note
that there will be enough studies offered to satisfy the participation requirement for all Ethics and Corporate
Responsibility students, but there not much beyond that. You are encouraged you to sign up for the research studies
as soon as possible whenever they become available.

In order to enable smooth and efficient data collection, it is important that you show up for the study sessions you
have signed up for. Cancellations need to be made via the SPS at least 24 hours before the beginning of the session
you signed up for. Further, should you fail to show up for a session you signed up for (and did not cancel in time); one
percentage point will be deducted from your account. In other words, you will be penalized if you are late or if you
miss your appointment.

Besides contributing to the specific research project and ensuring that you receive your full participation credit points
for this course, there are several other benefits of participating in research studies. First, note that all the knowledge
you will encounter in this course is derived from research. By participating in research, you are able to contribute
back to, and further build, that knowledge base. Second, by participating in research you gain insights into the nature
of scientific investigation and the research process, which constitutes a valuable way of learning to improve
organizational practices. And third, note that SMU aspires to excellence in teaching and research. For most of you,
participating in research is one of the few opportunities you will have to contribute to the research mission of the
university.

If for any reason you do not wish to or cannot participate in research studies, you can write a short research paper
instead. This involves obtaining two scientific articles related to organizational behavior and that are not related to
your other projects in this course. The papers should be written by SMU OBHR faculty (check SMU’s website for
their CVs and download the papers from the library databases). These articles should not be completely opinion or
discussion, but rather must be articles that describe scientific studies. After you obtain the articles, answer the
following questions: What was the purpose of each study? What were the hypotheses? What was manipulated and/or
measured? What were the results of this study? What are the implications of this study’s findings? You may discuss
the two papers sequentially. The paper needs to be four pages minimum, with 1.5 line spacing. Each paper (each of
which reviews two research articles) completed is worth one unit.

2. Written Assignment: Ethical Leadership *Due Week 9

The objective of this assignment is for to identify a role model in your personal or professional realm where you are
to conduct an interview with them to find out their key leadership/ethical principles, discover how they act out these
principles in their decisions and reflect on how these would shape your own future leadership ethics. Ideally, you may
choose someone in the organization where you may want to work in the future.

You are required to submit an assignment (max 2000 words exclude citations) covering the following:

• What are the 2-3 key ethical principles/rules/motto that govern his/her actions and decisions? Elaborate
on each principle on why they are significant to him/her
• What are some of the ethical issues/challenges present in his/her line of work, industry or profession?
• Relate a professional/personal example where he/she acted out their decisions using one or more
his/her ethical principles. What were the ethical conflicts involved, and result of the actions?
• From the example/s or their principles, how would you use the ethical theories discussed in class to describe
their general ethical standpoint?
• In reflecting the above, what would be your own personal ethical principles that would govern your
future actions? Name 2-3 and highlight why they are key.

3. Class Participation

This course requires a significant amount of participation from students. Specifically, I expect students to not only
read the assigned readings and cases before class but also analyze them and be prepared to share their thoughts and

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ideas in the classroom. I will grade class participation based on both, quality and quantity. Please note that attendance
does not count toward your participation grade.

4. Final Exam

The final exam will be closed-book and will have multiple-choice questions as well as short-essay questions to test
your mastery of major concepts, frameworks, and theories used in the class. To get high scores in the exam, you
need to study thoroughly the assigned readings and develop a clear understanding of key concepts, theories, strategies,
and their applications. While I will not ask facts from the assigned cases in the exam, I may include questions on the
learning from the case or on the frameworks used to analyze the case. Corporate examples raised in the readings
and class discussions that substantiate your points will add to conviction of your thoughts and ultimately the marking.

There will be no make-up exams, so you must take the exam at the scheduled place and time. Makeup exams will be
arranged only with university excused absences (e.g., medical emergencies, death of family member) and you must get
a prior approval from me 24 hours before the scheduled exam time. If you miss the final examination, you must
provide me with supporting documents that justify your absence, such as a doctor’s note.

5. Group Project Presentation

I plan to assign you to groups randomly. The objective of this assignment is to enhance your critical thinking and
analytical skills through the analysis of a real-world event that deals with topics related to ethics and corporate
responsibility in an organizational context. Each group will find an ethical event/company case study or corporate
leader that is related to the course topic/themes (*coverage of events should include post-Jan2020 content). The
organizations you select can be in any industry, sector, or geographical location. Use the internet and library
resources to do your research.

