chapter 7
Chapter 7
Business Ethics Fundamentals
LEARNING OUTCOMES
After studying this chapter, you should be able to:
1. Describe how the public regards business ethics.
2. Define business ethics and appreciate the complexities of making ethical judgments.
3. Explain the conventional approach to business ethics.
4. Analyze economic, legal, and ethical aspects by using a Venn model.
5. Enumerate and discuss the four important ethics questions.
6. Identify and explain three models of management ethics.
7. Describe Kohlberg’s three levels of developing moral judgment.
8. Identify and discuss the elements of moral judgment.
TEACHING SUGGESTIONS
INTRODUCTION – Chapter 7 introduces concepts and background that are essential to the understanding of business ethics. The authors explore a wide range of topics that combine to form a network within which business decisions are made, how they are made, and how managers develop their abilities to make them.
KEY TALKING POINTS – Unless students have previously taken a course in moral philosophy, most will have given little thought to the whole issue of ethical decision-making. Although they will certainly have opinions regarding right and wrong behavior (often very strong opinions), the majority will have little insight into how they make those decisions. One effective way to introduce this element of moral decision-making is to show a video clip or read a short passage that presents a clear moral dilemma, and then ask the students how they would make a decision about that scenario—without allowing them to say what their decisions are. Many will get frustrated with this exercise, but will soon recognize the point being made—that they go through a process to get to their decisions, but rarely do they pay any attention to that process.
This chapter focuses on two primary topics—the environment within which business ethics decisions are made and how managers go about making those decisions. By
Business Ethics Fundamentals
LEARNING OUTCOMES
After studying this chapter, you should be able to:
1. Describe how the public regards business ethics.
2. Define business ethics and appreciate the complexities of making ethical judgments.
3. Explain the conventional approach to business ethics.
4. Analyze economic, legal, and ethical aspects by using a Venn model.
5. Enumerate and discuss the four important ethics questions.
6. Identify and explain three models of management ethics.
7. Describe Kohlberg’s three levels of developing moral judgment.
8. Identify and discuss the elements of moral judgment.
TEACHING SUGGESTIONS
INTRODUCTION – Chapter 7 introduces concepts and background that are essential to the understanding of business ethics. The authors explore a wide range of topics that combine to form a network within which business decisions are made, how they are made, and how managers develop their abilities to make them.
KEY TALKING POINTS – Unless students have previously taken a course in moral philosophy, most will have given little thought to the whole issue of ethical decision-making. Although they will certainly have opinions regarding right and wrong behavior (often very strong opinions), the majority will have little insight into how they make those decisions. One effective way to introduce this element of moral decision-making is to show a video clip or read a short passage that presents a clear moral dilemma, and then ask the students how they would make a decision about that scenario—without allowing them to say what their decisions are. Many will get frustrated with this exercise, but will soon recognize the point being made—that they go through a process to get to their decisions, but rarely do they pay any attention to that process.
This chapter focuses on two primary topics—the environment within which business ethics decisions are made and how managers go about making those decisions. By