Business Ethics in the 21st Century

Course Description

Ethical decisions in business are everywhere. Managers and leaders, ideally, choose the moral right versus the moral wrong all the time. Organizations have learned that the costs of unethical actions can be high, both legally, and from the perspective of brand image and reputation. This introductory-level course introduces the major ethical frameworks in business and seeks to give learners a strong foundation in ethical business practices, whether as individuals, as a leaders, or as stewards of the organization. This course reviews how organizations can establish and encourage an ethical culture while monitoring for compliance.

Learning Outcomes

After completing this course, the learner should be able to:

• Describe the major ethical frameworks used in developing business ethics
• Explain the three components of the Ethical Triangle: Individual Ethics, Leadership Ethics, and Governance and Control
• Discuss key ethical challenges in the workplace
• Describe the use of organizational ethics codes
• Outline the ethical issues involved in the employer-employee relationship including Employment at Will, due process and fairness
• Discuss the use of ethics training
• Explain how organizations monitor ethical performance
• Describe the relationship between Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and ethics
• Outline issues involving corporate governance
• Explain how sustainability is an ethical concern
• Discuss ethics and the regulatory environment (Sarbanes-Oxley Act; U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act)
• Explain the issues around whistleblowing
• Describe the role of leadership in establishing an ethical culture