Business Law, Ethical Behavior and Social Responsibility

• eTextbook Name: Law and Ethics in the Business Environment, 9th Edition, Terry Halbert; Elaine Ingulli, 978035769859
• In this unit, you learn two important but distinct concepts: your personal ethical influences and classical ethical influences / theories.The objectives for this unit are to understand your personal core values that influence your behavior and choices by completing the ELI (the Ethical Lens Inventory, your personal “ethical toolkit), reviewing the analysis, and learning about what influences your classmates’ behavior and choices. You also will also learn classical ethical theory, or the authors’ “ethical toolkit” in Chapter One of our textbook.

There’s the ELI game than the paper.

EthicsGame Access Instructions
BU 649B, Fall 2023
As a component of this course, you will be using a product from EthicsGame. Please read and
follow the instructions below to register. If you have questions or encounter a problem, please
contact the GameMaster at Gamemaster@ethicsgame.com or call 1-888-248-6974.
Class Code:
6T7GFY
Registration steps
1. Go to https://ethicsgame.com/exec/site/login.html
2. If you do have an EthicsGame account, use the “Login to your account” box.
3. If you do not have an EthicsGame account, enter the above Class Code in the “Create an
account” box and click Submit
4. Verify your registration and click Proceed
5. Follow the steps to Create Your Account and click Submit
6. Select a payment option:
a. Game Key: Game keys are only available from campus bookstores, not all
bookstores carry game keys. NOTE: Game Keys can only be used once.
b. Credit Card: Complete all fields in the Pay with Credit Card section.
Re-Entry Steps
1. Go to https://ethicsgame.com/exec/site/login.html
2. Enter your Username (email address) and Password in the “Login to your account” box
and then click Login
©All Rights Reserved 2013.
Ethical Lens Inventory
Enhancing Ethical Awareness
Can Ethics Be Taught?
Yes, if…
▪ Focus on the ethical
developmental tasks
needed to move from
being a young adult to
a professional
▪ Core of identity is
ethics – choosing
behaviors that count
for being “good” in
one’s profession
Goal: Ethical Formation of Learners
▪ Identify core commitments, including values
that give life meaning and purpose
▪ Challenge and reconfigure world view
▪ Enhance ability for civil discourse
▪ Prepare to live as autonomous adult
▪ Equip to contribute to well-being of
community
Toward Ethical Maturity: The Ethical Self
Self-knowledge and self-control
▪ What are my core values and
commitments?
▪ What is my shadow side and
where can I be tempted?
Foundational Definitions
Morality
▪
Personal compass of values
and motives
Ethics
▪
Actions that count for meeting
shared community values
Professional ethics
▪
Shared and mutually enforced
professional norms
Building Blocks of Ethical Theories
Rationality
(reason/head)
Rights/Responsibilities Lens
Relationship Lens
(Deontological Theories)
(Justice Theories)
Autonomy
Equality
(individual)
(community)
Results Lens
Reputation Lens
(Consequentialist Theories)
(Virtue Theories)
Sensibility
(intuition/heart)
A Sample Student Scatterplot
▪ Group of seniors, different
majors in leadership cohort
▪ Those in center either
uncertain of ethical
commitments or in transition
▪ Movement of ethical
commitments between
groups highlights differences
in organizational and
community culture
Ethical Lens Inventory (ELI)
▪ Ethical Lens Inventory:
a 36 item typology that
allows people to
determine preferred
ethical perspective
▪ What about the
questions did you find
challenging?
▪ Were you able to keep a
focus on your values?
Describing the Ethical Lenses
▪ Depending on where
you landed, you have
one of 25 different
explanations of ethical
commitments.
▪ What surprised/
intrigued you the most
▪ With what did you not
resonate?
Identifying Gifts of the Lenses
▪ Remember, each perspective
is legitimate – the difference
is prioritization of values.
▪ What do you think might be
valuable knowing about the
four perspectives?
▪ How do the differences make
decision making easier? More
challenging?
▪ What strategies do you need
to work with others?
Determining What Actions Are Ethical
▪ Language and key words
identify lens and value
priorities
▪ Same behavior justified
through more than one lens
▪ How does different
definitions of ethical behavior
impact leadership strategies?
▪ How would you begin to
resolve differences?
Exploring Causes for Unethical Behavior
▪ Blind spots represent those
places we are not aware
▪ Temptations are faced when
we are under stress
▪ Vices emerge as we choose to
act unethically
▪ What was your response to
information about your blind
spots?
Questions for Classroom Discussion
Being included – peer pressure
What behaviors are unacceptable?
▪ When do I go against the crowd?
▪
Being respected by others
What behaviors does the community expect?
▪ Aspirational – what kind of person should I
become?
▪
Respecting ourselves
What values and behaviors do I expect of myself?
▪ What is my personal code of ethics?
▪ How do my beliefs inform my code of ethics?
▪
Questions?
Description: Students will prepare a reflection paper synthesizing their experience with the
Ethical Lens Inventory, describing their individual lens, placing it in context of the four ethical
lenses, align their position along the rationality/sensibility axis and the autonomy/equality axis.
Students will rely on and identify the concepts explained in the readings and resources, and cite
to the various articles provided on the web site. Students will use MLA citation style and write at
the upper undergrad level. The contents of the paper must include, at a minimum, answers to the
four questions below. The paper will be a minimum of 6 pages and is worth a total of
25 points. The paper is due on 10/22.
Question 1:
Before starting this course, were you aware of the concept of “ethical plurality” as it is
described in the ELI materials? In what context were you aware of ethical plurality and
how did this differ from the concepts as presented in the ELI? How is the concept of
ethical plurality useful is addressing ethical dilemmas?
Associated Unit Learning Objectives: #1, 2 (CLO 1 and 3)
Required/Graded
Points: 5
Question 2:
Having completed the ELI and associated readings, describe your understanding of
ethical plurality, in particular the impact of rights, responsibilities, reputation, results, and
relationships. Evaluate each of the four lenses. Integrate examples and explanations from
the ELI resource library.
Associated Unit Learning Objectives: #1, 2 (CLO 1 and 3)
Points: 5
Question 3:
How did the ELI evaluate your core ethical commitments in view of the Four Ethical
Lenses? What is your particular lens and associated traits? Provide full description of all
categories, including your ethical strengths and blindspots.
Associated Unit Learning Objectives: #1, 2, 3 (CLO 1, 3, 5)
Points: 5
Question 4:
Do you believe that your results on the ELI accurately reflect your values? Why or why
not? Include substantive recommendations that your personal ELI report provides.
Associated Unit Learning Objectives: #1, 2, 3 (CLO 1, 3, 5)
Points: 5
Writing Style: Organization, Syntax, Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling:
To ensure that the paper is written at the upper undergraduate-level, students should review
and revise their papers extensively. In particular, students should pay careful attention to the
organization of all substantive arguments and points raised. Writing will be evaluated for
appropriate syntax and grammar. Excess words should be eliminated.
Revising and Editing:
Points: 5
Course learning objectives: CLO 1, 3, 5