Several years ago, at the height of the Enron et al. scandal, the headlines of all the newspapers and other media virtually screamed to corporate leaders and the general public that there was a gigantic need for ethical practices in the business profession. This was a general affirmative response addressed not only corporate leaders but also to Schools of Business. MBA 652 is one small way to address that need. The furor of that time about unethical and illegal practices has subsided as a result of bringing transgressors to justice. But this has been replaced by an even greater furor as a response to recent financial problems (can anyone spell "AIG"), which have come to light since September 2008. The need for transparency and ethical vigilance in business practices is no less important than it was in the wake of Enron. Perhaps the need is even greater now that the ripples of the current financial crisis will touch each taxpayer in profound ways. Ethical reflection should not only react to unethical practices, it can actually prevent them.

This preventive care about management is essential for those who would direct corporate activities. This MBA 652 course can provide tools for managers and those managers who would be future leaders. Both managers and corporate leaders --- there is a difference between the two --- will need the skills for ethical reflection so vital for maintaining a vibrant economic system with a high moral tone.

The on-line approach to this course can provide added incentives for your enrollment. In addition to meeting the need for ethical reflection on business practices, it has been designed to meet the teamwork objectives of the MBA Program. One of the major advantages of doing this course on-line is the flexibility in schedules that it allows. Many students in the MBA Program have a variety of obligations that make classroom courses difficult to meet in a busy schedule --- work obligations, travel demands, family involvement, etc. In different terms there are always the Ohio weather uncertainties --- snow, ice, tornado warnings, etc; a problem that I do not have since moving to California. (I only have to worry about earthquakes.) For me, the Summer term advantages are quite significant because the course keeps me tied to my computer in an air-conditioned environment while the temperatures outside rise to 115-120+.

So, review this course website and consider enrolling in MBA 652. Previous students who have taken this course have been very pleased with it.

There is a slight overlap between this course and my Leadership course (MBA 659) at the beginning when considering ethical systems and principles. But after that section, the courses diverge into very different directions.