University of San Diego
School of Business
ETLW 302D 11:15-12:10 MWF
Business and Society
Fall
2017
Professor Richard
E. Custin, J.D., LL.M.
Email: rcustin@sandiego.edu
Coronado 216
Office Hours- M 9:00-11 A. M. and WF
9:30-11 A.M. and as arranged
(619) 260-4854
Course
Description:
This course examines principles of social responsibility,
ethics, law, and stakeholder theory as they apply to organizations domestically
and abroad. Coverage includes business ethics; individual versus societal
interests; labor and employment issues; consumer protection; discrimination and
diversity; the natural environment; politics, public policy, and government
regulation of business. Particular attention is given to developing moral
reasoning skills. Prerequisite: MGMT 300.
Course
Objectives:
As
a result of this course, you will be able to:
1.
Reflect on and evaluate your own ethical
decisions, actions, and practices, as well as your obligations as a morally
responsible agent.
2.
Describe and analyze key ethical concepts (e.g.,
justice, happiness, the good, moral value, virtue, dignity, rights, equality,
etc.) as they apply to organizations.
3.
Reason ethically by drawing on major ethical
theories and traditions (e.g., virtue ethics, feminist ethics, Catholic social
thought, deontological ethics, consequentialist theories, etc.) or the values
grounding those traditions (e.g., autonomy, utility, etc.) to normatively
assess individual, professional, and institutional decisions.
4.
Analyze a contemporary ethical issue from
multiple perspectives, including identifying potential biases on the basis of
social location (e.g., historical, cultural, gender, racial, economic,
religious, ability, etc.).
5.
Develop, articulate, and defend a well-reasoned
judgment on a particular ethical issue in business, demonstrating nuance and
ambiguity, as well as clarity and precision, in your thinking and writing about
moral problems, concepts, and ideals.
6.
Illustrate the importance of stakeholders to
decision making via stakeholder mapping.
7.
Identify and formulate effective diversity,
ethics and corporate social responsibility policies.
8.
Debate the benefits and costs of globalization
with regard to the population of the world at the Base of the Pyramid.
Key topics to be covered this semester
are:
The relationship between ethics, morality
and law
Key ethical concepts as related to
organizations- discrimination, diversity, equal pay, minimum wage, affirmative
action
Major ethical theories- consequentialism,
Kantian deontology, natural law and virtue ethics
Contemporary ethical issues from multiple
perspectives
The importance of stakeholders-
stakeholder mapping- defined benefit and defined contribution retirement plans,
workers compensation and unemployment compensation
Effective diversity policies- disparate
impact (4/5 rule) and disparate treatment, crisis management, peacemaking, alternative
dispute resolution, arbitration and mediation
Globalization and international law- the
Base of the Pyramid
Catholic Social Thought is a
rich heritage of wisdom and a living tradition of the Church's commitment to
work for a just and peaceful society. Concerned about the moral quality of
social life, this tradition expresses the Church's understanding of society and
continuously explores the social demands of the Catholic faith. Source: https://www.sandiego.edu/cst/
Required
Course Materials: (must be obtained in advance of first day of class- must also
complete first day assignment)
Cihon and Castagnera, Employment and
Labor Law, 9E, Cengage Learning
(978-1-305-58002-2)
Previous, custom or electronic editions
are not acceptable. You may not “share”
a book with another student in the class.
Course
Requirements and Student Evaluation:
Attendance:
We expect that students will
attend all scheduled classes. Please do not enter the classroom
late. If you arrive late and the
class is in session, please do not knock on the door or otherwise interrupt the
discussion or activity. Please wait until the next break time to enter the
classroom.
Participation:
Active participation is the key
to success in this course. You must
bring your text to each class meeting.
No exceptions. You must be
prepared to discuss each case that is assigned for reading and study. You are encouraged to participate in class
and on the class blog.
Caveat:
You must be prepared to discuss
the material assigned and the cases in the required text. In the event you are
unprepared for any class question or case discussion your overall cumulative
grade points may be reduced five points for each instance you are
unprepared. We need your active
participation.
I may contact you via e-mail with information concerning
class cancellations, assignments, due dates and supplemental reading. An e-mail message created and sent to you
creates a presumption that the e-mail was received and read by you. Please check your e-mail regularly!
No make-up examinations will be provided.
No assignments will be accepted after
the announced due date.
Please remember to silence your
cell phone during class. No computers or
other electronic devises are permitted during class lecture or discussion. Unauthorized use of any electronic device during
an examination will result in a failing grade.
Please do not request a specific
grade or advise the instructor that you need a grade to maintain a scholarship
or for some other reason. Requesting a
grade or attempting to influence the instructor concerning grading constitutes
professional misconduct.
Unless approved in writing by the
instructor, any audio or video recording of the lecture or class discussions is
strictly prohibited.
Unless expressly provided by the
instructor, you may not submit assignments as electronically or as attachments. Please retain copies of all written
assignments you submit.
Grading:
Scale: A+ 100-97, A
96-92, A-91-90, B+89, B 88-82, B-80-81, C+ 79, C 78-72, C-71-70, D+ 69, D
68-62, D- 61-60, less than 60=F
3 tests - 40% - Multiple Choice
Final Examination- Essay and/or multiple choice- Comprehensive
- 40%
Class Participation and Professionalism- 10%
Individual and Group Assignments- 10%
Important: Earning a grade of A or A- in the course also
requires that you were prepared for each class meeting, maintained
professionalism at all times, completed all class assignments and actively
participated in class discussions.
Statement
on Academic Integrity:
“All members of the University community share the
responsibility for maintaining an environment of academic integrity since
academic dishonesty is a threat to the University. Acts of academic dishonesty
include: a) unauthorized assistance on an examination; b) falsification or
invention of data; c) unauthorized collaboration on an academic exercise; d)
plagiarism; e) misappropriation of resource materials; f) any unauthorized
access of an instructor's files or computer account; or g) any other serious
violation of academic integrity as established by the instructor.”
School
of Business Administration Mission Statement:
To develop socially
responsible business leaders with a global outlook through academically
rigorous, relevant, and values-based education and research.
Disclaimer
The lectures, discussions, assignments, personal interaction
and all educational activity are information and not legal advice. If you need legal, tax or any other
professional advice, consult a licensed attorney or other qualified
professional. The Professor is not
providing legal or other representation to any student. No attorney client privilege is intended or
implied.
