UNIVERSITY OF SAN JOSE-RECOLETOS (USJ-R)

GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT

CEBU CITY

Course Title: Philosophy of Business, including Business Ethics, Corporate Social

Responsibility and Corporate Governance

Professor: Dr. Edgar R. Detoya, CPA, MBA

Introduction

The Philosophy of Business considers the fundamental principles that underlie the formation
and operation of a business enterprise, the nature and purpose of a business, its role in society,
and the moral obligations that pertain to it. The subject is important to business and
management, and is closely related to business ethics, social responsibility and corporate
governance.

In a basically capitalistic society, businesses are generally driven by the profit objective. The
challenge is how to make profit with honor. Several businesses have collapsed for failure to
observe ethical standards. Moreover, recent events both in the local and global business
community have underscored the social character of corporations, and the need to adopt good
corporate governance.

Course Objectives

At the end of the course, the participants are expected to have:

• understood the basic philosophical concepts and nature of business, including its causes:
formal cause, final cause, material cause, and efficient cause;
• appreciated the importance of ethics in business, and its relationship to social
responsibility;
• gained deeper understanding of the standards of good corporate governance;
• examined some best practices of ethical and socially responsible companies; and
• felt a stronger need to make worthy contribution to society

l. The Philosophical Causes of Business

1. The Formal Cause of Business

2. The Material Cause of Business
3. The Efficient Cause of Business
4. The Final Cause of Business

ll. Business Ethics

1. Creating an Ethical Environment in the Workplace (Catalonia, Lemoor)

2. Ethical Theories:
a. Utilitarianism (Villaverde, Merve)
b. Kantianism/Deontology (Suarez, Eulaline)
c. Aristotelianism/Virtue Ethics (Baquilod, Jonna Fe)
d. Natural Law (Arancon, Nikko Manilou)
3. The Ethics of Relationships (Amlih, Astrid)
4. The Ethics of Technology (Bulan, Rotsen)
lll. Corporate Social Responsibility

1. The Evolution and Levels of Corporate Social Responsibility (Torres, Joseph)

2. Social Responsibility towards the Employees (Malicay, Donabelle)
3. Social Responsibility towards the Consumers, End Users and the General Public
(Gregorio, Lance)
4. Social Responsibility towards the Competitors (Pitogo, Jary)
5. Social Responsibility towards the Contractors and Suppliers (Oporto, Judith)
6. Social Responsibility towards the Government (Pintac, Cherilyn)
7. Social Responsibility towards the Environment (Paghid, Gerniel Stephen)

lV. Corporate Governance

1. The Nature and Rationale of Corporate Governance Principles and Practices:

Local/Regional/Global Developments (Panilagan, Simporiano)

2. Specific Duties and Responsibilities of Various Players and Examples of Leading Practices
a. Board of Directors
b. Management (CEO/CFO/Compliance Officers)
c. Other Stakeholders
(Clavano, Rowena)

3. The Role and Responsibilities of the Internal and External Auditors in Corporate
Governance (Barruga, Jacinto lll)

Course Requirements/Learning Tasks

• Oral and written reports
• Active participation in group discussions and experiential sharing
• Case Analysis
• Course Synthesis
• Final Examination

References
• Lazaro, Roberto. Philosophy of Business. Manila: REX Book Store, 2005.
• Maximiano, Jose Mario. Business Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility.
Mandaluyong City: Anvil Publishing, Inc., 2014.
• Villanueva, Cesar. The Law and Practice on Philippine Corporate Governance. Angeles
City: Holy Angel University, 2009
• Any recent book/article/internet reference on Business Philosophy, Ethics, CSR and
Corporate Governance