Business, Society and Ethics

9 units · Undergraduate

Fall and Spring: 9 units What sorts of ethical obligations do businesses have towards their customers, employees, and the public? This course will explore ethical challenges faced by modern corporations, and frameworks which can be used to develop responsible corporate decision-making. There is a strong focus on normative arguments and debate. Topics include: product safety and liability, voluntary and informed contracts, employee rights, corruption, social and environmental responsibilities, antitrust, discrimination, and the limits of markets. The goals of this course are: (1) to gain knowledge of ethical frameworks for corporate decision-making, and (2) to develop the skills to criticize and defend the decisions of a business on ethical grounds. Prerequisites: 76-102 or 76-101 or ( 76-107 and 76-106 ) or ( 76-108 and 76-106 ) or ( 76-108 and 76-107 )