Course Number/Title:
Course Time:
SPRING 2010
Professor Information / Office HoursThomas L. Wilson, School of Business
Email—
Office: Pivo, Halbreich, Martin, Wilson and Amo (714-619-2200; home phone, 949-559-0961). / Hours: Available by Appointment
The mission of the Crowell School of Business is to equip students to develop a biblical worldview so as to see business as ministry. To prepare students for excellence and leadership in their careers, to be strong in mind and character, and mature in faith so that they will make an impact for god in this time and place. To develop a student’s God-given talents and pursue excellence by maintaining high expectations and proficiency in their unique field of interest.
I. COURSE DESCRIPTION (As stated in University Catalog)
II. COURSE PREREQUISITES (As stated in University Catalog)
III. COURSE TEXTS
Rae, Scott and Kenman Wong. Beyond Integrity: A Judeo-Christian Approach to Business Ethics. Harper Collins/Zondervan, 2nd edition, 2004. (Referred to as R&W in course outline; don’t buy the first edition!!)Foster, Richard. The Challenge of the Disciplined Life (Previously published as Christian Reflections on Money, Sex and Power). Harper & Row, 1985.
Badaracco, Joseph. Leading Quietly. Harvard Business School Press, 2003.
Selected articles, chapters and case studies handed out in class or on blackboard, as denoted with an (*) in the course outline.
IV. LEARNING OUTCOMES
1. To increase student awareness of social and ethical issues in business and the functioning of the economy.
2. To develop student abilities to systematically critique economic values and business practices from within a Christian world view.
3. To help in the process of developing student character so that they will become positive moral influences in their future places of employment and the communities in which they will live.
V. CLASS EXPECTATIONS
1. CLASS PRACTICES/ATTENDANCE POLICY
Participation/Discussion:Read the texts and materials on reserve and prepare for class discussions. Discussion questions for each class session will be handed out at the beginning of the term. These questions will help guide you to the main points of emphasis in the reading assignments. As much as possible, you should write down your thoughts with regard to these questions as you will be called upon to express your viewpoints during the course of the semester. While all opinions are welcomed and encouraged, it is an "informed" opinion based upon interaction with the reading, which will be rewarded when it comes time to distribute semester grades. Since the class will primarily be discussion oriented with a heavy use of the Socratic method of instruction, it is absolutely critical that you come to class prepared for every class session.
2. NON-NEGOTIABLES
Response Papers:Students will be assigned a series (3 total) of short (3-4 pages) response papers on specific sections of the books The Challenge of the Disciplined Life by Richard Foster and Leading Quietly, by Joseph Badaracco. Prior to reading this work, specific questions will be handed out in class to guide the content of your papers. These papers are due on the dates that these texts are scheduled to be discussed in class.
Case Studies:
Choose any 10 of the case studies which will be covered during the term and prepare a paper (2-4 pages) on the "case" question for the day. Your papers should explicitly integrate the readings for the assigned date with the case question. You will be graded on the basis of evidence that you have interacted with material in a thoughtful manner. Furthermore, the clarity of your argument and writing will be a significant consideration. These papers are due on the dates that the individual cases are scheduled to be discussed in class.
Laptops and PDAs - Personal laptop computers and PDAs should be kept off, and should not be used during class time. .
Cell Phones - Cell phones (pagers; PDAs used for communications purposes) must be turned to silent mode when entering the classroom. Take special care to attend to this. It is the expectation of the faculty that students will not take calls in the classroom, and will not exit the room during class to take calls, except in the case of emergencies. Cell phones must be off, and put away, during all exams (except with the clear and expressed special permission of the instructor).
Ipods, DVRs, and Lecture Proprietary Matters - It is the expectation of the faculty that ipods may not be used during class sessions, except for the sole purpose of recording lectures. Ipods and digital voice recorders (DVRs), or other taping devices, may only be used to record class lectures with the clear and expressed permission of the instructor (usually stated in the course syllabus). Recordings of classroom lectures, and printed course materials, are the intellectual property of the instructor. They may not be distributed in any form without permission.
