Curs 2010-2011
Llicenciatura en Economia
International Business Policy
Presentation of the course
The course addresses international business policy in an ethical perspective.
In recent years ethical issues have become increasingly manifest and pervading in the business world. In the future, managers will have to deal with ethical dilemmas in the course of their career. The course introduces participants to international business issues and provides them with tools to effectively address business ethical dilemmas. Teaching is systematically illustrated with examples of real business ethical dilemmas.
The global context in which social and environmental issues have become a major issue for international business is analysed. The specific trade-off pertaining to the relation between business value on one hand, and human, social and environmental values on the other hand is structured. A framework based on different ethical traditions - including philosophical, institutional and cultural - is proposed. Tools and strategies to analyse business ethical dilemmas are presented. Issues of reputation, credibility and communication are specifically addressed. In this manner, participants shall develop their knowledge of environmental, social and personal values and their understanding of the place and role of business in society.
This increased awareness, coupled with the methodology, constitutes a basis for efficient and responsible management, as participants will be better prepared to act in situations involving tough ethical issues.
Description and Method
The course is built on preparation and required readings prior to class, lectures, videos, case studies, active discussions of business ethical issues, individual and group work, and presentations. All required readings can be found in the course website on Campus Global. The readings and assingments required for a particular session must be completed BEFORE coming to class that day. For those who want to go further, optional readings are also proposed and can help the understanding of the issues.
Grading
Students receive a grade for each class (theory and practice).
At the beginning of each theory session, one or two questions will have to be answered in writing. They should demonstrate that the students have read the required material and thought about it. This also ensures that each student is able to have a discussion on the issue at stake. Each theory session is graded over 5 points.
For each practice session, an assignment is proposed. These assignments build on required reading and work (individual or in group) during the class. Each practice assignment is graded over 5 points except group' presentations in practice session 5 and 6 which are graded over 10.
The total number of grading is then 100.
There is no exam.
About the Group Presentations
Each group is composed of 4 students and each group presents two cases during practical sessions at the end of the term.
Both of the presentations will be prepared as power point and each presentation shall last at most 10 minutes. Every member of the group is expected to present. Each presentation worth 10 points of your grade.
Presentation 1: Industry business dilemmas Groups present a ethical dilemma faced by an industry or a company of their choice and give examples of the tactics they think are used to cover up actual business practices.
Presentation 2: New Ethical Business opportunities Groups present an inspiring example of a business that successfully combines the creation of economic values with the respect of ethical values.
For both presentations:
1. Describe and explain this practice to other students, analyzing the ethical and the economic contributions as well as the way they combine together in the format that will be discussed in the practical session.
2. Evaluate whether you believe why this case is interesting and successful or not individually.
- Groups must be announced and agreed with the Teaching Assistant before April XXX.
- Each group has to propose two possible topics for each presentation to the teaching assistant by XXX, explaining why they think these cases are interesting. The teaching assistant will comment on them.
- Each group has to have its topic accepted by the teaching assistant by XXX.
- Each group has to pre-present its work to the Teaching Assistant prior to the class presentation (for instance the week before).
- On the day of its presentation, each group has to submit a printed version of the slides, a list of sources used (bibliography) and a short (max. 300 words) synthetic conclusion of their personal evaluation (point 3 above).
Schedule Overview
1. Introduction: Values, Ethics and Business.
2. Global Business and International Law: Toxic Waste Trade.
3. Corporate Social Responsibility: The Bhopal Gas Tragedy.
Practice 1: Dow's responsibility and possible actions.
4. Business, Ethics and Profit: Economic Approaches.
Practice 2: Analysis of Friedman's discourse.
5. Values, Ethics and Rationality: a Theoretical Framework.
Practice 3: The Parable of the Sadhu: Goals and success.
6. International Business and National Politics: Royal Dutch/Shell in Nigeria.
Practice 4: Conceiving an ideal situation.
7. Marketing Practices: The Tobacco Business.
Practice 5: Group presentation: Industry business dilemmas.
8. Business and Global Environmental Issues: The Oil Industry and Climate Change.
Practice 6: Group Presentation: New Ethical Business opportunities.
9. Global Labor Markets: Exploitation or Development.
Practice 7: Facing Corruption, the Changmaï case.
10. Financial and Ethical Crises: Values and Communication.
Practice 8: Sharing of key learning.
Bibliografia
CHRYSSIDES, G.; KALER, J. Essentials of Business Ethics. Londres: McGraw-Hill, 1996. Pàg.1-21.
ELKINGTON, J. Cannibals with Forks: Triple Bottom Line of 21st Century Business. Capstone Publishing Limited, 1999. (Paperback).
ELKINGTON, J. The Chrysalis Economy: How Citizen CEOs and Corporations Can Fuse Values and Value Creation. Capstone Publishing Limited, 2001.
KELLY, M. The Divine Right of Capital. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2003.
KORTEN, D. The Post-Corporate World. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 1999.
KORTEN, D. When Corporations Rule the World. 2a. ed. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 1996.
LAPIERRE, D. i d'altres. It Was Five Past Midnight in Bhopal. Full Circle Publishing Ltd., 2001. (Paperback).
MARTINEZ-ALIER, J. The Environmentalism of the Poor: A Study of Ecological Conflicts and Valuation. Edward Elgar, 2003. (Paperback).
MATTHEWS, J.; GOODPASTER, K.; NASH, L. Policies and Persons: A Casebook in Business Ethics. Nova York: McGraw-Hill, 1997.
NORMAN, Richard. The Moral Philosophers. 2a. ed. Oxford University Press, 1998.
RAMPTON, S.; STAUBER, J. Trust us, we are experts!. Nova York: Penguin Putnam, 2002. (Paperback).
SINGER, Peter (ed.). A Companion to Ethics. Blackwell Companions to Philosophy, 1993.