Overview
This unit examines the interrelated topics of personal and business ethics and business sustainability. It critically reviews the socio-cultural environment in which business operates and how this can change dramatically between countries and cities. Ethical frameworks for managerial decision-making are critiqued with reference to various stakeholder groups and you will examine the debates surrounding sustainable development as they impact on organisations in their local and global contexts. The interactions between personal ethics and how ethics is managed within an organisation are also considered. Technological, societal and cultural sources of ethical challenges are reviewed and cases will be discussed outlining how various organisations might respond to these challenges.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2017
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Student evaluation
Students provided both qualitative and quantitative scores indicating high quality teaching in the course. This re-affirms the use of Socratic approach and participation as an effective learning strategy.
Continued use of the current strategy
Feedback from Student Evaluation
Rubric: One student raised the issue of the absence of a written rubric for the individual and group assignments. Whilst written rubrics are not provided, extensive verbal guidance the equivalent of 4-5 pages of instruction are provided for each of the assessment tasks.
Clearer direction to students to download and listen to the verbal rubric will be posted on the Moodle site and News Forums
Feedback from Course coordinator and teaching team.
Self Reflection- The course design and delivery is based on Socratic method that requires substantive reflection, discourse and engagement. The majority of students attending on campus modes come from cultures that do not use this approach and the course content and delivery is thus a challenge and confronting. These issues are consistent across the 3 main campuses and discussed by the teaching team during moderation meetings.
Students advisors need to be given more information about this course and its use of Socratic method and the expectations of engagement during the scheduled classes. As the majority of students are choosing this as an elective, more information may encourage them to consider more carefully the appropriateness of the course for their future careers.
- investigate the interconnections between business ethics, sustainability and globalisation; and evaluate the differences between ethics, legal requirements and cultural factors in a business setting;
- explain the various aspects of business sustainability and how these impact upon business strategy;
- critique the major ethical theories and frameworks and be able to compare these in a contemporary business setting;
- discuss the management of business ethics within an organisation and explore the role of tools such as Codes of Conduct, Risk Management frameworks and gift policies in asssisting such management; and
- demonstrate commonly accepted professional ethical standards in the work place and in your behaviour toward others.
The unit does not link to any specific external professional accreditation.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 40% | |||||
| 2 - Practical and Written Assessment - 30% | |||||
| 3 - Presentation and Written Assessment - 30% | |||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Knowledge | |||||
| 2 - Communication | |||||
| 3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | |||||
| 4 - Research | |||||
| 5 - Self-management | |||||
| 6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | |||||
| 7 - Leadership | |||||
| 8 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||||||
| 2 - Practical and Written Assessment - 30% | ||||||||
| 3 - Presentation and Written Assessment - 30% | ||||||||
Textbooks
Business Ethics Ethical Decision making and Cases
Edition: 10 (2015)
Authors: Ferrell, O.C., Fraedrich, J., & Ferrell, L.
Cengage
Stamford Stamford , USA
ISBN: 9781285423715
Binding: Paperback
Business Ethics: A contemporary approach
(2015)
Authors: MacDonald, G.
Cambridge University Press
Port Melbourne Port Melbourne , Victoria , Australia
ISBN: 9781107674059
Binding: Hardcover
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 6th Edition (APA 6th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
m.segon@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
An Introduction to Business Ethics and the Concept of Professional Duty.
Unit and Assessment overview.
Group formation.
Chapter
Ferrell, Fraedrich and Ferrell (2015) Ch 1
Please refer to unit notes on the Moodle site for additional text and journal readings
Events and Submissions/Topic
Please note that these topics are addressed across an introductory session on Friday 28th July from 5-8pm and a full weekend workshop on Saturday 29th July and Sunday 30th July, two subsequent Saturday workshops and a final 3 hour session .
Please refer to Moodle for the subsequent Saturday Workshop times as these vary slightly across the three metropolitan campuses
Module/Topic
Key Issues in Business Ethics
Chapter
Ferrell, Fraedrich and Ferrelll (2015) Ch 3
Please refer to unit notes on the Moodle site for additional text and journal readings
Events and Submissions/Topic
Group Presentation is made up of 3 separate
components with the first being required on Sunday 30th July, 2017.
Please refer to Moodle site for details of the remaining 2 components.
