Northeastern University College of Professional Studies Course Syllabus

LDR 3230 Ethical Decision Making Fall 2013 September 9, 2013 December 6, 2013
Instructor Barbara Maclachlan E-mail: b.maclachlan@neu.edu Phone Number: 508-776-3480

Required Text(s)/Software/Tools:
Business Ethics decision making for Personal Integrity and Social Responsibility Third Edition Authors Laura P. Hartman, Joe DesJardins & Chris MacDonald ISBN 978-0-07-802945-5

Course Prerequisites
There are no prerequisites for this course.

Course Description
Uses a decision-making model using real-world ethical dilemmas to analyze behaviors and consequences and make recommendations for actions ethical managers can make. The fact that there is not one universal set of leader behaviors one considers ethical and no guidelines to follow to determine ethical behavior poses unique challenges to managers today. Yet, as managers we are daily faced with situations where individual values may conflict with those of our teams or organizations

Course Outcomes
Students will have the opportunity to: Develop leadership skills and behaviors Analyze ethical dilemmas and discuss what causes them, and ways to prevent them Learn about diversity of individuals, cultures and corporate environmental Discuss concepts based on current events and real-world examples

Course Methodology
Each week, you will be expected to: 1. Review the week's learning objectives. 2. Complete all assigned readings. 3. Complete all lecture materials for the week. 4. Complete and submit all assignments and tests by the due dates. 5. Participate in group discussions

Communication/Submission of Work
Assignments: Current Events Each week a few students will present on a current event (with in the previous two weeks) dealing with ethical decision making. You will be given your assigned week on the first night of class. You can find articles in the newspaper, online news reports or in a magazine. You should be prepared to answer questions. A short summary ( no more than one page) will be submitted using Turnitin to the instructor. Each student is required to do two articles.

Vocabulary words: You will be expected to hand in 12 vocabulary words twice during this semester. Pick a few words from each chapter and write down the definition as you understand it and an example of what the word means. A one or two sentence example is fine. This is due in class, anything turned in after class will be considered late and you will lose points. Chapter Assignments You are required to turn in a one page response to the assigned question at the end of each chapter. Communication & Submission of Work In the Assignments folder, click the View/Complete Assignments link to view each assignment. Attach your completed assignments here, and click submit. Once your assignment has been graded you will be able to view the grade and feedback provided by clicking Tools, View Grades from the Northeastern University Online Campus tab. Grading/Evaluation Standards Participation 20% Attendance 10% Mid-term 20% Final 30% Assignment/Homework 20% GUIDELINES FOR FINAL PAPER: Write a case study on a major company and how they have handled an ethical decision. Please introduce the company, provide background information on the ethic issue, and what the company did to deal with the issue. Make sure you include how employees and the general public responded to this. Do you agree with the steps that the company took? What suggestions would you make? The case study should be between 7-10 pages long. You will also be required to present your company to the class. This will be a five to seven minute presentation. You should have at least three references. You may use slides, if you want.

Class Schedule / Topical Outline

Week 1 2 Dates 9/9-9/15 9/16-9/22 Topic Introductions Read Chapter 1 Value Shift p. 29 Question 10 p.27 Read Chapter 2 Personal & Professional Contexts Managing for stakeholders p. 91 Question 1 p 65 Read Chapter 3 Philosophical Ethics and Business It seems right in theory but does it work in practice p 140 Question 12. P. 131 Read Chapter 4 The Corporate Culture Impact & Does the Company Get It? p.193 Implications Question 10 p.183 Hand in Vocabulary Ethics & Business Assignments

9/23-9/29

9/30-10/6

10/7-10/13

10/14-10/20

Corporate Social Responsibility

Read Chapter 5 The Link Between Competitive Advantage and CSR p.250 Question 7 p. 237 Submit Final Paper Topic

10/21-10/27

Midterm Read Chapter 6 Ethical Decision Making: Employer American Apparel p. 331 Responsibility and Employee Rights Question 10 p 305 /Technology & Privacy in the Read Chapter 7 Workplace Hiring in a Social Media Age p. 390 Question 8 p. 373 Read Chapter 8 Online Food Advertising P.455 Ethics & Marketing Question 4 P.442 Read Chapter 9 Business and Environmental Beyond Corporate Responsibility Sustainability p 513 Question 3 p. 497 Hand in Vocab Word Read Chapter 10 / Review Ethical Decision Making: Corporate How much Compensation can a Governance, Accounting and CEO Permissibly Accept p.563 Finance Question 7 p.554 Thanksgiving Final Paper Due No Class Final Papers/Presentations

10/28-11/3

11/4-11/10

10

11/11-11/17

11

11/18-11/24 11/25-12/1

12

12/2-12/6

Academic Honesty and Integrity Statement

The University views academic dishonesty as one of the most serious offenses that a student can commit while in college and imposes appropriate punitive sanctions on violators. Here are some examples of academic dishonesty. While this is not an all-inclusive list, we hope this will help you to understand some of the things instructors look for. The following is excerpted from the Universitys policy on academic honesty and integrity. For the complete policy, click the link to download the Student Handbook. Cheating intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information or study aids in an academic exercise. This may include use of unauthorized aids (notes, texts) or copying from another students exam, paper, computer disk, etc. Fabrication intentional and unauthorized falsification, misrepresentation, or invention of any data, or citation in an academic exercise. Examples may include making up data for a research paper, altering the results of a lab experiment or survey, listing a citation for a source not used, or stating an opinion as a scientifically proven fact. Plagiarism intentionally representing the words or ideas of another as ones own in any academic exercise without providing proper documentation by source by way of a footnote, endnote or intertextual note. Unauthorized collaboration Students, each claiming sole authorship, submit separate reports, which are substantially similar to one another. While several students may have the same source material, the analysis, interpretation and reporting of the data must be each individuals. Participation in academically dishonest activities Examples include stealing an exam, using a pre-written paper through mail order or other services, selling, loaning or otherwise

distributing materials for the purpose of cheating, plagiarism, or other academically dishonest acts; alternation, theft, forgery, or destruction of the academic work of others. Facilitating academic dishonesty Examples may include inaccurately listing someone as coauthor of paper who did not contribute, sharing a take home exam, taking an exam or writing a paper for another student.

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