Foundations of Applied Ethics

Three Credit Hours

September 2007-April 2008

Dr. Michael D. Wiese, Facult= y Mentor

Office: Hardacre Hall, Room 126

Phone: 765-641-4365 (office)

= 317-318-9300 (home)

Fax: 765-641-4365

mdwiese@anders= on.edu

Comm= on Reading: Hosmer, LaR= ue Tone (2006). The Ethics of Management, 5^th Edition.= McGraw Hill-Irwin ISBN: 0-07-299607-2

&n= bsp;

Course Description:

A yearlong study with a faculty mentor designed to enc= ourage the individual student to explore her/his personal values and beliefs as th= ey relate to the discipline, and establish the scholarly implications of that belief structure in the teaching/learning process both in the classroom and= as a research agenda.

Objectives for the Course:

1. = To explore the presuppositions underpinning the student’s discipline of study.

2= . = To understand the foundational ethical issues that = stem from the driving philosophy of the discipline.

3= . = To develop a theoretical framework of ethical decis= ion making in the field of study.

4= . = To employ a framework to draw a conclusion as to “what ought to be” relating to a specific historical issue and a current issue in the discipline.

5= . = To consider how the study of ethics in the discipli= ne shapes the instruction of the discipline.

Method of the Course:

Foundations of Applied Ethics is designed to be= a year-long (September–May) independent study, with a faculty mentor (FM). The student will be required to complete readings and produce w= ork, share the work and participate in on-line discussions about the study. The faculty mentor will be available via phone and email throughout the year.

Course Format:

Select a discipline to study. Your choices are accounting, finance, management or marketing. This is likely to be the field of study doctorate degree major. Share= the discipline with the faculty member.
Read Hosmer’s The Ethics of Management. Then begin to read additional= items in the ethics literature. Build an annotated bibliography of ten= to fifteen items that pertains to the study of ethics in your discipline. Your reading list is likely to include materials in business ethics, the conceptual framework of your discipline and readi= ngs specific to the ethical issues you will consider during the year. These sources may include up = to three resources suggested by the faculty mentor. The bibliography will be shared with the faculty mentor.
Each student will be assigned at least one peer student within your discipline. This team of students will share work throughout the year and critique each other’s work.
Specific written assignments will be due throughout the year. These papers will be turned in to the faculty mentor via email Word attachment.
Students are encouraged to access qualified colleagues to support the study.&nb= sp;

Expectations:

For example, in finance the topic of insider trading may be a topic= .

1. This statement should be as specific as possible. Here is an example.
Is it ethical for a CEO to sell person= al shares of the company stock the day before a major announcement that is lik= ely to drop the stock &= nbsp; price?
1. This critique will be followe= d by a revision of the paper and a one page “rebuttal” paper.
= 5.      Each student will provide a two page critical analysis of the peer’s work on the Issue Paper. The audience for this critique is = those in the field of study. The pu= rpose is to provide an analysis of whether or not this particular issue is worthy= of consideration and how it will/or will not contribute to thinking in the discipline. This critique wil= l be shared with the peer and submitted to the instructor for evaluation.=

= 6.      Each student will provide a two page critical analysis of the peer’s work on the Model Paper. The audience is again scholars in = the field of study. The purpose o= f this critique is to analyze the appropriateness of the model for use in ethical analysis of the issue in the discipline.&n= bsp; Does the student provide an appropriate and helpful way of determini= ng if a particular action, relative to the issue, is ethical? How can the model be improved to m= ake it more applicable?

= 7.      Peer groups are encouraged to inter= act in the creation of the Issue Paper and Model Paper. It is the responsibility of each p= erson to assist the peer in the submission of strong work.

= 8.      Each student will give a presentati= on in the May session. In this presentation, you will 1) present your issue, 2) share your decision-making model, 3) explain your decision and 4) then consider the implications of th= is study on the instruction/practice of the discipline.

= 9.      All written work is to be done acco= rding to the American Psychological Association (APA) Style.

Resources:

The following business resources are offered as recommendations for content on various ways to viewing ethical models. These provide a theoretical framework for the study of ethics. The material in these resources (with the exception of the Hill’s work) provides a common conceptual understanding. My suggestion is to purch= ase at least two of these and review them. This will give you a good star= ting point and provide a reference when you are considering your ethical model. If you want, you may also substitute other texts on business ethics if you find resources that you prefer.

Beauchamp, Tom L. and Norma= n D. Bowie (2000). Ethical Theory and Business, 6^th Edit= ion. Prentice Hall.

ISBN: 0130831441

Donaldson, Thomas (ed), Pat= ricia Hogue Werhane &Margaret Cording (2002). Ethical Issues in Business: A Philosophical Approach, 7^th Edition. Prent= ice Hall. ISBN: 0132906287

Hill, Alexander. Just Business: Christian Ethics for the Marketplace. Intervarsity Press, 1997. ISBN: 0830818863

Velasquez, Manuel G (2000).= Business Ethics: Concepts and Cases, 5th edition. Prentice Hall.

ISBN: 0130938211



Tentative Schedule:

Annotated Bibliography submitted to faculty member                      &nb= sp;      October 19

Submit proposed issue question to peer and faculty mem= ber        &= nbsp;         October 30      &nbs= p;

Submit draft of the Issue Paper to peer(s):      = ;          &= nbsp;           &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;   November 9

Peer critique of the Issue Paper due and shared= with peer      &nb= sp;            =    November 20

Submit final Issue Paper to faculty mentor:        &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;           De= cember 10

Half Day Session to share issue:            =             &nb= sp;            =             &nb= sp;          January 7

Submit draft of the Model Paper to peer(s):&nbs= p;                          &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;   March 3

Peer critique of the Model Paper due and shared= with peer      &nb= sp;            = March 17

Submit final Model Paper to Faculty Mentor:        &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;       April 7

Presentation to Peers: One day reporting   &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;     May 19       = ;

   &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;

Evaluation:

        &nb= sp;   Peer Critiques      &nb= sp;            =             &nb= sp;            =        25%

   &nbs= p;        Issue Paper           &nbs= p;                      &= nbsp;                   25%

         =    Model Paper           &nbs= p;                                   &= nbsp;    25%

         =    Final Presentation    &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;            = ;                25%