This course gives a general introduction to ethical problems which arise in market economies. After looking at the ethical justifications for capitalism and some of the ethical tensions inherent in it, we turn to a variety of subtopics including the question of business's social relationships, the problem of group responsibility (and its implications for product liability, sexual harassment), ethical issues in the exchange of goods & services (including marketing ethics, advertising ethics), and employement ethics.
The general goals of the course are to gain a critical awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of market economies from an ethical point of view and to develop the analytic tools and research skills needed to address contemporary ethical problems in business.
Before we can discuss concrete cases in business ethics, we need to go through a quick review of some standard approaches to ethical decision-making. Some of this material will be in lecture only. Our aim is to understand, at the level of ethical theory, macroeconomic theory and political theory, what role moral values play in market economies and what moral goals economic systems (of any sort) are intended to promote. (Unit dates: 8/31 - 9/21)
Richard De George "American Capitalism: Moral or Immoral?," Business Ethics, 4 ed. (Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1995) 166-94.
Russell Kirk, "Is Capitalism Still Viable? Yes.," Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Issues in Business Ethics and Society, Lisa Newton, and Maureen Ford, 2 ed. (Guilford, CN: Dushkin Publishing Group, Inc., 1992) 4-8.
Michael Harrington, "Is Capitalism Still Viable? No," Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Issues in Business Ethics and Society, Lisa Newton, and Maureen Ford, 2 ed. (Guilford, CN: Dushkin Publishing Group, Inc., 1992) 9-13.
Robert Solomon, "Macho Myths and Metaphors," Ethics And Excellence (Oxford: Oxford UP, 1992) 22-33.
Robert Solomon, "The Myth of the Profit Motive," Ethics And Excellence (Oxford: Oxford UP, 1992) 39-47.
Robert Solomon, "The End of Cowboy Capitalism," Ethics And Excellence (Oxford: Oxford UP, 1992) 65-73.
Economist, "Rational Economic Man: The Human Factor," The Economist Dec. 24 1994: 90+.
Mark Alfino, "Modelling Economic Systems," Course text (Summer 1995).
Albert Carr, Is Business Bluffing Ethical?, Contemporary Issues in Business Ethics, Joseph DesJardins, and John McCall (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1990) 21-28.
The first unit of the course should have prepared us to begin describing the specific relationship that business institutions have with the larger society. If this seems a little abstract, just think for a moment how the health and vitality of a business affects a community and the numerous social relationships in the community. It may be that the legal description of the business-society relationship (the sum of all its contractual obligations) doesn't exhaust the moral description of the relationshp. In this unit, you will hear a variety of competing moral descriptions, along with arguments for each. Our cases (Siapan sweatshops and Multinational marketing) give us concrete examples of the way our understanding of the business-society relationship affects specific business practices. (Unit dates: 9/26 - 10/10)
Neil Chamberlain, "The Uncertain Relation between Business and Society," Ethics & Life, Elaine Englehardt, and Donald Schmeltekopf (Wm. Brown Publishing Co., 1992) 445-51.
William Evan, and R. Edward Freeman, "A Stakeholder Theory of the Modern Corporation: Kantian Capitalism," Ethical Theory and Business, eds. Tom Beauchamp, and Norman Bowie (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1993) 5-83.
Kenneth Goodpaster, "Business Ethics and Stakeholder Analysis," Business Ethics Quarterly 1.1 (Jan. 1991): 53-71.
Philip Shenon, "Saipan Sweatshops Are No American Dream," The New York Times Jul. 18 1993: A1.
Doug Clement, Infant Formula Malnutrition: Threat to the Third World, Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Isues in Business Ethics and Society, ed. Lisa Newton, and Maureen Ford, 3 ed. (Guilford, Connecticut: Dushkin Publishing Co., 1994) 274-82.
Maggie McComas, Geoffrey Fookes, and George Taucher, The Dilemma of Third World Nutrition, Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Isues in Business Ethics and Society, ed. Lisa Newton, and Maureen Ford, 3 ed. (Guilford, Connecticut: Dushkin Publishing Co., 1994) 283-94.
Perhaps the most difficult theoretical issue in business ethics today concerns our understanding of responsibility for corporate wrongdoing. Most people think about ethical responsibility in terms of individual behavior because "being responsible" seems to require intending and only individuals have intentions. But is this a good argument? Can groups be held collectively responsible for their behavior? Can individuals engaged in self-interested decision-making be asked to consider the good of a group? The goal of this unit will be to give an informed and reflective answer to these questions. (Unit dates: 10/12 - 10/31)
Bowen McCoy, "The Parable of the Sadhu," Essentials of Business Ethics, Peter Madsen, and Jay Shafritz (New York: Penguin Books, 1990) 190-201.
