BUS G140: Business and Organizational Ethics

Course Outline of Record
Item	Value
Eff Term	Fall 2026
Curriculum Committee Approval Date	05/06/2025
Top Code	050600 - Business Management (CTE)
Units	3 Total Units (Lecture Units 3)
Hours	54 Total Hours (Lecture Hours 54)
Total Outside of Class Hours	108
Total Student Learning Hours	162
Course Credit Status	Credit: Degree Applicable (D)
Material Fee	No
Basic Skills	Not Basic Skills (N)
Repeatable	No
Open Entry/Open Exit	No
Grading Policy	Standard Letter (S), Pass/No Pass (B)

Course Description

This course introduces students to ethical concepts that are relevant to resolving moral issues in business by exploring the relationship between business decisions, social responsibility, and legal obligations. It examines the ethical dilemmas and challenges encountered in various business environments through the lens of different stakeholders. Emphasis is placed on preparing students to navigate complex ethical situations in their careers through development of reasoning, analytical, and problem-solving skills. Transfer Credit: CSU.

Course Level Student Learning Outcome(s)

Describe the social and economic responsibilities of organizations to society.
Evaluate methods companies use to develop ethical and socially responsible organizations.
Develop strategies to build an ethical organizational culture.

Course Objectives

Evaluate society's relationship with business.
Analyze the importance of organizational culture in ethical organizations.
Examine how businesses influence and are influenced by various stakeholders (employees, customers, shareholders etc.)
Assess the differences between stakeholder and shareholder models with respect to advantages and disadvantages.
Describe the role of government regulations in business ethics.
Explain ethical behaviors and dilemmas in light of employee rights and employer expectations across different industries.
Analyze basic principles and ethical theories in relation to business and leadership.
Determine the role of the laws, programs, and systems created to govern corporate conduct and ethical compliances.
Describe examples of corporate social responsibility.
Evaluate case studies of business ethics.

Lecture Content

The Importance of Business Ethics
1. Definition of Business Ethics
2. The Reasons for Studying Business Ethics
3. The Development of Business Ethics Through History
4. Developing an Organizational and Global Ethical Culture
The Benefits of Ethics
1. Ethics Contributions to Employee Commitment
2. Ethics Contributions to Investor Loyalty
3. Ethics Contributions to Customer Satisfaction
4. Ethics Contributions to Profits
Importance of a Stakeholder Orientation
1. Identifying Stakeholders
2. Social Responsibility and Ethics
3. Corporate Governance – Providing Formalized Responsibility to Stakeholders
4. The Role of the Board of Directors
5. Greater Demands for Accountability and Transparency
Implementing a Stakeholder Perspective
1. Assessing the Corporate Culture
2. Identifying Stakeholder Groups and their Issues
3. Assessing Organizational Commitment to Social Responsibility
4. Identifying Resources and Determining Urgency
5. Gaining Stakeholder Feedback
Emerging Business Ethics Issues
1. Recognizing Ethical Issues and Dilemmas in Business
2. Misuse of Company Resources, Abusive or Intimidating Behavior, Harassment, Discrimination
3. Conflicts of Interest, Bribery, Corporate Intelligence
4. Environmental Issues, Fraud, Consumer Fraud, Financial Misconduct, Insider Trading
5. Intellectual Property Rights and Privacy Issues
6. Technology and its Use in Business Ethics
The Institutionalization of Business Ethics
1. Managing Ethical Risk Through Mandated and Voluntary Programs
2. Mandated Requirements for Legal Compliance
3. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act and Investor Rights
4. Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act
5. Employment Laws such as Civil Rights Act, Equal Pay Act etc.
6. Other Laws that Encourage Ethical Conduct
Ethical Decision Making and Ethical Leadership
1. Using the Ethical Decision-Making Framework to Improve Ethical Decisions
2. The Role of Leadership in Corporate Culture
3. Habits of Strong Ethical Leaders and their Leadership Styles
4. Understanding Ethical Decisions Making by Leadership
5. Individual Factors: Applying Moral Philosophies and Values to Ethical Decision Making
6. Cognitive Moral Development and White-Collar Crime
The Role of Ethical Culture and Relations
1. Defining Corporate Culture and the Role of Corporate Culture in Ethics
2. How Leaders Influence Corporate Culture
3. Motivating Ethical Behavior
4. Organizational Structure and Business Ethics
5. Group Dimensions of Corporate Structure and Culture
6. Variation in Employee Conduct
Developing an Effective Ethics Program
1. The Responsibility of the Corporation as a Moral Agent
2. The Need for Effective Organizational Ethics Programs
3. Codes of Conduct, Ethics Officers, Ethics Training, and Communications
4. Systems to Monitor and Enforce Ethical Standards
5. Implementing and Auditing the Ethics Program
6. The Auditing Process and Benefits of Ethics Auditing
Corporate Social Responsibility
1. Stakeholder vs Shareholder Model
2. Examples of Social Responsibility
3. Triple Bottom Line
4. Benefits of Social Responsibility

Method(s) of Instruction

Lecture (02)
DE Live Online Lecture (02S)
DE Online Lecture (02X)

Instructional Techniques

Reading Assignments

Textbook assigned by the instructor. Cases assigned by the instructor. Periodicals, journals, articles, and other readings

Writing Assignments

Weekly discussion topics related to business ethics. Assignments based on instructor lecture videos and external videos, articles etc.

Out-of-class Assignments

Research projects, case studies, quizzes, and presentations based on real world ethical situations.

Study Non-Contact Hours Recommended

108

Methods of Student Evaluation

Midterm Exam
Final Exam
Short Quizzes
Written Assignments
Essay Examinations
Projects (Individual/Group)
Problem Solving Exercises

Demonstration of Critical Thinking

Students will research different ethical scenarios and case studies involving organizational and professional conduct and values. Students will be required to analyze the potential of the scenario and make recommendations to emphasize the necessity, difficulty, and implication of ethical decision-making.

Required Writing, Problem Solving, Skills Demonstration

1. Formulate a written statement that will serve as the argument of a case and provide problem-solving responses. 2. Create research reports, presentations etc. regarding real world cases dealing with illegal as well as unethical corporate activities. Make recommendations to resolve these issues. 3. Participate in discussions regarding business decisions affecting personal and professional ethics.

Resources Subscreen

Open Education Resource: Byars, S.M., Stanberry, K.. Business Ethics (classic). (2018).
Textbook: Gillyer, Andrew. Business Ethics Now, 6th ed.. McGraw Hill (2020).

Eligible Discipline(s)

Business: Master’s degree in business, business management, business administration, accountancy, finance, marketing, or business education OR bachelor’s degree in any of the above AND master’s degree in economics, personnel management, public administration, or Juris Doctorate (J.D.) or Legum Baccalaureus (LL.B.) degree OR bachelor’s degree in economics with a business emphasis AND master’s degree in personnel management, public administration, or J.D. or LL.B. degree OR the equivalent. Master's degree required.
Management: Master’s degree in business administration, business management, business education, marketing, public administration, or finance OR bachelor’s degree in any of the above AND master’s degree in economics, accountancy, taxation, or law OR the equivalent. Master's degree required.
Marketing: Master’s degree in business administration, business management, business education, marketing, advertising, or finance OR bachelor’s degree in any of the above AND master’s degree in economics, accountancy, taxation, or law OR the equivalent. Master's degree required.

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