BUSI472: Organizational Ethics

11/08/2019 to 04/16/2020 • Modified 08/29/2024

Course Description

Rationale

Current literature is replete in its message that both the business and government communities are experiencing ongoing ethical crises. Any assumption that these sectors of society will normally operate ethically and morally is not valid; therefore, today’s Christian business and government students must not only behave in a manner consistent with biblical truth but also utilize its criteria to understand and evaluate other ethical systems. This orientation provides the foundation for a logical analysis of the conflicting perspectives, demands, and behaviors generally encountered in the workplace and in society while equipping the student with the ability to make balanced ethical decisions. 

Course Assignment

Textbook readings

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions (4)

The student will participate in four Discussions of the prompts. Each Discussion consists of two parts, the thread, and the reply. Each thread must be supported by at least two scholarly citations and be at least 350 words excluding the reference section. For each Discussion, the student will reply to one other thread in the following Module: Week.  Each reply must be supported by at least two scholarly citations and be at least 250 words excluding the reference section. Both the thread and the reply must also integrate one biblical principle. 

Etiquette PowerPoint Assignment

The student will complete a 5–10-slide PowerPoint presentation that depicts the role of business etiquette in organizational success. The Business Etiquette PowerPoint must include 5–10 citations in current APA format.

Case Assignments (2)

The student will write two separate Case Assignments (Case: Monsanto Assignment, and Case: Enron Assignment) that focus on two individual cases from the Ferrell textbook. Each Case Assignment must be between 5–6 pages (double spaced), not including the title or reference pages. The Case Assignments must include five or more peer reviewed references in addition to the course textbooks and the Bible and must be in current APA format. 

There must be a clear thesis statement with an introduction that provides a clear overview of the paper’s contents. The issues raised in the topic must be treated objectively. The conclusion must offer a robust summary of the issues treated in the paper and suggestions for further study. The paper will be written in an objective (3rd person) format and cover the topic to sufficient depth for an upper-class research paper and provide a substantive evaluation of the ethical issue(s). 

Each student will submit a research paper topic dealing with a business ethics related topic. When the student submits his or her research paper topic, he or she must:

• Be explicit about what the research question/problem is. The Research Problem drives a study, and targeted, in-depth research is needed to fully develop the Research Problem. Research is important here because the student will need to know what researchers have done in the area on the topic to help set up and define a problem that exists in the research.
• Be explicit about why he or she has selected this topic (Why it is important).
• Clearly state his or her thesis statement. It introduces the topic at hand and gives a reader an idea of what to expect out of the paper. It presents the student’s argument. It demonstrates the importance of the student’s argument, giving the reader more reason to be invested in his or her essay.

The student will develop an annotated bibliography related to his or her research paper. The annotated bibliography is a list of sources (peer reviewed journal articles and books) on a selected topic accompanied by a brief summary and evaluation of each source and how it informs the research question/problem. It should include 8-10 sources in current APA format as they will appear in the references section of the research paper.

Research Paper – Final Assignment

The student will write a Research Paper on a topic relating to business ethics. The student will research what is being said in the academic literature about the issue and what the secular worldview suggests is relevant in the contemporary business environment. The student will then research the Bible for information related to the topic and identify what a Christian or follower of God should consider important related to the topic under consideration. Compare and contrast what agrees between Scripture and the secular thoughts and what may differ between the two.  

The Research Paper must be 8–10 pages and double spaced, not including the title page, abstract, and references pages. The student must include 8–10 scholarly references in addition to the course textbooks and the Bible. The student must use his/her textbooks as sources; other acceptable sources are journal articles from peer-reviewed journals, theoretical texts, and the Bible. Citations must be in current APA format. As this is a Research Paper, it must be written in third person. 

Personal Code of Ethics Assignment

The student will compile a series of statements (usually done as bullet points) that will assert the attitudes, actions, and behaviors of the person the student genuinely aspires to become. Because of the personal nature of this assignment, the student will not be asked to discuss these with anyone else. The student will write a paper that is no longer than 1 page. It must focus on his or her personal goals, norms, beliefs, and values.

Quizzes (2)

The student will complete two quizzes in the assigned Module: Week by answering questions based on the provided video in MindTap.