Kenneth Goodpaster, and John B. Matthews, "Can a Corporation have a Conscience?," Contemporary Issues in Business Ethics (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Co., 1990) 104-14.
Larry May, "Vicarious Agency and Corporate Reponsibility," The Spectrum of Responsibility, Peter French (New York: St. Martin's Press, 1991) 313-24.
Marianne Moody Jennings, "Chapter 10: Product Liability," Business: Its Legal, Ethical, And Global Environment, 3 ed. (Belmont, California: Wadsworth, 1994) 356-85.
Arthur Miller, "Products Liability: Must the Buyer Beware?," Contemporary Issues in Business Ethics (1988): 261-74.
Charlene Solomon, "Careers Under Glass," Business Ethics 91/92, ed. John E. Richardson, 4 ed. (Guilford, Connecticut: Dushkin Publishing Group, 1991): 128-34.
Rochelle Sharpe, Women Make Strides, But Men Stay Firmly In Top Company Jobs, Business Ethics 95/96, ed. John E. Richardson, 7 ed. (Guilford, Connecticut: Dushkin Publishing Group, 1995) 69-71.
Tamar Lewin, "Nude Pictures Are Ruled Sexual Harassment," The New York Times Jan. 23 1991:
Deborah L. Jacobs, "Back From The Mommy Track," The New York Times Oct. 9 1994: C1+.
In market economies most choosing issues in a contract, a sales contract or an employment contract. In this unit we will analyze sales contracts from two perspectives. First, we will analyze the concept of "autonomous choice" in light of the power of advertising. Second, a famous economist will put forward a controversial argument about the effect of arguments about autonomy on macro-economic justifications of the marketplace. As a test case in the discussion of both perspectives, we will look at the controversy over children's cereal advertising. (Unit dates: 11/2 - 11/21)
David M. Holley, "A Moral Evaluation of Sales Practices," Ethical Theory and Business, eds. Tom Beauchamp, and Norman Bowie (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1993) 462-83.
Robert L. Arrington, "Advertising and Behavior Control," Contemporary Issues in Business Ethics, Joseph DesJardins, and John McCall, 2 ed. (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Co., 1990) 326-35.
Roger Crisp, "Persuasive Advertising, Autonomy, and the Creation of Desire," Contemporary Issues in Business Ethics, Joseph DesJardins, and John McCall, 2 ed. (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Co., 1990) 335-41.
Tom L. Beauchamp, "Kellogg Cereals and Children's Television Advertising," Case Studies In Business, Society, And Ethics, 3 ed. (Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall Publishing Co., 1993) 128-40.
John Kenneth Galbraith, "The Dependence Effect," Contemporary Issues in Business Ethics, Joseph DesJardins, and John McCall (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1990) 323-26.
A whole new range of ethical issues emerge as we develop professional expertise and enter into employment contracts to provide profesional services to others. Professsional employment requires us to satisfy both professional ethical demands and the requests of an employer. In this unit we learn the legal and ethical basis for employment contracts and what "due process" means. Also, we will consider a wide range of cases in which ethical issues in employment arise. (Unit dates: 11/28 - 12/7)
T.M. Scanlon, "Due Process," Contemporary Issues in Business Ethics, John McCall, and Joseph DesJardins (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1990) 135-42.
John Hoerr, and Katherine Hafner, "Privacy," Annual Editions: Business Ethics 91/92, John Richardson (Guilford, CN: Dushkin Publishing Group, Inc., 1991) 51-55.
Evelyn Richards, "Privacy at the Office: Is There a Right To Snoop?," The Washington Post Sep. 9 1990:
Orange County Register, "More Companies Impose Appearance Standards," Spokesman-Review Jul. 18 1993: E1 & E3.
Dianne Barth, "Continental Blushingly Rehires Agent," USA Today May 16 1991: P?
Amy Saltzman, Family Friendliness, Business Ethics 95/96, ed. John Richardson, 7 ed. (Guilford, Connecticut: Dushkin Publishing Group, 1995) 137-40.
Judith Dobrzynski, "Assessing The Value Of Family," The New York Times Jun. 17 1995: 3:18.
Brian O'Reilly, "The New Deal: What Companies and Employees Owe One Another," Business Ethics 95/96, ed. John Richardson, 7 ed. (Guilford, Connecticut: Dushkin Publishing Group, 1995) 38-42.