PHL 485: Business Ethics and Individual Values

Course Description

This course will focus on the evaluation and synthesis of business ethics through the lens of cultural and religious history as well as an individual values orientation. Students will be asked to examine personal values, conduct a workplace analysis, and to formulate a global management philosophy incorporating business ethics, government accountability, human rights, and a responsible lifestyle in the contemporary world. (3 credits)

Prerequisites

  • ENG 101: English Composition 1
  • ENG 102: English Composition 2

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:

  1. Evaluate the historical formation of ethical thought through religious, philosophical and cultural perspectives (FOCUS IN WEEKS 1-3)
  2. Organize business ethics’ governmental regulations, differentiate key stakeholders and apply an analytical framework to corporate case studies (FOCUS IN WEEKS 4-6)
  3. Examine, define and defend one’s own values, goals and mission (FOCUS IN WEEKS 4-6)
  4. Integrate the concepts of one’s own individual values, ethical formation, philosophical orientation with that of organizational ethics and then apply an ethical analysis to a workplace situation (FOCUS IN WEEKS 7-8)

Course Activities and Grading

AssignmentsWeight

Participation (Weeks 1-7)

15%

Individual Written Assignments (Weeks 1-5)

6%

Team Assignments (Weeks 2 & 4)

14%

Quizzes (Weeks 5 & 6)

8%

Topical Threaded Discussion (Weeks 3, 5, 6 & 8)

12%

Individual Essay (Week 7)

10%

Summary Paper (Week 8)

35%

Total

100%

Required Textbooks

Available through Charter Oak State College's online bookstore

  • Covey, S., Merrill, A. R., & Merrill, R. R. First things first. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1994. ISBN-10: 0-684-80203-1 or ISBN-13: 978-0-684-80203-9
  • Ferrell, O.C., Fraedrich, J. and Ferrell, L. Business Ethics: Ethical Decision Making and Cases. 13th ed. Cengage Learning, 2022. ISBN-13: 978-0-357-51336-1

Course Schedule

WeekSLOsReadings and ExercisesAssignments

1

1

Readings: Team Formation

  • Business Ethics: Chapters 1-3
  • First Things First: Chapters 1-3
  • Read assigned readings
  • Participate in the Discussions
  • Individual Written Assignment

2

1

Readings:

  • First Things First: Chapters 4-7
  • Independent web research
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Participate in the Discussions
  • Individual Written Assignment
  • Team Assignment

3

1

Readings:

  • Business Ethics: Chapters 4-7
  • First Things First: Chapters 8-10
  • Independent web research
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Participate in the Discussions
  • Individual Written Assignment
  • Topical Threaded Discussion Assignment

4

2,3

Readings:

  • Review Case 3 "WalMart Manages Ethics and Compliance Challenges" in Business Ethics
  • First Things First: Chapters 11-13
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Participate in the Discussions
  • Individual Written Assignment
  • Team Assignment

5

2,3

Readings:

  • Business Ethics: Chapters 8-12
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Participate in the Discussions
  • Individual Written Assignment
  • Topical Threaded Discussion Assignment
  • Quiz 1

6

2,3

Readings:

  • Business Ethics: Cases 12, 14 and 19
  • First Things First: Chapters 14 and 15
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Participate in the Discussions
  • Review the Lecture material
  • Topical Threaded Discussion Assignment
  • Quiz 2

7

4

Readings: None

  • Individual Essay Due
  • Critical Responses

8

4

Readings: None

  • Topical Threaded Discussion Assignment
  • Summary Paper Due
  • Complete Course Evaluation

COSC Accessibility Statement

Charter Oak State College encourages students with disabilities, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury, attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, or psychiatric disabilities, to discuss appropriate accommodations with the Office of Accessibility Services at OAS@charteroak.edu.

COSC Policies, Course Policies, Academic Support Services and Resources

Students are responsible for knowing all Charter Oak State College (COSC) institutional policies, course-specific policies, procedures, and available academic support services and resources. Please see COSC Policies for COSC institutional policies, and see also specific policies related to this course. See COSC Resources for information regarding available academic support services and resources.