SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT

ANDALAS UNIVERSITY
PADANG

Office: School of Management

Andalas University
Telp/fax. 0751 73530

Course Outline
Business Ethic
Semester II, Academic Year 2013/2014

COURSE DESCRIPTION
Business ethics is the moral analysis of business activity and practices. In
business ethics, we consider business actions and decisions in the light of
moral principles and values, and ask whether ethical motives in business
activity would make business better and more successful.
Among the considerations included in this course is the question about
whether any ethical values are already implied in business and market
activity, or whether introducing ethics into business will cause
fundamental changes to business. In addition, we want to assess how
business does and should affect our individual and social lives, and ask
what role business and its values (could) play in our society as a whole.
Further, we will examine issues and conflicts that typically arise in
business that have moral aspects to them, such as the way employers
treat their employees, employees their employers, and the ways
businesses treat their competitors, their customers, their society, and
even their environment. Finally, we will consider the practical question of
whether a (morally) good life can be lived by those who wholehearted
devote themselves to business success. These matters all center on
questions about human action and the good life.
Our principle focus in this course will be
the understanding and appreciation of a way of life in which money and
profits play an important but certainly not exclusive role. At times this
course will engage in constructive criticism of business life and practices;
however its predominant focus will not be business' failures or evils, but
rather its purposes and roles in society, the activities these purposes and
roles define, the relationship these have and should have to our social
community and to each of our lives.

COURSE OBJECTIVES
The general goals of this course are:

To examine the role and purpose of ethics in business

To present methods of moral reasoning, case analysis, and of

resolving ethical dilemmas

To present the ethical values considered especially relevant to

business activityrespect for human dignity, honesty, fairness, and
the development of trust.

To present the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility, and

explore its relevance to ethical business activity

To investigate the ethical obligations and ethical ideals present in

the relationship between employers and employees

To investigate whether ethics sets any boundaries on competition,

marketing, sales, and advertising

To consider any moral obligations of businesses to the environment

and to people in other countries

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students taking this course will learn to:

identify the moral questions that business activity specifically

creates

distinguish between ethical and other types of values

recognize ethical considerations and values relevant to business

activity

evaluate common beliefs about ethicsespecially common beliefs

about the role of ethics in business

reflect on the nature of business, realize alternatives models for

conducting business

apply moral reasoning to specific situations and defend the

conclusions of that reasoning

evaluate the ethics of particular business decisions and general

practices in business

appreciate the role of ethics in business and social life

LECTURE/WHOLE GROUP SESSIONS

This course will consist of one hour of lecture and half hour of Group
Discussion during each of the scheduled weeks. There are 16 lecture
sessions (including mid term exam) commencing in Teaching Week 1. The
lectures will be held once a week on Friday from 14.00 to 15.30 PM W
Week
1

Topic

Reading

Syllabus, Learning Contract

An Overview of Business Ethics

Ethical Issues in Business

Applying Moral Philosophies to Business Ethics

Ethics in The Marketplace

6
7

A framework for Understanding

Decision making in Business
Presentation

Midterm Exam

Organizational Culture and Ethical Decision

10

The

Ethic

of

Consumer

Ethical

Production

and

Chapter 1
Ferrel
Chapter 2
Ferell
Chapter 3
Ferell
Chapter 4
Velasquez
Chapter 5
Ferell

Chapter 6
Ferell
Chapter 6

11

Marketing
The Individual in The Organization (HRM)

12

Business Ethic in The Global Economy

13

Corporate Social Responsibilty

14
15

Business Ethics and Organizational

Performance
Presentation

16

Final Exam

Velasquez
Chapter 8
Velasquez
Chapter 9
Ferell
Chapter 4
Ferell
Chapter 10
Ferell

CONSULTATION

Teaching staff are there to assist you. All staff members have set consultation times
during which you may see them without making an appointment. Consultation
outside of these times is by appointment only. If you have questions or points
that require clarification, you may visit during consultation times, phone
(081266221889),
or email (dr_yolanda@yahoo.com) to discuss questions during the semester. If staff
members are unavailable, leave a message with your name and telephone number
or send them an email.
RESOURCES REQUIRED AND REFERENCES

Ferrel and Fraedrich (2002), Business Ethics, Ethical Decision Making

and Cases, 5th edition, Houghton Mifftin Company

Velasquez, G., Manuel (2002), Business Ethics: Concepts and Cases,

Prentice Hall.

Assessment details
A student's final grade in the course will be determined by the following assessment.
Assessmen
Individual/
Date or
Form of Assessment
Weighting
t Item
Group
Due date
Case Study
Presentation
Mid Term
Exam

Group
Individual

Final Exam

Individual

Participation

Individual

Power Point and Report

Close book Essay
question
Close book Essay
question
Attendance &
Participation

25%
30%

30%
15%