BUSINESS ETHICS AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
MGMT 3100
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Dennis Wittmer
Department of Management
Daniels College of Business
CLASS HOURS: 1:00-2:50 MW
COMMUNICATIONS: 871-2431 (office)
871-2294 (FAX)
dwittmer@du.edu
OFFICE HOURS: M-Th 12:00-1:00 and by appointment
COURSE MATERIALS: Customized Coursepack and online modules
Purpose and Nature of Course
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to ethical concepts, theories and
issues as they relate to business and managerial decision making. Business organizations
operate in a social and ethical environment, and managers make decisions with moral
import and consequences. Thus consideration of ethics and the social responsibilities of
business are relevant both for effective managing and for businesses properly fulfilling
their function(s) in the larger society.
This is, then, a course in applied ethics. A primary focus will be specific issues
related to business and managerial decision making. The course is also designed to
introduce students to more general approaches or ways of thinking about ethics, and
students will grapple with some of the basic and fundamental problems of ethics.
Corporate and individual decision making are influenced by various other factors
besides rational, normative ethical arguments. We shall examine some of these influences
on decision making and policy formation.
Objectives
It is hoped that students will increase their knowledge, competency, and skill in
several ways.
(1) Ethical and Social Responsibility Sensitivity. Students should be better able
to recognize the ethical aspects of problems and decision making situations in
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business. Students should also increase their awareness of the how business
connects to the larger community through socially responsible programs and
community involvement.
(2) Analytical Skills. Students will be exposed to various frameworks and theories
that are useful in analyzing and assessing ethical situations. Thus, students should
be more able to arrive at ethical and socially responsible solutions to business issues
and problems.
(3) Management and Organizational Implementation. Students should also
become more aware of organizational and managerial strategies in facilitating
ethical and socially responsible decision making. Issues related to organizational
structure, organizational climate, formal codes of conduct are examples to be
discussed.
While ethical issues will vary with specific problem areas, there are common issues
and problems, regardless of the kind of business relationship (e.g. consumer relationships,
employee relationships or relationships to the environment), the particular functional area
(e.g. marketing, production, accounting, or human resource management), or the particular
issue (e.g. deceptive advertising, employee drug testing, computer privacy, or
environmental protection). We shall attempt to discover the commonalties as well as
differences in such problems.
Class Procedures and Conduct
The nature of this course requires extensive discussion and the give-and-take of
ideas. While there will be some lecture and presentation of material by the professor,
much of the class time will be devoted to large and small group discussion. Thus class
attendance and participation are considered critical to the success of the course. Students
must assume responsibility for reading material and preparing cases prior to class.
Grading and Evaluation
Grading is a feedback mechanism, based on both effort and performance. Final
letter grades will based on the following distribution and weighting:
Cooperative Exams (2 x 20%) 40%
Expert Role/ Report 20%
Company and Service Learning Report 25%
Class Participation 15%
GRADING SCALE:
A 94-100
A- 90-93
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B+ 87-89
B 83-86
B- 80-82
C+ 77-79
C 73-76
C- 70-72
D+ 67-69
D 63-66
D- 60-62
F < 60
Final averages will be rounded to the nearest whole digit.
Cooperative Learning Exams. In order to foster shared responsibility for learning
with individual accountability, two exams will be given. Each exam will cover material
since the previous exam. Exams will be objective multiple choice and true/false
questions, testing understanding of fundamental concepts, application of concepts and
frameworks, and material from class discussion. Each exam will first be taken
individually. Then students will take the same exam as a group. The total score for each
individual will be the total of their individual and group score, weighted 50/50.
Expert Roles. The purpose of the expert roles is to give students the opportunity to
research an issue in terms of management practice, including an international perspective.
This role goes beyond the readings and cases assigned to the class. The experts will be
prepared to provide information and analysis, much as one might be asked to do on the
job.
To prepare for the expert role students will:
• Use available technologies to research the topic and expert area. Some of these
resources include, the Web, Lexis/Nexis, Penrose Library electronic databases,
and government documents online through the Internet.
• As applicable, make personal contacts with professional groups, industry
associations, or individual firms and their managers. These contacts can provide
information about current practices, the public policy environment, and strategic
approaches to deal with the issue.
Students will be assigned to teams of three. Teams will pick a topic from those
assigned after determining an order of selection based on lottery. The teams will prepare a
written management report of approximately 5 pages single spaced, plus a reference page
of sources. The report is due the day the topic is assigned for class. The report should be
submitted through digital drop box and should include on the report the members of the
team. The report will be a summary of the findings for the special area researched. . This
report should be prepared as though this were a management report in a work setting.
