www.monash.edu.au

MGX5020: Business ethics in a global environment

Week 1:Law, values and ethics: Business and workplace

contexts

www.monash.edu.au

2

Your Tutor (me)

Nathan Eva

– nathan.eva@monash.edu– 9903 4065– Building N Level 5 Room 14– www.slideshare.net/nathaneva

www.monash.edu.au

3

Your Tutor (me)

Nathan Eva

– PhD / B.Bus (Hons) / B.A> Management / Politics / Drama

– Teaching> Ethics (Masters) / Leadership (3rd) / Organisational Change (3rd) / International

Management (3rd) / Managerial Communication (1st) / Intro to Management (1st)

– Consulting> Politics / Non-for-Profit / Youth Sector / Music Sector

www.monash.edu.au

4

Business ethics in a global environment

•Compulsory readings each week

•Guided reading activities due to Cristina in lectures

•Lectures are very important for this subject

• Tutorials will be an interactive discussion of the material. You will need to have a solid grasp of the material when you enter.

www.monash.edu.au

5

Assignment 1

•Guided Reading Activities•Weeks 2-11•Worth 20%•Need to submit at least 8 of 10•Handed in to Cristina • Cristina is the best person to speak to about this

assignment as she marks it.• Info on Moodle

www.monash.edu.au

6

Assignment 2

•Group Assignment (groups of 4)•Research Paper with subheadings•Week 8 Monday September 16 4pm

> My pigeon hole Building N Level 5 (maybe tutes, tbc)

•3,000 words•Worth 30%• You are required to explore the ethical and business

dimensions of a chosen issue falling under one of the topics in the assignment guide.

www.monash.edu.au

7

Assignment 2

•Topics are:> Ethics and business corruption> Ethics and business leadership> Ethics and human resources management> Ethics and the natural environment> Ethics, religion and business practices> Any other topic that you get approval from me about

•Speak to me when you have chosen a topic

www.monash.edu.au

8

Assignment 2

•Introduction (10%)> Very clear this is the purpose, this is why it is important, this is what the paper will

cover

•Background (10%)> Literature review on what happened in the case you have chosen

•Explanation (20%)> Why it happened – Explain the ethical issues and concept relevant used in class

•Analysis and Evaluation (30%) > Applying the theories you just spoke on to the case at hand

•Personal Reflections and Implications for business practice (10%)> Recommend ethical business practices from your own experiences and those of

other businesses. Be specific and practical to the case.

•Conclusion (10%)> Draw recommendations from the analysis and summarise the findings

•Clarity and quality of expression (10%)> English and referencing (APA)

www.monash.edu.au

9

Assignment 2

•Peer Rating Sheet> You need to fill out a peer rating sheet for each of your group members> A score of 0 (bad) – 10 (good) on each of the different categories> In my pigeon hole on the same day with your name on the top> You only need numbers – if you wish to write something that is fine too> This is used to moderate grades

www.monash.edu.au

10

Starting to think

• You have 15 minutes.

• You have to learn one new thing about every person in this classroom

• How you do it is up to you

• Go

www.monash.edu.au

11

To Begin

•What is ethics?

• How do we know the difference between right and wrong?

> Culture (Family, Teachers)> Law (Of that country)> Religion (Beliefs you have about the world)

• Each of these are from other people, your personal ethics are your own, albeit shaped by others.

www.monash.edu.au

12

Getting to Know You

•30% of your mark is group work•Let’s start with nationalities

> Who you are, your course, where you studied your undergrad> What ethical dilemmas are currently being experienced in your home

country– i.e. Australia – Asylum seekers, drugs in sport, Aboriginal health, Kmart’s factories,

overseas labour, workplace safety (Workcover).

•One nationality per group> Who you are, your course, where you studied your undergrad> What are the ethical issues in doing business between your countries

www.monash.edu.au

13

In Groups

•Discuss the relationship between> Ethics and etiquette and custom> Ethics and prudence > Ethics and law

• How are they similar• How are they different• Can you give me an example where they converge?• Can you give me an example where they diverge?

> Ethics is xyz whereas law is abc. When doing business in China a differentiation between ethics and law can be apparent. An example is….

www.monash.edu.au

14

In Groups

• Ethics – Moral principles of the individual usually spoken of in

relation to their conduct• Etiquette/Custom

– The way of acting in a particular social situation• Prudence

– Caution/care in actions• Law

– An action established by a Government / judicial body

www.monash.edu.au

15

New Groups

• Based on the Solomon and Hansen article pick one of the 5 arguments below. Is it a strong argument to be unethical? Why / Why not? If not give me a counter argument.

1. Unethical business goes on all the time

2. I did what I was told to

3. In business you do whatever you need to survive

4. Think business make money

5. In the long run we’re all dead

www.monash.edu.au

16

Enron

“A fish rots from the head down”

• Summarise the Enron Case• As a business student, how do you feel about what happened?• Does this align to your own personal ethics?• What would have you done in that situation?

www.monash.edu.au

17

Enron

• Did the actions taken conflict with etiquette and customs?• Did the actions taken conflict with prudence• Did the actions taken conflict with law • Did the actions taken conflict with ethics

• Things to think about:– The deregulation of the industry was law. Wasn’t Enron entitled to create

Special Purpose Entities?– Was the intent to deceive the public the point where it became unethical?– Doesn’t Fastow have a responsibility to LJM Cayman L.P. to maximise

their profits? Wasn’t he doing that?– Was Arthur Ansersen unbiased with his advice?– Was it ethical for Lay and Skilling to sell stock and at the same time

encourage their employees to invest?

www.monash.edu.au

18

Next Week

•Please have down Kohlberg Moral Reasoning

•Have both articles read an annotated

• We will be forming the groups so be ready to go with that

www.monash.edu.au

19

Week 1 Lecture

• Overview of the assignments and the class

• However – make sure you read the lecture notes as not everything was covered.

www.monash.edu.au

20

Week 2 Lecture

• Kohlberg’s theory of moral development > Pre-conventional> Conventional > Post-conventional