NOTE: PERIODICALLY THERE WILL BE SOME MODIFICATIONS ON THIS PAGE TO THE READINGS FROM THE WALL STREET JOURNAL. THESE MODIFICATIONS ARE INTENDED TO KEEP YOU UP TO DATE ON ISSUES THAT FREQUENTLY ARISE ON AN ALMOST DAILY BASIS IN THE CORPORATE WORLD. I WILL NOTIFY YOU WHEN SUCH MODIFICATIONS ARE MADE.

NOTE ALSO THAT STUDENTS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO READ ALL OF THE MATERIAL LINKED BELOW FROM THE WALL STREET JOURNAL. THESE ARTICLES ARE RESOURCES AND ARE INTENDED TO PROVIDE CASE ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE ISSUES RAISED IN WEEKLY READINGS. THE PROFESSOR WILL GIVE FURTHER GUIDANCE ABOUT THE HELPFULNESS OF THE VARIOUS ARTICLES.

BE = Business Ethics: Ethical Decision Making and Cases (7th Edition) by Ferrell, Fraedrich & Ferrell.

WUC = Wake-Up Calls: Classical Cases in Business Ethics by Newton and Schmidt.

There will be a total of approximately 400 pages of readings for the 12 week course.

Week 1 (May 11): Ethical Theories and Systems.
    Introduction to the unit (Streaming Video --- 2 minutes).

      WUC. Pages xix-xli ["The Discipline of Ethics"].

     BE, Pages 144-171 [Chapter 6, "Individual Factors: Moral Philosophies and Values"].

       Ulrich, LP. "Ethical Systems in Business Ethics."

    Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics: Book 1, Chapter 13.

     Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics: Book  2.

     Kant, Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysic of Morals. [Selection]

     JS Mill, Utilitarianism. "What Utilitarianism Is."
                Kant on Lying [Slides].

    Ulrich, LP. "Ethical Systems in Business Ethics."

Week 2 (May 18): Ethical Principles.
    Introduction to the unit (Streaming Video --- 2 minutes).

        Ulrich, LP. "Ethical Principles in Business  Ethics."

     BE, Pages 144-171 [Chapter 6, "Individual Factors: Moral Philosophies and Values"].

 Week 3 (May 25): The Importance of  Business Ethics.  
       BE, Pages 2-27 [Chapter 1, "The Importance of Business Ethics].
 

Short Essays 1 : Due Date --- Sunday, June 1 - How Important is Business Ethics

Week 4 (June 1): Virtues, Character, and Contemporary Ethical Issues.
 

Introduction to the unit (Streaming Video --- 2 minutes).

    BE, Pages 56-87 [Chapter 3, "Emerging Business Ethics Issues].

    Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics: Book 1, Chapter 13. (Same as Week 1)

     Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics: Book  2. (Same as Week 1)

    "NASDAQ Credo" from The Wall Street Journal, 2/21/02. [Slides]
        Virtues of Managers. [Slide]

        Hume's catalogue of Virtues. [Slide]

        Virtues (Robert Solomon). [Slide] 

  

TD2: Dates: 6/1-6/8 - Integrity and Insider Trading

Week 5 (June 8): Corporate Responsibility: Ethics and the Law.
    BE, Pages 88-118 [Chapter 4, "The Institutionalization of Business Ethics].

 

Short Essay 2 : Due Date --- Monday, June 15 - Compensation for Execs

Week 6 (June 15): Ethics and Corporate Guidance.
    BE, Pages 119-143 [Chapter 5, "Ethical Decision Making and Ethical Leadership"]

   "Integrity: A Statement of PriceWaterHouseCoopers" from The Wall Street Journal, 1/16/03. [1page] 
             Trust [Slides]

    "Tyco's Accounting Practices" from The Wall Street Journal, 12/31/02. (3 pages).

    "Tyco's Conviction" from The Wall Street Journal, 6/17/05.

    American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). (Reference)

   "Executives' Conflict of interest at Sprint" from The Wall Street Journal, 2/10/03.

   "Accounting Conflict of Interest" from The Wall Street Journal, 2/7/03.

   "Sprint Tax Breaks" from The Wall Street Journal, 2/13/03.

   "Ethics and Anderson" from The Wall Street Journal, 3/20/03.

   "U.S. Supreme Court Overturns Anderson Verdict" from The Wall Street Journal, 6/1/05.

    "Bernard Ebbers and Accounting Fraud from The Wall Street Journal, 6/6/03.

    "Staff Accounting Fraud at WorldCom" from The Wall Street Journal, 6/23/03.

    "SEC Settlement for WorldCom is Approved" ($750 Million) from The Wall Street Journal, 7/8/03. 

    SEC v. WorldCom. $750 million Settlement Decision, 7/7/03.

    "Bernard Ebbers Indicted from The Wall Street Journal, 03/03/04.

    "Bernard Ebbers and Uneasy Partnership" The Wall Street Journal, 1/12/05.

    "Bernard Ebbers Conviction" from The Wall Street Journal, 031505.

    "EbbersSentencing" from The Wall Street Journal, 07/14/05.

  

TD3: Dates: 6/15-6/22 - Truthfully Representing Products

Week 7 (June 22): Developing a Corporate Culture.
                               

    Introduction to the unit (Streaming Video --- 2 minutes).
   BE, Pages, 172-202 [Chapter 7, "The Role of Ethical Culture and Relationships"]
    ERESERVE.["The Aircraft Brake Scandal"].

    "The Complex Goals and Unseen Costs of Whistle-Blowing" [The story of Ted Beatty] from The Wall Street Journal, 11/25/02 page A1. (4 pages)

    "Whistleblowing and HealthSouth Fraud" from The Wall Street Journal,  5/20/03.

