PHILOSOPHY 213: Business Ethics

Fall Semester, 2001

Dr. Scott Kimbrough

Office hours: MWF 10:00-11:00, F 11:00-12:00 or by appointment

Office: Council 132

Phone: 745-7118

Direct questions and comments to my .

Resources and Announcements

• Take-home final exam
• Schedule of readings
• Links to sites related to the course
• Issue summary template and list of topics
• Info on papers
• Topics for short paper
• Schedule for research papers
• Tips for writing philosophy papers
• Student research paper summaries

Course Description

The popular joke about business ethics is that the term is an oxymoron. The old joke may seem to have new resonance now that business is conducted on an increasingly international scale. Different nations have different legal and moral traditions, complicating the already difficult task of telling the difference between acceptable and unacceptable business conduct. This course confronts a number of morally and legally thorny issues that arise on both a domestic and international scale. We will examine the arguments raised by partisans of conflicting viewpoints, sorting out the competing interests that motivate them. We will examine ongoing and emerging controversies regarding such topics as the conduct of multi-national corporations, the globalization of the economy, labor rights, environmentalism, and information technology. Our goal in the course is to learn to articulate and defend informed opinions on topics of contemporary concern.

Required Text

D. Adams & E. Maine (eds.), Business Ethics for the 21st Century, Mayfield Publishing Company, 1998.

Course Requirements

• Issue Summaries (10%): About once a week, an approximately one page issue summary will be assigned (assignment list). Issue summaries identify the main parties involved and the major points of contention among them with respect to particular course topics. As a guide in writing your summaries, use the following template. Issue summaries will be graded on a pass/fail basis. The final average for issue summaries will be determined by dividing the number of issue summaries passed by the total number of issue summaries assigned. For example, if ten issue summaries were assigned and only seven were handed in, the final grade would be 70. Because one of the main points of these assignments is to facilitate class discussion, late issue summaries are not accepted.
• Short Paper (15%): One 3-5 page paper is due Monday, September 13th. Class time will be devoted to a discussion of how to write a philosophy paper. You are also encouraged to consult my tips for writing philosophy papers.
• Research paper (25%): The issues we discuss in class have ramifications for major corporations, interest groups, government agencies, national governments, etc. As a result, there is a wealth of material available in both print and electronic media. Each student will sign up for a topic on the research topic list and write a 7-10 page research paper on that topic by the date specified on the topic list.
• Research Report (10%): Each student will give an approximately ten minute oral presentation to the class summarizing the main points of his or her research paper. A one to two page written summary report will also be posted on the course web page.
• Commentary on Research Reports (10%): Each student will be required to post at least three brief (paragraph length) messages to the course web page commenting on the research reports posted by other students. These comments can either criticize or support the research reports. Report authors must also post replies to the comments made on their reports.
• Final Exam (20%): The final exam for the course is comprehensive and essay format.
• Participation and Attendance (10%): Attendance and participation in discussions are expected.

Unpleasant warning:

There is no worse academic sin than plagiarism. Plagiarism consists in copying the work of another, in whole or in part, without citing the source. This warning goes both for print and electronic media. Plagiarized work will receive a zero.

Readings

All readings are from the Adams and Maine text unless otherwise noted.

• 8/31 The canonical view of business social responsibility: pp.28-45 (especially pp.41-45)
• 9/5 Multinational corporations: pp.47-49, pp.71-81 (Donaldson's "Moral Minimums for Multinationals"), pp.105-6 (case scenarios 1 and 2)
• 9/7 Examples of multinational conduct: pp.58-68 (H.R. Fuller case) and handout about Dominica and BHP
• 9/10 Constructing a global business ethic: Caux Round Table Principles for Business and Statement of Core Beliefs
• 9/12 The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act: pp. 49-54, pp.90-98; overview of OECD's international anti-corruption convention
• 9/14-9/17 Economic Globalization/Free Trade: handouts from OECD ("Open Markets Matter") and Public Citizen ("A Citizen's Guide to the WTO") (These publications are also available on the web in pdf format at the following addresses: OECD and Public Citizen.)
• 9/19-9/21 The employment at will doctrine: pp.109-112, 119-127 (articles by Werhane and Maitland)
• 9/24 Temporary employment: pp.133-141 (Steverson)
• 9/26 Unions and permanent replacements: pp.112-113, pp.142-146 (Reich and Warner)
• 9/28-10/1 Hostile Takeovers: pp.147-155 (Newton), pp.164-5 (case scenario 3)
• 10/3 Drug screening: pp.167-172, pp.184-190 (Desjardins & Duska)
• 10/5-10/8 Genetic screening: pp.190-195 (Kupfer)
• 10/10-10/12 Evaluating OSHA: pp.172-174, pp.195-205 (Machan and Daniels)
• 10/15-10/19 Americans with Disabilities Act: pp.225-6, pp.241-254 (Leonard, Clifford & Iuculano), pp.255-258 (Chico Dairy case)
• 10/22 Legal background on affirmative action: pp.226-231, pp.258-262 (Adarand v. Pena)
• 10/24 Arguments for and against affirmative action: pp.262-275 (Ezorsky, Belz, and Purdy)
• 10/26 Legal background on sexual harassment: pp.286-290, pp.317-321 (Ellison v. Brady)
• 10/29 Sexual harassment and hostile environment: pp.321-341 (Wells & Kracher, Feary)
• 10/31 Sexual harassment and privacy: handout
• 11/2 Environmental ethics: pp.456-460, pp.464-480 (Babbitt v. Sweet Home; Baxter; Sagoff)
• 11/5-11/7 Business responsibility: pp.487-504 (Bowie, Hoffman, Guha)
• 11/9 Class canceled
• 11/12 Prospects for the information age: pp.536-544 (Gates, Rifkin)
• 11/14-11/26 Hacking and privacy: pp.525-531, pp.544-550 (Spafford), pp.561-570 (Spinello)
• 11/30 Deceptive advertising: pp.354-358, pp.362-373 (FTC v. Silueta, Preston), pp.406-407 (case scenario 1)
• 12/5-12/7 Advertising and autonomy: pp.358-360, pp.373-386 (Nelson, Lippke)