Module/Topic
The Corporation, Law and Moral Accountability
Chapter
Ferrell, Fraedrich and Ferrell (2015) Ch 2 & Ch 8 pp 214-217
Please refer to unit notes on the Moodle site for additional text and journal readings
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Values, Culture and Relativism
Chapter
Ferrell, Fraedrich and Ferrell (2015) Ch 6 (section on relativism) & 10
Please refer to unit notes on the Moodle site for additional text and journal readings
Events and Submissions/Topic
First Journal Entry due by Friday 4th August 6pm
Module/Topic
Ethical Theories and Perspectives I
Chapter
Ferrell, Fraedrich and Ferrell (2015) Ch 5 & 6
Please refer to unit notes on the Moodle site for additional text and journal readings
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Ethical Theories and Perspectives II and Ethical Decision Making
Chapter
Ferrell, Fraedrich and Ferrell (2015) Ch 5 & 6
Please refer to unit notes on the Moodle site for additional text and journal readings
Events and Submissions/Topic
Individual Assignment
Please refer to Moodle for specific due dates of first assignment.
Examining Ethical Issues in Business. Due: Week 6 Friday (25 Aug 2017) 6:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Ethical Leadership
Chapter
Ferrell, Fraedrich and Ferrell (2015) Ch 11
Please refer to unit notes on the Moodle site for additional text and journal readings
Events and Submissions/Topic
Second Journal Entry due by Friday 1st September 6pm
Module/Topic
Sustainable Organisations: Developing Ethical Cultures
Chapter
Ferrell, Fraedrich and Ferrell (2015) Ch 7, 8 & 9.
Please refer to unit notes on the Moodle site for additional text and journal readings
Events and Submissions/Topic
2nd Journal entry to be completed
(Please see Moodle site for actual submission date
Module/Topic
Sustainable Organisations: Corporate Social Responsibility
Chapter
Ferrell, Fraedrich and Ferrell (2015) Ch 2
Please refer to unit notes on the Moodle site for additional text and journal readings
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Sustainability
Chapter
Ferrell, Fraedrich and Ferrell (2015) Ch 12
Please refer to unit notes on the Moodle site for additional text and journal readings
Events and Submissions/Topic
Third Journal Entry due by Friday 22nd September 6pm
Module/Topic
International Perspectives in Ethics
Chapter
Ferrell, Fraedrich and Ferrell (2015) Ch 10
Please refer to unit notes on the Moodle site for additional text and journal readings
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Unit Summary
Review of outstanding assessment tasks.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Reflection Assignment with collated Journal entries due and presented informally in the final class 6th October, 2017.
Journal, reflection and presentation. Due: Week 12 Friday (6 Oct 2017) 8:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Please note, this unit is delivered in intensive mode for face to face students across a full weekend and two subsequent Saturday workshops, plus an introductory and final evening session. Activities and tasks will be undertaken across these for days that are part of the assessment strategy and therefore are compulsory.
Online students will be supported through a series of synchronous video sessions using either Jabber or Zoom software every 2-3 weeks. All online students are expected to attend these sessions to facilitate discussion and clarification of subject matter
1 Written Assessment
This assessment task is designed to assist students to examine a range of ethical issues and to apply ethical theories as means of arriving at a justifiable decision. Students will be given either a case study or provided an essay topic that needs to be examined and addressed.
Refer to the unit Moodle site for further details.
Week 6 Friday (25 Aug 2017) 6:00 pm AEST
Week 8 Friday (8 Sept 2017)
Students are to demonstrate knowledge of the subject matter by:
- Defining key terms and concepts related to ethics, morality, personhood and moral accountability
- Advancing a resolution to the ethical dilemmas using ethical theories and concepts with examples to illustrate
- Demonstrating a breadth and quality of research by using a minimum of 12-16 academic sources
- Correctly using of the APA in text referencing system to correctly citing academic sources.
These are the minimum requirements. Students should note that satisfactorily meeting the minimum requirements will typically result in the minimum pass grade being awarded.
As Masters students you are required to engage in research as per the Australia Quality Framework (AQF) guidelines. Two specific requirements need to be considered.
1. Students need to demonstrate “a body of knowledge that includes the understanding of recent developments in a discipline and/or area of professional practice, and
2. Students must demonstrate "knowledge of research principles and methods applicable to a field of work and/or learning”.
Each unit in the MBA has a number of required weekly readings in terms of academic texts, journals and business publications that represent the appropriate body of knowledge and recent developments referred to by the AQF. In order to demonstrate the ability to engage in appropriate research, students should read and utilise these texts and journals and publications. As Masters students you are expected to research beyond this minimum standard through additional texts, journals and studies to demonstrate an ability to engage in independent research.
Your attention is drawn to the University’s stated position on plagiarism. THE WORK OF OTHERS, WHICH IS INCLUDED IN THE ASSIGNMENT MUST BE ATTRIBUTED TO ITS SOURCE (a full list of references must be submitted as part of the assessment).