    "HealthSouth: More Allegations" from The Wall Street Journal, 7/25/03.

    "HealthSouth Legal Defense" from The Wall Street Journal, 02/02/05.

    "HealthSouthScrushyAcquited" from The Wall Street Journal, 06/29/05.

   "HealthSouth Key Events in Scrushy Case" from The Wall Street Journal, 08/26/05.

   "HealthSouth CFO Sentence" from The Wall Street Journal, 08/26/05.

   "HealthSouth Scrushy Bribery Conviction from The Wall Street Journal, 06/30/06.

   "HealthSouth Scrushy Conviction Appeal from The Wall Street Journal, 07/01/06.

   "KPMG Settlement" from The Wall Street Journal, 08/29/05.

   "KPMG Charges" from The Wall Street Journal, 08/30/05.

   "KPMG and Congress" from The Wall Street Journal, 08/30/05.

   "KPMG Tentative Settlement" from The Wall Street Journal, 11/01/05.

   "KPMG Decision Highlights" from The Wall Street Journal, 06/28/06.

    Introduction to Business Leadership (Streaming Video --- 2 minutes).

    ERESERVE. Heath, Eugene. ["Corporate Responsibility"]

Week 8 (June 29): Corporate Responsibility and the Stakeholder Theory.

Introduction to the Unit (Streaming Video --- 2 minutes).

     BE, Pages 28-53  [Chapter 2, "Stakeholder Relationships, Social Responsibility, and Corporate Culture"].

    ERESERVE. Heath, Eugene. ["Corporate Responsibility"]

    Freeman, R. Edward. "A Stakeholder Theory of the Modern Corporation.".

  Week 9 (July 6): Dignity, Respect for Persons, Affirmative Action, and Sexual Harassment.
   

Introduction to the unit (Streaming Video --- 2 minutes).

   ERESERVE. Ezorsky, Gertrude "Moral Perspectives on Affirmative Action."

    ERESERVE. Pojman, Louis."The Moral Status of Affirmative Action.".

    ERESERVE. [Dodds, SM et al. "Sexual Harassment." (12 pages)].

    "Sexual Harassment at Salomon Smith Barney" from The Wall Street Journal, 12/17/02.
     WUC. Pages 71-84 ["Must We Maintain a Friendly Workplace? Sexual Harassment on the Job"].

    

Short Essays 3: Due Date: Monday, July 13 - Either Affirmative Action or Sexual Harassment.

Week 10 (July 13): Business Practices and the Environment.

    Introduction to the unit (Streaming Video --- 2 minutes).

    ERESERVE Heath, Eugene. "Business, Technology, and Environmental Ethics: Western Attitudes to Nature." "Kinds of Environmentalism," "Markets and the Environment," "Protecting the Environment."

    "Information Technology and Privacy" from The Wall Street Journal, 3/7/00.

     "Dupont and Greenhouse Gases" from The Wall Street Journal, 1/16/03.

   "Chemical Manufacturers Elude Crackdown on Toxic Materials." from The Wall Street Journal, 5/21/03.

     WUC. Pages 129-146 ["Who Should Clean Up the Mess? Love Canal and Corporate Responsibility for Old Pollution."].

 

TD5: Dates: 7/13-7/20 - Responsibility of Corporations in Current "Green" Environment.

Week 11 (July 20): Applying Course Concepts to the Global Marketplace; Human Rights as a Foundation.

  Introduction to the unit (Streaming Video --- 2 minutes).

  BE, Pages 260-289 [Chapter 10, "Business Ethics in a Global Economy"].
   ERESERVE. [Facione, PA. "Rights and Duties." (22 pages)].

   Rights [Slides].

   Employees' Rights [Slides].

   UN Declaration of Human Rights (1948)
   Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen (French Revolution) (1789).
   Rights of Women (1791)
   Constitution of Virginia (1776)

  US Declaration of Independence (1776).
   US Bill of  Rights (1791)
   English Bill of Rights (1689)
   Magna Carta (1215)
   Aboriginal Charter of Rights (2000).

Week 12 (July 27): The Moral Effects of Commerce: Capitalism and Theories of Profit.
 

    Introduction to the unit (Streaming Video --- 2 minutes).

    Caritas in Veritate. Encyclical of Benedict XVI on Social Justice. July, 2009.

   "Bernard Ebbers and the Acquisition of Wealth" from The Wall Street Journal, 12/31/02. (5 pages).

   "Executives' Pensions Increase While Workers' Decrease" from The Wall Street Journal, 06/23/06.

   "Adelphia Convictions" from The Wall Street Journal, 7/9/04.

    Heath, Eugene. "The Moral Effects of Commerce".
    WUC. Pages xxxv-xxxviii ["Capitalism and the Business System"].

    Karl Marx, Manifesto of the Communist Party. [Every educated person in the Western world should be familiar with this document in spite of the collapse of Communism in the Soviet Union.]
    Bell, Daniel. "The Cultural Contradictions of Capitalism"

    "Mining in Australia" from The Wall Street Journal, 7/21/04.

     Arnold, N. Scott. "Why Profits are Deserved".

    "Debt Symbol of Capital" from The Wall Street Journal, 05/17/05.

    "Bill Gates Issues Call for Kinder Capitalism" from The Wall Street Journal. 012408.

    "Regulators Step Up Probes of Trading in Oil Markets" from The Wall Street Journal. 053008.

 

Collaborative Writing Project 2: Due Date --- Wednesday, July 29 - Develop a Corporate Ethics Program for Global Business Environment.