Business Ethics

Duration

18h Th

Number of credits

Lecturer

Virginie Xhauflair

Language(s) of instruction

English language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the second semester

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

Course rationale:




Each day, news spotlights unethical behaviors in organizations. In response to numerous scandals and controversies, the business world cannot ignore the « ethical phenomenon » anymore. Notions such as corporate social responsibility, conscious capitalism, shared value, etc. confirm this tendency. Besides conceptual discussions, the ethical phenomenon also refers to material organizational engagements. The implementation of particular management tools (certification, standardization, ethical codes) reminds us of the sometimes concrete embodiment of the ethical question. Decision-making, influence and resistance strategies on the other hand highlight its social nature.
 
The purpose of this course is to allow students to capture the threefold nature (conceptual, organizational and social) of the ethical phenomenon. It is indeed crucial for each decision-maker to understand this complexity, grasp the role he/she is playing in this global world as well as the social dynamics that he will experience within the workplace. By paying attention to firm responsibilities as well as the desirability of certain businesses practices or regulations, students will also learn how to deal with inescapable philosophical debates and assumptions.
 
Detailed course outline:
 

• Business Ethics : An introduction
• Societal questions : What society are we in?
• The nature of corporations responsibilities : Putting on the Business-Society Relations lenses
• Ethics as Philosophical Theories : The theoretical plurality of ethics theories
• Ethics as Organizational Equipment : The organizational responses to ethical concerns
• Ethics as Social Engagement : Influence and Power in the Workplace
• Reflexivity : Ethically-inspired practices within Organizations

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

The course will enable students to 
 

• assess, discuss and develop argumentative and reasoning aptitudes
• develop their moral, reflexive and problem-making competencies - in particular for business activities
• understand different ethical framework and tools that will help them to address ethical issues 
• support investigative or inquiry skills

• ILO-4 : To acquire the capacity to research autonomously and methodically the information needed to solve a complex, transversal management problem, 
• ILO-5 : 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, taking into account, when necessary, the human, social and legal context.
• ILO-7 : Being capable of professional team work
• ILO-9 : Developing a critical sense (arguing)
• ILO-10 : Developing a transversal, global vision 
• ILO-14: 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

none required

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Due to the size of the group, classes will be mostly taught ex-cathedra, using online educational tools to boost interactivity with students
 

• Theoretical and conceptual presentations by the teacher, using powerpoint slides
• Empirical illustrations, brought by the teacher, in the form of case studies, videos, testimonials of invited experts, etc.
• Group works

Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning)

This course is delivered face-to-face fully in English and requires a good level of English.

Recommended or required readings

The course is based on diverse theoretical material, mainly published scientific articles. The portfolio will be given throughout the course as some works require students to look for some theoretical material themselves.

Assessment methods and criteria

• Each class period students will be expected to discuss the topics, analyze related issues, evaluate the situations described in cases and participate notably via online interactive exercises.
  
• Students will be evaluated based on three groups works. The first assignment will focus on firms' responsibilities (45%). As regards the second assignment, students will defend the morale (in-)desiderability of one particular business practice or regulation (40%). Along course, each group is also expected to build an intellectual logbook (15%).

Work placement(s)

Organizational remarks

The course is organized during Q2. 
+- 12 classes of 1h30 or 2h
Scheduled on Monday morning, in room Noppius, building Opera:
February, 5 to March, 19: 11h30-13h
March, 26 to May, 7: 10h-12h

Contacts

Virginie Xhauflair (B33 - Trifac) 
v.xhauflair@uliege.be