Duration
30h Th
Number of credits
| Master in business engineering (120 ECTS) | 5 crédits |
Lecturer
Language(s) of instruction
English language
Organisation and examination
Teaching in the first semester, review in January
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents
Each day, news spotlight unethical behaviors in organizations of all types. Beyond undemanding condemnations of the numerous unethical practices in any industry, we must admit that ethical decision making processes have become very complex in the 2.0 global business world. Every decision we will make in the course of our professional life may potentially affect the life of many other individuals, as the latter's decisions and behaviors may also impact strongly our lives, our communities, and our environment.
It is thus crucial for each decision-maker to understand this complexity, to grasp the role he/she is playing in this global world, and to improve his/her ability to make ethical decisions.
The purpose of this course is to allow students to enhance this ability by providing them with a pragmatic framework that they can use to identify, analyze, and resolve ethical issues in business decision making. Students will also learn how to deal with conflicts between their personal values and those of the organization. They will finally consider the specific ethical issues they may be confronted with when interacting with the various stakeholders of the corporation.
Part 1: Understanding Business Ethics (BE)
Class 1: Introducing Business Ethics (V. Xhauflair)
Introduction to the concept: morals vs ethics
What is an ethical dilemma?
Why is business ethics important?
Class 2: The corporation as part of a wider society (V. Xhauflair)
Business ethics and the law
Globalization and grey areas
The stakeholder theory and the stakeholders mapping
Class 3: Framing Business Ethics and Making Decisions (S. Mertens)
Introduction to key normative ethical theories which can be applied to business ethics problems
A pragmatic lens to addressing ethical problems in the business world
Class 4: Managing business ethics (S. Mertens)
Business ethics management tools
Types of stakeholder relationships
Ethics vs Compliance
Class 5: Social Accounting and Reporting (S. Mertens)
Standards of ethical behaviors (codes of ethics)
Assessing and reporting ethical performance
Class 6: The Responsibilities of the Firm (V. Xhauflair)
A look back at Friedman's viewpoint
An overview of the corporation's role in the framework of different approaches: corporate social responsibility, shared value, philanthropy
Part 2: Contextualising BE
Class 7: Shareholders (S. Mertens)
Corporate governance and ethical issues
Shareholders and globalization
Shareholding for sustainability (socially responsible investment, rethinking corporate ownership)
Class 8: Employees (V. Xhauflair)
Ethical issues in human resources management
Employees participation
Class 9: Consumers and Civil Society (S. Mertens)
Ethical issues in marketing
Ethical challenges in the global marketplace
Consumer sovereignty and sustainable consumption
Ethical issues and Civil Society Organisations as stakeholders
Relations between CSO and businesses : charity, collaboration, enterprise or regulation ?
Social enterprises
Learning outcomes of the learning unit
Objectives of the course:
- Examine and assess the social and natural environments within which moral issues in business arise
- Introduce core business ethics issues and ethical concepts relevant to resolving moral issues in business
- Present different analytical frameworks used to address ethical dilemmas
- Apply these frameworks to case studies and identify ethical issues specific to business and stakeholders
- Discuss the relevance and resolution of ethical concerns in the management of companies
Learning outcomes of the course:
In coherence with the Intended Learning Outcomes of the Master in Business Engineering 120 ECTs, the course will enable students to:
- Tackle some ethical dilemmas they might face in their professional life
- Critically think about concrete cases
- Understand different ethical framework and tools that will help them to address ethical issues
- Based on case studies of ethical issues, assess, discuss and develop reasoning on these issues
This course contributes to the following Intended Learning Outcomes :
- ILO-5: Capacity to research autonomously and methodically the information needed to solve a complex, transversal management problem,
- ILO-6: Integrate autonomously researched information, tools, knowledge and context to build and propose, either individually or as part of a team, original, creative and viable solutions to concrete complex management problems whether real or simulated.
- ILO 7: Providing concrete solutions to a management problem, integrating modelization methods and/or a dimension of technology, innovation or production.
- ILO-11: Developing a critical sense (arguing)
- ILO-12: Developing a transversal, global vision
- ILO-16: Faced with a management problem, suggesting solutions that are ethical and socially responsible and that respect the principles of good governance.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills
no prerequisite
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
Classes will include
- Theoretical and conceptual presentations by the teacher, using powerpoint slides
- Empirical illustrations, brought by the teacher, in the form of case studies, videos, testimonials, etc.
- Open-discussions linking theoretical contributions and field-related data
Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning)
This course is delivered face-to-face fully in English and requires active participation of all the students.
Recommended or required readings
The course is based on the textbook Business Ethics (3rd edition), by Andrew Crane and Dirk Matten, 2010, Oxford University Press
A dozen of textbooks can be borrowed at the ULg libraries.
Other relevant resources, including powerpoints presented during classes, will be provided by the teachers via Lol@
Assessment methods and criteria
During each class, students are expected to discuss the topics, analyze case studies and related issues, and evaluate the situations described.
For classes 7-8-9, students (in sub-groups) will have to read and prepare the case studies preliminary to the course sessions. Each group will have to prepare a summary of the case analysis answering the study questions asked by the teachers.
The final exam will be a written exam, comprising open questions related to the business ethics theoretical concepts and the application of these concepts to case studies
The final grade will decomposed as follows:
- 80%: final exam (individual exam)
- 20%: in class participation (attendance to classes, preparation of case studies for classes 7-8-9, participation in group discussions during classes)
Work placement(s)
Organizational remarks
Course schedule
Q1 - Mondays- 1-4 pm
Contacts
Virginie Xhauflair v.xhauflair@ulg.ac.be
Sybille Mertens smertens@ulg.ac.be