Each team will present their analysis in an estimated 30-minute presentation including about 10 minutes of
questions/interactive activity. The presentation should include a summary of the event/company/leader, critical
interpretation of the issues (using concepts and ideas shared in class/research articles), and a discussion of what are
the ethical conflicts/themes involved. Please have fun and be creative in these presentations. Feel free to use
technology, videos, audience participation or handouts to enhance your presentation.

Deliverables
1) Group leader to share with me via eLearn submission 2-3 proposed topics of presentation including the
overview of the case, the ethical issues you intend to cover (due: Week 6 Friday 2359hrs). In case multiple
groups want to study the same event, I will ask one or multiple groups to change the events they wish to
study. So it may be prudent to start this assignment only after I have approved the events you wish to
analyze.

2) Final presentation slides (PPT format) submitted by group leader on eLearn by end of Week 11, Friday 2359
hrs. Slides should include under notes section the points each presenter intends to cover

3) A copy of the PowerPoint slides (3 slides per page in the handout format; due on the day of the presentation.
Requirement exempted if virtual presentation. Include your references as an appendix.

CONSULTATIONS AND TEACHING ASSISTANTS

If you need to see me for consultation, please contact me to make an appointment or stay back at the end of the class
where I will make time to discuss. I am also readily available by email or telegram chat@ronaldtay.

CLASS TIMINGS
This course will be taught in 3-hour sessions, once per week.

CLASS ETIQUETTE, MOBILE PHONES AND LAPTOPS

Please respect other members of this class by not disrupting class. If you arrive late, leave early, or take a break
during class, please do your best to minimize disruptions while arriving/leaving. Hand phones and laptop computers
should be turned off while in class, unless their use is explicitly permitted for specific class activities.

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CHANGES
The syllabus and/or class schedule may be modified at my discretion. Changes will be announced in class or via email.

RECOMMENDED TEXT AND READINGS

Chan and Shenoy
Ethics and Social Responsibility -- Asian and Western Perspectives, (3rd edition 2016), McGraw-Hill
Education (Asia).
This text is referred to as ESR in the Weekly Lesson Plan below. Main Readings are also stated in the Lesson Plan.

Hartman, Desjardins & MacDonald

Business Ethics: Decision-Making for Personal Integrity & Social Responsibility, (4th edition,
McGraw Hill, 2013)
This text is referred to as BE in the Weekly Lesson Plan below. Main Readings are also stated in the Lesson Plan.

UNIVERSITY POLICIES
Academic Integrity
All acts of academic dishonesty (including, but not limited to, plagiarism, cheating, fabrication, facilitation of acts of
academic dishonesty by others, unauthorized possession of exam questions, or tampering with the academic work of
other students) are serious offences.

All work (whether oral or written) submitted for purposes of assessment must be the student’s own work. Penalties
for violation of the policy range from zero marks for the component assessment to expulsion, depending on the
nature of the offense.

When in doubt, students should consult the instructors of the course. Details on the SMU Code of Academic
Integrity may be accessed at https://oasis.smu.edu.sg/Pages/DOS-WKLSWC/UCSC.aspx.

Copyright Notice
Please note that all course materials are meant for personal use only, namely, for the purposes of teaching, studying
and research. You are strictly not permitted to make copies of or print additional copies or distribute such copies of
the course materials or any parts thereof, for commercial gain or exchange.
For the full copyright notice, please visit: https://smu.sg/Copyright-notice or OASIS -> CAMPUS LIFE & EXCHANGE ->
CONDUCT & DISCIPLINE -> UNIVERSITY COUNCIL OF STUDENT DISCIPLINE

Accessibility
SMU strives to make learning experiences accessible for all. If you anticipate or experience physical or academic
barriers due to disability, please let me know immediately. You are also welcome to contact the university's disability
services team if you have questions or concerns about academic provisions: included@smu.edu.sg. Please be aware
that the accessible tables in our seminar room should remain available for students who require them.

Emergency Preparedness for Teaching and Learning (EPTL)

As part of emergency preparedness, instructors may conduct lessons online via either the Zoom or WebEx
platform during the term, to prepare students for online learning. During an actual emergency, students will be
notified to access the Zoom or WebEx platform for their online lessons. The class schedule will mirror the
current face-to-face class timetable unless otherwise stated.

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WEEKLY LESSON PLANS

Week Topics Readings

1 Introduction to ESRA Chapter 1.
Ethics
BE Chapter 2

Ariely, D. (2014). The honest truth about dishonesty.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVix6vognrY

Kouchaki, Maryam & Smith, Isaac H (Jan-Feb 2020 pp135-139). Building an Ethical Career.
Harvard Business Review https://hbr.org/2020/01/building-an-ethical-career

2 Ethical Theories BE Chapter 3

(I)
ESRA Chapters 2
3 Ethical Theories
(II) Knowledge@Wharton (2016) Moral Philosophy
http://d1c25a6gwz7q5e.cloudfront.net/reports/2018-01-25-KW-AKO-Philosophy-F.pdf

4 Corporate BE Chapter 4
Ethics &
Culture Carucci, Ron (2016). Why Ethical People Make Unethical Choices. Harvard Business Review
https://hbr.org/2016/12/why-ethical-people-make-unethical-choices

Deloitte’s David Wu Interview (20mins) on Instilling an Ethical Culture in the Workplace:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96xPuyRNcW4

Epley, Nicholas et al (2019). How to Design an Ethical Organization https://hbr.org/2019/05/how-to-

design-an-ethical-organization

5 Ethical Allas Tera (2020) The boss factor: Making the world a better place through workplace
Leadership relationships. McKinsey Insight
https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-insights/the-boss-factor-
making-the-world- a-better-place-through-workplace-relationships

BE Chapter 4, pg. 121-127

Watch:
1. Enron
- Long version: “Smartest Guy in the Room” (1:40 hours)
https://vimeo.com/477805597 or
- Abridged summary (19mins):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5qC1YGRMKI

2. Theranos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CccfnRpPtM

6 Workplace ESRA Chapter 3

Ethics (I):
Chugh, Dolly et al (2003) How (un)Ethical are you? Harvard Business Review
Biases https://hbr.org/2003/12/how-unethical-are-you
Discrimination
and Sexual Yoon, Hahna (Mar 2020). How to Respond to Microaggression. New York Times
Harassment https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/03/smarter-living/how-to-respond-to-
Microaggression microaggressions.html

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7 Workplace ESRA Chapter 4

Ethics (II):
Gallo, A. (2015). How to speak up about ethical issues at work. Harvard Business Review, June
Privacy, 4. https://hbr.org/2015/06/how-to-speak-up-about-ethical-issues-at-work
Conflict of
Interest, King, Jude (2019) When Silence Is Not Golden: The Culture of Silence Can Be Dangerous For The
Whistle Workplace https://medium.com/swlh/when-silence-is-not-golden-the-culture-of-silence-can-
Blowing be-dangerous-for-the-workplace-363a0c9238fe

Managing the Dark Side of Workplace Relationships

https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/managing-the-dark-side-of-workplace-
friendships/

8 Midterm Break

9 Corporate BE Chapter 10: Read particularly the Volkswagen Case

Governance
Cheng, Kenneth (2018) Hyflux’s fall from grace: What went wrong. Today
https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/hyfluxs-fall-grace-what-went-wrong

Huber Celia et al. (2020) The Board’s Role in Embedding Corporate Purpose. McKinsey Insights
https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-
insights/the-boards-role-in-embedding-corporate-purpose-five-actions-directors-can-take-
today

Larcker, D. F. & Tayan, B. (2014). Corporate Governance According to Charles T. Munger.

Stanford Closer Look Series, March 3. https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/sites/gsb/files/publication-
pdf/cgri-closer-look-38-corp-gov-munger.pdf

10 Corporate BE Chapter 5
Social
Responsibility Edmans, Alex (2015) The Social Responsibility of Business. TedX LSE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5KZhm19EO0

ESR Chapter 6

Serafeim, George (2020) Social-Impact Efforts that Create Real Value. Harvard Business Review
https://hbr.org/2020/09/making-sustainability-count

11 Crisis Kalavar, Sanjay (2017) Are you prepared for a corporate crisis? McKinsey.com article
Management https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/risk/our-insights/are-you-prepared-for-a-
corporate-crisis

Mendy, A et al (2020) A leader’s guide: communicating with teams, stakeholder and communities
during Covid-19. https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-insights/a-
leaders-guide-communicating-with-teams-stakeholders-and-communities-during-covid-19

12 Student Groups 1-4: Week 12

Presentations Groups 5-8: Week 13

13 Each group to submit initial draft presentation idea via email (to me & TA) by Week 6 and
submit final presentation material by Week 11 Friday 2359hrs. Each group will have
maximum of 30mins to present (including Q&A & class part segment)