3. OUTSIDE TIME
A minimum of six hours per week of outside class time is expected for a three (3) unit class. Some courses may vary, requiring additional time some weeks.VI. UNIVERSITY EXPECTATIONS
1. PLAGIARISM
Biola University sees any form of plagiarism as a serious problem with serious consequences. Please refer to the academic integrity statement in the Student Handbook, Academic and Behavioral Standards section.2. STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Students desiring accommodations on the basis of physical, learning, or psychological disability for this class are to contact the Office of Disability Services. The Office of Disability Services is located in the Student Services Building and can be reached by calling extension 5851.VII. COURSE EVALUATION/GRADING SCALE
Evaluation/Grading:Discussion/ Participation 25%
Response Papers (3) 25%
Case Studies (10) 50%
Grading Scale:
A = 93-100 (A-=90-93)
B+=88-89
B=84-87
B-=80-83
C+=78-79
C = 74-77
C-=70-73
D+=68-69
D=64-67
D-=60-63
F =Below 60
Course Outline:
Part I: A Christian Ethic for Business
Date Title / Topic
Feb. 1 I. Course Introduction
II. Business as a Calling
*Campolo Tony, "Business and Christianity Don't Mix Well " short excerpt from an address delivered at Biola University Missions Conference.
Feb. 8 I. Christian Ethics and Business: Tensions and Challenges
R&W, ch. 1
Case: "Borland's Brave Beginnings." in R&W, p. 46.
II. Christian Engagement in Business
R&W, ch. 2.
Case: The Assignment, in R&W, p. 72.
Feb. 15 I. Christian Ethics for Business—Norms and Benchmarks
R & W. ch. 3
Cases: Payroll Pressures or Not So Amusing, in R&W, pp. 115-6
II. Character in Business Ethics
R & W, pp. 433-441.
Case: How Much Does Character Count?, in R&W, 455.
Part II. Ethics and the Global Economy
Feb. 22 I. Globalization, Economics and Judeo-Christian Morality
R&W, ch. 5.
***Film: “Greed” ***
Case: Downsizing: Efficiency or Corporate ‘Hit Men’?, in R&W, p. 205.
II. The Limits of the Free-Market
*“Eggs Buy a College Education,” Los Angeles Times
* “On Ova Commerce,” Hastings Center Report
Case: Selling Eggs and Embryos, in R&W, p. 207.
March 1 Corporate Social Responsibility
R&W, ch. 4.
Case: Violent Video Games or Starbucks and Fair Trade Coffee, in R&W, p. 152-3.
Part III. Business & Society: Contemporary Issues
March 8 International Business
R&W, ch. 6
Cases: Sweatshops or When in Rome, Do as the Romans Do?, R&W, pp. 242-3.
March 15 Ethics in Human Resource Management
R&W, pp. 255-275.
Case: Family Friendly Flex Policies, in R&W, p. 282.
*Case: “The Predicament of the HR Director”
March 22 Ethics in Sales and Marketing
Case: Conflicts of Conscience, in R&W, p. 281.
March 29 Diversity Related Work Issues
R&W, 276-279
*Case: Accommodating Racially-Motivated Requests
*Case: Equal Pay in Collegiate Athletics
*Case: Reading that is Cause for Alarm?
April 5 – Easter Break
April 12 Ethics in Advertising
R&W, ch. 9.
Cases: Diamonds are Forever in R&W, pp. 360-1.
April 19 Limits to Profit: Product Safety and Environmental Stewardship
R&W, ch. 10
*Case: The Dangerous Tricycle
Case: Heap Leech Mining in Latin America, in R&W, p. 392.
April 26 Ethics in Accounting and Finance
R&W, ch. 8
Cases: The New Insiders, in R&W, pp. 317-8.
May 3 I. Creating and Encouraging Moral Corporate Climates
R&W, ch. 12
Case: The Aircraft Brake Scandal, in R&W, pp. 441-453.
II. The Use and Abuse of Power
Foster, Richard. “Power,” Part III of The Challenge of the Disciplined Life, pp. 174-248 (response paper due).
Part V. Ethics and the Person
May 10 I. The Use and Abuse of Money
Foster, Richard. "Money," Part I of The Challenge of the Disciplined Life, pp. 19-87 (response paper due).
May 17 I. Leading Quietly
Badaracco, Joseph, Leading Quietly, chapters 1-2, 7-9. (Response Paper due)
II. Calling and Character in Business Ethics, Revisited
1