There should be a clear introduction, stating the focus and purpose of the report, as well as
a brief summary of what will be covered in the report. Develop a logical flow in the
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report, separating out sections with headings. The report should also include a set of
managerial recommendations from the research at the end of the report.
Included at the end of the report should be a detailed list of the particular sources
used in gathering the information. As a general guide, the report should include
approximately ten sources. This should include citations, electronic databases, Web sites,
contacts with agencies and organizations, and relevant legal cases. Students should use the
APA style and the Guidelines for Internet References (the userid and password is CMC).
Any ideas and concepts drawn from outside sources must be cited or referenced in the text
using the APA style guidelines.
The experts should also be prepared to provide a brief oral report during the case
discussion. Each expert team will have approximately 15 minutes to present the results of
their research, as though they were presenting the information to a management team.
Experts may present the results in a format of their choice, using handouts, or Powerpoint
slides, or other approaches as they find most useful.
The written and oral reports will be evaluated on:
• Depth and breadth of information and analysis
• Currency and relevance of information
• Managerial utility
• Organization and structure
• Clarity and coherence of presentation
• Adequate and proper methods of citation to references and authority.
Company Report and Service Learning Report. In order to apply the various
topics and issues to specific companies, students (in teams) will prepare a brief report
(10-12 pages double-spaced) on the policies and practices of a company chosen by
students. The report will also include a summary of their service learning activity and
analysis. The report should include a summary of any ethics codes and policies of the
company, specific issues covered in class (e.g. workplace privacy or discrimination),
typical ethical issues in the industry, and community and social responsibility policies and
practices (e.g. philanthropy or community service programs). Students are encouraged to
use information from Web pages, public documents, and interviews with employees and
management. The report will also include a summary and analysis of their related service
learning activity. The idea for the service learning component is to give students hands-on
experience with community organizations supported by business. Students are asked to
select a community organization that is supported by the business chosen for research.
Students are asked to contribute about one day of service to the organization and reflect on
their experience. See “Format for Reports” for a more detailed outline of topics and issues
to be researched.
Participation. The class is structured to create an environment that allows for an open
exchange of perspectives on the case and issues involved. The cases and issues lend
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themselves to multiple perspectives and often conflicting points of view. Courtesy in
listening and responding to other perspectives is required by everyone. Yet, critical
analysis of ideas and strategies is also deemed an important aspect of learning. Thus
critical analysis and professional courtesy and respect are considered compatible. A
fundamental objective is to become more equipped to recognize and respond to the ethical
and community aspects of managerial issues.
Class sessions will include a discussion of cases. Students are expected to be
prepared to summarize (1) the basic facts of the case; (2) the ethical and social issues
involved in the case; (3) identification of alternatives for action; (4) application of the
assigned readings and concepts; (5) recommendations for action; (6) and relevant plans of
implementation for the individual and organization.
For evaluation purposes quality as well as quantity will be considered in evaluating
individual class participation. Indeed, given the number of students, quality becomes the
most important element of case discussion. Quality class discussion includes contributions
that:
• make useful distinctions.
• provide creative and insightful analysis or recommendations.
• apply concepts and principles from the assigned readings.
• augment the discussion with material and examples from outside research or
personal experience.
• advance the analysis and discussion by synthesizing previous comments.
Evaluation will consider both frequency and quality, including contributions to
online discussion threads. A rough metric for grading is:
A = ongoing quality contributions in nearly all classes
B = solid but limited contributions in most classes
C= very little contribution to classes but attends class
D = misses most classes
F = does not attend class
Academic Integrity. It is the intent of the Daniels College of Business and the
University of Denver to operate in an atmosphere of intellectual honesty and behavior that
would set the highest standards in the business community. We expect professional
behavior from every class member, including adherence to the Honor Code of the
University of Denver. This includes (among other things): being prepared for each class,
turning in assignments on time, showing respect and consideration for all members of the
learning community, and avoiding academic dishonesty of any sort. Violations of our
standards of honesty and of professional behavior can result in an \"F\" in the course,
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referral to the Office of Citizenship and Community Standards, and a recommendation for
dismissal from the university
Consistent with the DCB Code of Academic Integrity, the teaching philosophy of the
class is grounded in the notion of a learning community. As such, the instructors and
students share the responsibility to help each other grow and develop in our understanding
of business issues and business decisions.
Final Exam. The final exam for this course is Monday, November 21st. This exam is
scheduled according to the University fall schedule for final exams. Except for emergency
situations, no exceptions from this scheduled time can be made.
Finally, the instructor reserves the right to revise this syllabus, in necessary, in order
to accomplish more effectively the goals of the course.
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