what did you learn in the class. BA 3102 Business, society & Ethics

BA 3102 - 101 BUSINESS, SOCIETY, & ETHICS

Temple University, Ambler Campus, Spring 2018

Wednesdays, 5:30-8:00, Learning Center, Room 302

Instructor Daniel E. Goldberg, MBA

E-mail: [email protected]

Phone: 215-500-3388

Office: Alter Hall 333j

Office Hours: By appointment

Learning Objectives

1. To increase your awareness of the mutual ethical responsibilities that exists between a business organization and its internal and external stakeholders.

2. To expose you to some of the ethical dilemmas confronted by employees within business organizations, and improve your skills in resolving them.

3. To enable you to think critically about two powerful entities – BUSINESS and SOCIETY- so that you can help create positive change.

4. To develop your critical writing, speaking, reading, and listening skills.

Course Format

We will explore ethical issues in business and society from three perspectives: the individual within an organization, the organization itself and the relationship between the organization and society. The format will be highly interactive and will include a combination of discussions, mini-lectures, case analyses, films, small group activities and, perhaps, guest speakers.

Readings No textbook is required for this class.

Readings: Articles and cases posted on Blackboard and other documents distributed in class.

Grade Determination There will be three Exams and three Papers

Attendance, Participation & Contribution to Group Learning 25%

Exam and Paper 25%

Exam and Paper 25%

Exam and Paper 25%

Academic Dishonesty

This class will be conducted in accordance with Temple’s Plagiarism & Academic Cheating policy. Violations of this policy can result in a grade of F.

Participation

Informed and active engagement in discussion is vital in grasping this often conflicting, and controversial, subject matter. Therefore, you are encouraged to share your ideas and experiences in an accepting setting. I will evaluate your participation according to the following criteria: 1) attendance; 2) quality and frequency of participation, and 3) contribution to group work. You may also be responsible for evaluating yourself on your contributions at the end of the semester.

I expect you to attend every class. However, I understand that from time to time emergencies may arise at home or work. Therefore, every student is permitted one excused (with proof) absence before I begin deducting 10 points per absence from your participation grade.

Exams

You are responsible for reading all documents posted on Blackboard or handed out in class, as well as watching any films or videos that are viewed in class. You must “buddy-up” with a classmate, or classmates, who can give you any information that was discussed in class (if you should miss a class). IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to do so. Exams will cover material we review/discuss in class, information in articles posted on Blackboard, information handed out in class, and information contained in films and videos shown in class.

Papers

Analysis Papers are an opportunity to relate the concepts and issues we discuss in class to real-life cases. You will be evaluated based on your ability to demonstrate: (1) analytical rigor – depth and complexity in analysis using material from class readings and discussions; and (2) style – including: creativity, clarity in presentation, vocabulary, punctuation, sentence structure, word usage, and other elements of writing. All content will be double-spaced. The number of pages and topic of each paper will be discussed in class and/or on Blackboard. Being able to communicate the subject matter in a clear, concise and well written manner is more important to me than the length of your papers.

All papers are due on the date and time specified. Any adjustments regarding missed assignments due to an emergency require documentation and are subject to my approval.

Assignments that are late for any reason other than a documented emergency will not receive full credit. If you do not attend class on the day an assignment is due, I expect to receive it via e-mail by the start of the class period that day (i.e. 5:30 pm). Make sure you attach the document to your message. Otherwise, the paper will be considered late.

Finally, how you present your work is just as important as what you present. Please follow the assignment guidelines, answer all the questions and always check your spelling and grammar before your paper is due. Also, prior to handing in your papers: read them out loud to yourself, let someone else (who you deem to be a very good or excellent writer) review your paper, and go to the Writing Center if you feel that you need additional help.

Disability Policy

Any student who needs accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact me privately to discuss the specific situation as soon as possible. Contact: Susan McCaffrey 267-468-8200 in West Hall 109, or e-mail here at: [email protected] to coordinate reasonable accommodations for your documented disabilities.

Academic Freedom

Freedom to teach and freedom to learn are inseparable facets of academic freedom. The University has adopted a policy on Student and Faculty Academic Rights and Responsibilities (Policy # 03.70.02) which can be accessed through the following link: http://policies.temple.edu/getdoc.asp?policy_no=03.70.02.

Class Schedule

Date	Topic & Activities	Readings & Assignments
1/17	Introduction: Film: The Corporation Discussion: Why has business gotten a bad rap?
1/24	Do Corporations have a Responsibility to Society? (CSR) Small group discussion of CSR ads & readings ‘The Corporation’ Personal Values exercise	· The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase Profits · The Virtue in $6 Heirloom Tomatoes · Cleaning Up
1/31	How can business prioritize among its stakeholders? Small group stakeholder analysis exercise and presentations	· Managing and Partnering with External Stakeholders (up to ‘Trends…’ only) · Print & bring BP Case (for in-class stakeholder analysis)
2/7	How does our economic system shape the values that inform our behaviors and decisions in the workplace? Film: Who Killed The Electric Car	· Identifying ethical issues and ethical decision making · Personal Behavior exercise
2/14	Is the American Dream still alive and well today in the United States? Decision making small group exercise	· Exam and Analysis Paper Due
2/21	Is “doing the right thing” possible in the business world? Discussion of Analysis Papers Small group case analysis and presentations	· Desperate Air Case (for in-class exercise) · Offshoring & Ethical Theory
2/28	How can corporations be better governed? Film: The Smartest Guys in the Room - Enron Discussion of film & corporate governance	· Excerpt from Enron’s Code of Ethics
3/14	Should corporations be expected to look out for employees’ needs beyond salary? Using Ethical Theories: Small group case analysis (tax breaks)	· Why Fearless Leaders Are Something To Dread
3/21	Is what’s good for American business good for the world? ‘The High Cost of Low Prices’ Discussion of film, readings and Analysis Paper	· Tierney Op-Ed on Wal-Mart · Decency Means More than Low Prices
3/28	Has corporate power eroded our democracy? Guest Speaker and/or Class Discussion/Exercise	· Exam and Analysis Paper Due
4/4	Are corporations responsible for our national “eating disorder?” Discussion of the media and ethics (including music, comedy, news)	· Readings TBA
4/11	What should be the relationship between businesses and the communities in which they inhabit? – Film: Why We Fight	· Executive on a Mission
4/18	How do corporations contribute to – and how can they help to solve – issues of environmental degradation? – Film: The 11th Hour	· Mountain Man Turned Mogul
4/25	Should there be a Constitutional Amendment to overturn the Supreme Court’s Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission ruling?	· Bill Gates: Wealth of Ideas
5/9	FINAL	Exam and Analysis Paper Due

NOTE: The instructor reserves the right to make changes to the syllabus at any time. Announcements in class and/or by electronic mail will be deemed sufficient notice.

BA3102 – 101 Spring 2018

Student Information Sheet

Name:

Year:

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Please tell me something about yourself that is not related to school or work: