2017/18 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue

IDEA5281M Business Ethics

15 creditsClass Size: 30

Module manager: Dr Elizabeth Ellis
Email: e.a.ellis@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: 1 Mar to 31 May View Timetable

Year running 2017/18

Pre-requisite qualifications

Same as for Executive MBA:
Undergraduate degree 2:1 and 3 years management experience
OR
Significant management experience

This module is mutually exclusive with

IDEA5280M

Business Ethics

This module is not approved as an Elective

Module summary

This module is taught entirely online. At the end of each unit, students will discuss the issues raised with each other and the facilitator in an online discussion forum. Contributions to the discussion forums are made over one week and are asynchronous, i.e. students can post at any time of day to best fit the work around their other commitments. The module is taught on the VLE. Technical support is available if you have any issues.

Objectives

'Business ethics' is often ridiculed as an oxymoron. If this were so then those working in business would face an alarming fragmentation between their personal life and their business or professional life. In personal life they would adhere to a set of ethical values but at work they might be required to compromise them because 'business is business'.

This module examines whether such compartmentalisation is really necessary, and more positively what exactly the relation of ethics to business life is, across a wide range of activities. Whilst it focuses on business a number of the issues it raises might arise in a much wider range of corporate or working environments, from health service management, to prisons, to Universities.

Learning outcomes
On completion of this module, students should have an ability to:

• understand key ethical concepts and their application to business organizations, as well as the significance of ethical reasoning and practice within business, the corporate sector, and professions;
• critically analyse competing theories of business ethics;
• analyse and defend/justify ethical judgements
• critique and evaluate existing practice of a real business, industry or profession, offer and justify recommendations for improvement

Skills outcomes
Ethical reasoning skills

Syllabus

Topics may include:

• What is the purpose of business? What is the relationship between business and ethics?
• CSR and the responsibilities of business
• Supply chain ethics, fair pricing and exploitation
• Business and the environment/sustainability
• The ethics of advertising
• Ethics in the financial sector
• HR ethics
• International business ethics
• Bribery and corruption
• Corporate espionage

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
On-line Learning	8	2.00	16.00
Independent online learning hours			44.00
Private study hours			90.00
Total Contact hours			16.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			150.00

Private study

Required and further reading of set texts (not included in independent online learning element), preparation for assessment.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

The online discussion groups are facilitated and students receive feedback on their discussions as the course progresses over 8 weeks.
Students will be given the opportunity to submit essay plans for feedback.
Students will receive feedback on their coursework essay.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Essay	3,000 word essay	70.00
Literature Review	Annotated Bibliography	20.00
Group Discussion	8 online discussions	10.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

This module is one of two options for the executive MBA. The other option requires a coursework essay of 5,000 words. This module requires a coursework essay of 3,000 words (70%), an annotated bibliography (20%) and contributions to group discussions (10%). I believe this to be equivalent. The annotated bibliography is due before the essay to allow students to benefit from formative feedback. Group discussion - At a bare minimum participants will be expected to contribute 200 words per discussion, and most will contribute more. Group discussions cannot be re-sat. Students whose participation is not sufficient for a pass may re-sit by writing an additional 1,500 word coursework essay. The group discussion assessment is particularly valuable as it will encourage active participation from high flying managers who will often be very busy while undertaking this part time online course, as well as fostering a collegiate online learning environment.

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 06/04/2017

Disclaimer

Browse Other Catalogues

• Undergraduate module catalogue
• Taught Postgraduate module catalogue
• Undergraduate programme catalogue
• Taught Postgraduate programme catalogue

Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team.PROD