MBA 776 Business Ethics and Society

MBA 776 Business Ethics and Society

Andrew Gustafson, Ph.D.

COBA 423 phone: 402-669-9846 email: andrewgustafson@creighton.edu

COURSE DESCRIPTION
In this course we will consider the relationships between business and society, considering the ethical questions and implications involved. My goal is to help you become more immersed in the local business community through off-campus visits and explorations of various business-community partnerships in Omaha. An important part of this class is the service learning component, by which we become more aware both of inequities in society, and practically develop an awareness and even relationships to help us begin to nurture business practices which are socially alert. We will also hold a number of our classes off-site at various locations around the city, bringing us into the businesses themselves

Objectives: In this course you will integrate readings, service experiences, classroom activities, discussions, and writings to:
1. Further your conceptual understanding of basic business/society concepts and ideas, e.g., corporate social responsibility, social innovation, etc., and apply them to relevant social issues, i.e., economic justice, poverty, underemployment
2. Foster a paradigm or worldview that includes sensitivity to the least advantaged,
3. Foster your comprehension, analytic, and reflection skills,
4. Achieve greater self-knowledge about your personal values and your business values

5. Become aware of the ways in which business can have positive impact on society and culture

6. Become aware of the socially responsible activities going on in Omaha’s Business Community

Books for MBA 776

Management Ethics by Norman Bowie and Patricia Werhane (Wiley) ISBN# 978-06-31214731

Business Ethics: Perspectives on Corporate Responsibility by Pelton and True (Houghton Mifflin) ISBN#0-618-52861

Requirements:

Attend/Participate 3 hours classtime per week, 1 hour online learning (always 4 hours per week total)
Participate in weekly online discussion of topic (2 thoughtful paragraph + postings per person per week on the readings, first one by Saturday P.M.)
Leadership: Provide questions, prompting, leadership for E-group discussion on week’s topic

3 people per week will do this
These people will provide questions on blackboard on Thursday so others can respond.

Class Overview/Summary paper (My reflections on this business ethics class) 2-3p
Final Paper (7-10pg) On particular business ethics topic with 5+ actual sources and 10+ further research sources (where you would suggest we go to learn more about the topic).
Term Group Project Presentation: Variable content, but must be on the topic of business ethics as it relates to a. culture and society in Omaha b. philanthropy c. Ethics in Business in General (multi-issue) d. particular professional ethical issues (accounting ethics) e. interviewing business leaders For presentation, you should use powerpoint or photostory to create this project/presentation. 2-3 per group max.

Note On Photos: regardless of what format you use for your presentation, I want you to downsize your photo pixel size so that each picture is not more than 150kb. I recommend that you use bimplite for this reduction. Its quite easy to use, and you can downsize entire folders full of photos at once with its easy features.

Tentative Schedule

1. February 7 Meet on Campus in our regular COBA classroom

Opening, intros

Speaker at 7: Keith Bawolek, EDI developer for Midtown Crossings Project for Mutual of Omaha --

Please Read “History of Business Ethics” at:

http://www.scu.edu/ethics/practicing/focusareas/business/conference/presentations/business-ethics-history.html

2. February 14 Class on Campus

Read: Is there a case for Business Virtue? (Handout)

Also Read: “Framework for Ethical Decision Making” at http://www.scu.edu/ethics/practicing/decision/framework.html

Also: “Can Ethics Be Taught?” at http://www.scu.edu/ethics/practicing/decision/canethicsbetaught.html

Also: “Profitable Business Contributing to the Good of Society”

3. February 21 Omaha Chamber President David Brown, Rob Maglinger, Young Professionals

BE: 37-47; ME: Chapter 1, and look at the Chamber site and view View O! video and O! Public Art Project video

4. February 28 Aksarben, Omaha Foundation

Read: BE: 1-21, ME: Chapter 2,

March 6 SRING BREAK!!!!!!

5. March 13 Mr. Wayne Sensor, CEO, Allegiant Healthcare

Read BE: 22-36; ME Chapter 3, and also “Business Ethics in Healthcare”

March 20 Easter Break!!

6. March 27 First National Bank of Omaha Nick Baxter, General Counsel and Kevin Langin

Read: BE: 51-66; ME Chapter 4 and “Business Ethics In Banking” by C.F. Green

7. April 3 Northrop Grumman with retired Lieutenant General Robert Hinson , Corporate Lead Executive and Sector Vice President and Deputy General

Manager Command and Control Systems Division Northrop Grumman Mission Systems

BE: 66-79; ME Chapter 5

8. April 10 Jay Noddle, Noddle Companies –and check out Aksarben Village Project

BE: 81-89; ME Chapter 6, TBA

9. April 17 Blue Cross Blue Shield and UP

BE: 91-99; ME Chapter 7, TBA

10. April 24 Conagra

ME Chapter 8, TBA

11. May 1st Gallup with Jane Miller, COO

Work on your Projects.

ON CHEATING: Plagiarism and cheating of any kind defeats the learning process. They are grounds for severe disciplinary action. Read the student handbook so you know the repercussions for cheating. I consider the following to be examples of cheating:
a. Not citing your sources when writing journals or papers.
b. Copying material from other sources and representing it as your own work by not putting quotes around other’s words, etc.
Read the student handbook for more details. If you know that someone is cheating but do not take steps to try to stop it, you are also helping to defeat the learning process. Document what you know and talk to someone who can help you decide what to do. The College’s academic honesty policy is at http://cobweb.creighton.edu/05/04/00/index.htm.