- investigate the interconnections between business ethics, sustainability and globalisation; and evaluate the differences between ethics, legal requirements and cultural factors in a business setting;
- explain the various aspects of business sustainability and how these impact upon business strategy;
- critique the major ethical theories and frameworks and be able to compare these in a contemporary business setting;
- discuss the management of business ethics within an organisation and explore the role of tools such as Codes of Conduct, Risk Management frameworks and gift policies in asssisting such management; and
- demonstrate commonly accepted professional ethical standards in the work place and in your behaviour toward others.
- Knowledge
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Self-management
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
2 Practical and Written Assessment
There are three components to this assessment task.
1. Online commentaries:
Three (3) sets of questions or issues will be provided and students must post a response or commentary to each of the three issues or questions, of approximately 1 paragraph, by the required date in the appropriate Moodle Forum. This is worth 10% ( refer to Moodle site for due dates).
2. Self-Analysis & Reflection.
The key aspect of reflection is a critical evaluation of the self. Students will undertake a number of in-class cases during the semester and must use two (2) of the nominated cases as the basis for their self analysis. Students will also complete at least 3 ethical diagnostic tools in class and must attach the results sheet as an appendix, signed by the unit facilitator to verify they have been completed. Students are to use the findings of these tools to analyse how and why they made their decision(s) the assumptions made and approaches used, and whether their positions changed over time and why.
Students should also include a brief statement about how the content of the unit has given them greater insights into ethical practice as a future manager and leader.
3. Presentation
On campus students are required to informally present there observation and reflection during the final session on Friday 6th October, 2017. Online student will also be required to present during the final discussion session or record a brief statement as part of the final submission.
The reflection component is worth 20%.
Refer to the unit Moodle site for further details.
Week 12 Friday (6 Oct 2017) 8:00 pm AEST
Please note that postings are required progressively as detailed above and the reflection component and presentation in week 12
Review/Exam Week Friday (13 Oct 2017)
Students are required to:
- The 3 collated Journal/blog entries to approximately 900-1000 words in total.
- The two cases from class (signed and verified by the lecturer)
- A minimum of 3 diagnostic tools (results page signed by facilitator attached as appendices)
- Discuss the decisions and analyse these referring to the diagnostic results and ethical theories and concepts.
- Utilisation key ethical, csr and sustainability concepts and terms to describe and analyse their own positions or belief
These are the minimum requirements. Students should note that satisfactorily meeting the minimum requirements will typically result in the minimum pass grade being awarded.
- investigate the interconnections between business ethics, sustainability and globalisation; and evaluate the differences between ethics, legal requirements and cultural factors in a business setting;
- explain the various aspects of business sustainability and how these impact upon business strategy;
- critique the major ethical theories and frameworks and be able to compare these in a contemporary business setting;
- demonstrate commonly accepted professional ethical standards in the work place and in your behaviour toward others.
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
3 Presentation and Written Assessment
This assignment is split across three presentations for face to face students and one collated presentation for online students.
Face to face students will be allocated to a group during first session (28th July). Students will present the first presentation component being either a case or organisational analysis as outlined in the Moodle site on Sunday 30th July, 2017. This will be followed by two further presentation components on Saturday 26th August and Saturday 16th September, 2017. Groups will have 15-20 minutes for each presentation component.
Please note that each of these presentations is a pass-fail activity. Each student must be in a group and present as part of that group for ALL three presentation components. Each component is worth 10 marks.
Online students will present a collated presentation. Please refer to the Moodle site for further details.
This task also helps build general capabilities regarding effective business presentations and communication skills.
Week 3 Friday (28 July 2017) 6:00 pm AEST
Presentations are to be undertaken in class during the workshops. Students are to submit powerpoints and a reference list
Exam Week Friday (20 Oct 2017)
Feedback on each of the presentation components will be immediate following each group's presentation, both in written and verbal format.
Presentation:
- Concise and structured presentation with introduction, main presentation and conclusion.
- Effective use of audio visuals and verbal communication delivered within the time allocation (15 mins per group)
- Use of key ethical, csr and or sustainability models, concepts and theories as an analytical frame.
- Identification of company strengths and weaknesses against the analytical frame.
- A clear set of recommendations supported by literature.
- Demonstrate a commitment to professional business presentation standard.
- All group members to make a balanced contribution in the presentation.
- A copy of the presentation (powerpoints) MUST be provided to the unit facilitator prior to the presentation.
- A list of references used in the presentation.
Written Information
- The use of a minimum of 12-16 quality references made up of recommended text and academic journal articles so as to demonstrate breadth and quality of research.
- The use of the APA in text referencing system to correctly cite academic sources.
Refer to the unit Moodle site for further details
- discuss the management of business ethics within an organisation and explore the role of tools such as Codes of Conduct, Risk Management frameworks and gift policies in asssisting such management; and
- demonstrate commonly accepted professional ethical standards in the work place and in your behaviour toward others.
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Research
- Self-management
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
