Frederick Community College

Frederick Community College

PH208 - Business Ethics

Spring 2012

Class begins: Jan 30

Class ends: May 18

Last Day to withdraw: April 16

Please send your email address to the instructor by the beginning of class.

Course Profile:

This course is offered to the Maryland Online (MOL) member colleges
-   Instruction on the Internet, 15 weeks, spring and fall semesters
-   Four tests, one with photo ID on students' home campus
-   Two mini-research projects (3-4 pages) posted on-line
-   Four on-line discussion topics, student contributions mandatory
-   Two exams

Grades available on-line

Instructor: David Wren

Home #:

651-994-1537

davidjwren@hotmail.com

dwren@frederick.edu

Course Description:

With instruction entirely on the INTERNET, this course provides a general background in Business Ethics for students in all programs of study. It introduces contemporary ethical theory and research in areas such as corporate social responsibility, truth in advertising, self- vs. government-regulation of business, sexual harassment, affirmative action, social and economic justice.

Learning Outcomes: Upon completion of this course

Students will demonstrate college-level communication skills.
-- by demonstrating the ability to understand and interpret selected sets of
materials, such as professional codes of conduct, famous case studies,
landmark court decisions. (I.2)
Students will demonstrate critical thinking skills.
-- by summarizing and analyzing major ethical theories relevant to moral issues
in management, accounting and business decisions, both corporate and
individual. (II.4)
-- by synthesizing ethical frames of reference and relating them to everyday
problems in management, accounting and business. (II.6)
-- by demonstrating the capacity to argue opposing view points. (II.5)
Students will display general knowledge and historical awareness
-- by synthesizing ethical frames of reference and relating them to everyday
problems in management, accounting and business. (III.10)
Students will demonstrate an understanding of and be able to interpret social and educational values.
-- by identifying and and describing a moral point of view. (VII.22)
-- by applying fundamental ethical principles to the construction of cogent
moral arguments. (VII.22)
Students will value the emergence of a multi-cultural society
-- by acknowledge a plurality of cultural and personal values and
-- by demonstrating respect for the right of others to express their viewpoints. (X.30)

Textbooks:

"Business Ethics", by Manuel G. Velasquez, Prentice Hall, 2006, 6th edition

FCC students buy your textbook early in the FCC bookstore on campus!
MOL students call the FCC bookstore (301-846-2463) or go to the bookstore website at http://www.frederick.edu/bookstore/index.cfm?DocumentID=83 to arrange for a credit card purchase and have the text shipped to you.

You can also purchase an E-Book version of the same text at a lower price at http://www.safarix.com/.
They have a free trial period for students.

Methods of Instruction:

This course is taught on the INTERNET. Selected readings, class discussion and the presentation of INTERNET materials will facilitate student learning. Additionally, a variety of on-line research assignments will prompt the student to become a more active learner.

Students with Disabilities
FCC provides reasonable accommodations to otherwise qualified students with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504) and amendments. Students with disabilities who are in need of accommodations must contact the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) office at 301-846-2408 (A Building, Room 106A) in order to request and apply for services. The SSD office will require appropriate documentation of a disability. Questions related to accommodations or services can be directed to the SSD office. Additional information related to services can be viewed at the following FCC web page: http://www.frederick.edu/student_services/disability.aspx.
If you currently receive services from the SSD office, please submit your Student Success Plan to me and make an appointment with me to discuss your accommodations and needs in class. I will hold any information you share with me in strict confidence unless you give me permission to do otherwise.

Grades:

A = 900 - 1000 points
B = 800 - 899 points
C = 700 - 799 points
D = 600 - 699 points
F = below 600 points

Tests:

	percent	points
Midterm Exam, essay	10 %	100
Chapter Practice Quizzes	5 %	50
2 Projects/Case Studies,	25 %	250
Final Exam, essay	10 %	100
4 Discussions, 25 points each	10 %	100
5 Homework Assignments	10 %	100
4 Multiple Choice Tests	20%	200
Participation	10%	100
Total Points		1000

Topical Outline.

Week		Ch	Topic
1.	The Nature of Business Ethics	1	What is Ethics? How does it apply to Management and Business?
2.	The Moral Point of View	1	Kohlberg: Moral Reasoning
3.	Moral Principles in Business	2	Utilitarian theory: J.S.Mill.
4.	A Theory of Justice	2	Kant and John Rawls
5.	Free Market Economies	3	John Locke, Adam Smith
6.	The Mixed Economy	3	The Marxist critique. Free market and welfare.
7.	Competition and Public Policy	4	The moral standards of perfect competition, monopoly, oligopolies.
8.	Midterm Exam	1-4
9.	Business and Environment	5	Environmental deterioration, ethics of control.
10.	Business and Consumers	6	Theories of contract, due care, and social cost
11.	Advertising	6	Advertising, persuasion, deception and manipulation.
12.	Discrimination	7	Forms of discrimination, comparable worth, affirmative action.
13.	The "Rational" Organization of the Company	8	Rights and obligations of employers and employees, working conditions, trade secrets, conflict of interest.
14.	Employee Rights	8	Right to privacy, whistle- blowing, employment-at-will, plant closings, unions.
15.	Final Exam	5-8