Course Co-ordinator: Dr B B Davies

Pre-requisite(s): None

Note(s): This course cannot be taken by students who are taking a Business School course as part of their curriculum (this includes courses with an AC/EC/MS/PO/BU code).

Business Ethics considers the ethical choices facing business, both at the level of individual business management and in relation to the role of business in society more widely. The course will explore alternative justifications for ethical judgement based on competing moral theories, and apply these to specific issues and contexts that arise particularly in business situations. The emphasis is on a reasoned, critical exploration of the relationship between business and the wider philosophical concerns of justice, fairness, rights, responsibilities, duties and personal choice.

The course considers debates surrounding corporate social responsibility, shareholders and stakeholders, corporate governance, civil society, human resources and human rights. The scope of ethical consideration under study extends from internal management concerns to local business community engagement and through to global perspectives on development and economic progress. The nature of ethical choices that arise throughout this range of interests will be explored, with a particular focus on the role of business and business behaviours in social and environmental contexts.

2 one-hour lectures per week, 1 one-hour tutorial every two weeks.

1st Attempt: 1 two-hour examination (70%); continuous assessment (30%) consisting of a piece of written work exploring an ethical challenge in business of 2,000 words in length.

1 two-hour written examination (100%).