Issue Summary Topics

• Write issue summaries using the following template.
• Due Monday, 10/22: affirmative action
• Due Friday, 10/5: genetic screening in employment
• Due Wednesday, 9/19: the employment at will doctrine
• Due Wednesday, 9/5: relativism and international business practice

Student Research Paper Summaries for Fall 2001

• Dana Hyland on Pre-employment Drug Screening
  • Commentary by W. Jacob Schultz IV
  • Commentary by Casey Clementz
  • Commentary by Mark Northrup

• Casey Clementz on the Americans with Disabilities Act
  • Commentary by Mark Northrup
  • Commentary by Clay Martin
  • Commentary by Jason Delaneuville

• Matt Kamsler on the Americans with Disabilities Act
  • Commentary by Clay Martin
  • Commentary by Dana Hyland
  • Commentary by Matt Carlin

• W. Jacob Schultz on Affirmative Action in Higher Education
  • Commentary by Rachel Carter
  • Commentary by Irina Gashchenko
  • Commentary by Clay Martin

• Javier Madariaga on Affirmative Action in Private Industry
  • Commentary by Tracie Grime
  • Commentary by Hans Guiscardo
  • Commentary by Martyne Dallman

• Chris Lunn on Affirmative Action in Private Industry
  • Commentary by Robert Brown
  • Commentary by Jason Delaneuville
  • Commentary by Frederick Bacon

• Jared Moses on Hostile Environment Sexual Harassment
  • Commentary by Juanita Barb
  • Commentary by Mark Northrup
  • Commentary by Matt Kamsler
  • Commentary by Martyne Dallman

• Juanita Barb on the Comparative Merit of Sexual Harassment Policies in the United States and France
  • Commentary by Rachel Carter
  • Commentary by Irina Gashchenko
  • Commentary by Shaun McPhillips
  • Commentary by Martyne Dallman

• Hans Guiscardo on Big Business and its Duty to the Environment
  • Commentary by W. Jacob Schultz IV
  • Commentary by Frederick Bacon
  • Commentary by Chris Lunn
  • Commentary by Javier Madariaga

• Jason Delaneuville on Environmental Policy Abroad
  • Commentary by Tracie Grime
  • Commentary by Casey Clementz
  • Commentary by Dana Hyland

• Rob Brown on Environmental Policy Abroad
  • Commentary by Hans Guiscardo
  • Commentary by Dana Hyland
  • Commentary by Matt Carlin

• Mark Northrup on Intellectual Property Rights for Music
  • Commentary by Jared Moses
  • Commentary by Casey Clementz
  • Commentary by Robert Brown

• Tracie Grime on Electronic Privacy
  • Commentary by Rachel Carter
  • Commentary by Robert Brown
  • Commentary by Jason Delaneuville

• Clay Martin on Electronic Privacy
  • Commentary by Jared Moses
  • Commentary by Juanita Barb
  • Commentary by Irina Gashchenko

• Rachel Carter on Intellectual Property Rights for Pharmaceuticals
  • Commentary by Tracie Grime
  • Commentary by Jared Moses
  • Commentary by Matt Kamsler

• Frederick Bacon on Intellectual Property Rights for Pharmaceuticals
  • Commentary by W. Jacob Schultz IV
  • Commentary by Shaun McPhillips

• Martyne Dallman on Right to Work Policy in the U.S. and South Africa
  • Commentary by Matt Kamsler
  • Commentary by Chris Lunn
  • Commentary by Javier Madariaga

• Shaun McPhillips on Free Trade Agreements for Developing Economies
  • Commentary by Chris Lunn
  • Commentary by Javier Madariaga

• Matt Carlin on Free Trade Agreements for Developing Economies
  • Commentary by Martyne Dallman

• Irina Gashchenko on Free Trade Agreements Between Nations with Developed Economies
  • Commentary by Frederick Bacon
  • Commentary by Hans Guiscardo
  • Commentary by Shaun McPhillips

Links

• General information resources
• JU Library Databases, with links to such helpful resources as EBSCOhost and World Marketing Data and Statistics
• University of British Columbia's Centre for Applied Ethics
• The ACLU homepage, with information on such issues as workplace rights
• HR Magazine's article index
• Legal information
• FindLaw, a huge resource on legal issues
• Cornell's Legal Information Institute
• Government agencies
• The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
• The Federal Trade Commission
• The Environmental Protection Agency
• The Occupational Health and Safety Administration
• The Consumer Product Safety Commission
• Global issues
• The World Trade Organization, an international association backing free trade
• The OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development), an international organization committed to "market economy and pluralistic democracy"; OECD Policy Briefs
• OECD Washington Center
• Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD, a private sector organization whose "activities generally reflect the international business community's efforts to reinforce the policy framework for globalisation"
• Corporate Watch site, opposing "corporate rule" by the globalization of free trade
• Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch page, opposing international free trade agreements
• Project Underground's pro-conservation report on BHP's attempt to mine copper in Dominica

Dr. Kimbrough's homepage.