Ethics in Business

PHIL 2600, 3 Credit Hours

Spring 2023

MWF 11:00-11:50 AM, Newcomb Hall 17

 

Instructor’s name: David Ween

Office location: Newcomb 107

Office hours: Monday, 10:00-11:00 am or by appointment (via Zoom)

Phone number: (509) 808-0282

Email address: dween@tulane.edu

 

Course description:

 

This is a course in ethics in business and covers some basic topics in the ethics of consumption and production. However, the theme of this course is more specifically the emerging challenges of the digital life, and the attention and identity economies. As a result, this course focuses specifically on topics related to social media, advertising, identity, and the potential for encroachment of the market space into our private lives. We will begin with overviews of ethical theory, and then some alternative views on economics. We will then discuss more practical concerns about personal obligations, virtue signaling and moral performance, and the significance of motivations. We will briefly discuss the ethics of career choice, and then the ethics of capitalist markets. We will briefly consider alternatives to capitalism before moving to ethics in advertising and the digital attention and identity economies. The purpose of this class is not to persuade you one way or another about any of these issues. It is to make you challenge your presuppositions, and more critically analyze different views on salient moral issues in our thinking about business, consumption, and economics.

 

Course Goals:

This course is meant to:

1. Introduce students to common problems in consumption, production, and coordination,
2. Provide students with theoretical and strategic tools for dealing with these problems, and
3. Give students opportunities to practice applying conceptual tools and ethical principles to real-world cases.

 

Course Learning Objectives:

 

After completing this course, students will be able to:

1. Accurately explain common problems in production and consumption including problems in sustainability, advertising, and compensation.
2. Accurately identify coordination problems in business settings, and
3. Successfully apply appropriate ethical and game-theoretic tools to solve these problems.
4. Accurately explain the main criticisms and defenses of free markets and market regulation.
5. More clearly articulate their own moral commitments when it comes to ethical consumption and production

 

 

 

 

Program-Level Outcomes (Major/Minor)

This course satisfies applied ethics requirements for business majors, and SLAM majors and minors.

 

 

 

 

Required Student Resources

 

All the required reading will be available on Canvas.

 

Evaluation Procedures and Grading Criteria

 

Group Projects: 50% — Each round of group presentations will be slightly different, but they will all be graded similarly:

            Peer Grade: 60% — this is the average grade your peers assign to your group’s presentation. I will eliminate extreme outliers (for example, if most people give you scores between 80% and 90% but one person gives you a 55%, I will not count the 55%).

            Contract: 15% — You will have to come up with a contract for your group explaining everyone’s role. You must each individually submit this. If your group submits a contract but you individually do not, you will lose five (5) points. Your group will not be allowed to present if a contract has not been submitted, and you will fail the presentation if your name is not on the contract (even if you are the only person in your group to present). These are always due the Friday two weeks before presentations.

            Peer Evals Completed: 20% — this is the number of peer evaluations you complete divided by the number of groups and multiplied by 20. If there are six groups presenting, and you complete evaluations for only 4 (out of 5, since your group will also present), you will receive 4/5•20 = 16 points.

            Other Special Instruction: 5% — Your group may have to solve problems that others do not, or I may have specific things that have to be fixed between presentations. I will tell you explicitly what this is. If there are no such tasks to do, then your contract grade will be worth 20% for that presentation.

 

            The presentation topics will be:

1. Present your business (Week 5): You must give a summary of your business, and your plan for launching it. Your goal is to persuade your peers that it is worth investing in. It will help if you can provide an idea of start-up costs, overhead, etc. so that your investors (classmates) know what investing in your business is likely to cost against return.
2. Ethical Analysis (Week 10): Research competition. You should have addressed what the field looks like in the first presentation (it matters if you are trying to enter a competitive field with established companies), but now you should also address whether your business can solve ethical problems faced by other companies in your field. The idea is to persuade your peers that they should not only feel financially confident in your company (that was presentation 1) but also that they should feel ethically confident in your company.
3. Ethical Dilemma (Week 15): I will give you an ethical dilemma roughly 48 hours before your final presentation. You must solve this dilemma in addition to addressing other feedback from the second presentation. The goal is to persuade your investors that your company can survive a crisis.

 

Journal: 25% — You will, throughout the term, submit journal-style reflections on the material we are discussing. This is an opportunity for you to talk yourself through things you are having trouble with, explore your own thoughts and ideas, and think about how you might apply this course to your life, studies, and career. You must submit six in total. I will not accept these more than a week late, as there are plenty of opportunities to do them.

 

Participation and Attendance: 25% — You are expected to attend and participate in class at every meeting. You have two unexcused absences. Starting with your third absence, every absence thereafter will deduct 15% from your attendance and participation grade (that is 3% from your overall grade). This means that if you have at least nine absences, the very best grade you can expect is an 80% (that’s a B-). I will weigh meaningful participation more heavily both in calculating this grade and in adjusting final grades.

 

 

Tulane Grade Scale

A          93-100

A-        90-92.99

B+        87-89.99

B          83-86.99

B-        80-82.99

C+        77-79.99

C          73-76.99

C-         70-72.99

D+       67-69.99

D         63-66.99

D-        60-62.99

F          <59.99

 

 

 

 

Attendance Statement

 

Faculty and students must comply with University policies on COVID-19 testing and isolation, which are located here [https://tulane.edu/covid-19/health-strategies]. Faculty and students must wear face coverings in all common areas, including classrooms, and follow social distancing rules. Failure to comply is a violation of the Code of Student Conduct and students will be subject to University discipline, which can include suspension or permanent dismissal.

 

If a student cannot attend class for any reason, the student is responsible for communicating with their instructors to make up any work they may miss. Faculty will provide online options for class participation, outlined in this document, and unless a student is seriously ill, they are expected to use this option. The University Health Center will provide documentation verifying a student is ill, as well as verification that a student may return to class. With the approval of the Newcomb - Tulane College dean, an instructor may have a student who has excessive absences involuntarily withdrawn from a course with a WF grade after written warning at any time during the semester.

 

Students have two unexcused absences. For an absence to be excused, please let the instructor know prior to the class missed. I realize there are often extenuating circumstances, and I will certainly take these into account. Please do not be afraid to reach out and let me know if you need support or accommodation, and please let me know as soon as you do if you will need to miss class meetings or assignments.

 

 

 

Late Work Policy

 

All work must be submitted on time. If you need accommodations (in case of emergencies, etc.) this must be communicated by the due date.

 

All late assignments will receive a 25% deduction in the first 24 hours, a 50% deduction thereafter, and no credit will be awarded for assignments submitted more than seven days late.

 

 

ADA/Accessibility Statement

Tulane University strives to make all learning experiences as accessible as possible. If you anticipate or experience academic barriers based on your disability, please let me know immediately so that we can privately discuss options. I will never ask for medical documentation from you to support potential accommodation needs. Instead, to establish reasonable accommodations, I may request that you register with the Goldman Center for Student Accessibility.  After registration, make arrangements with me as soon as possible to discuss your accommodations so that they may be implemented in a timely fashion. Goldman Center contact information: goldman@tulane.edu; (504) 862-8433; accessibility.tulane.edu.

 

Code of Academic Conduct

The Code of Academic Conduct applies to all undergraduate students, full-time and part-time, in Tulane University. Tulane University expects and requires behavior compatible with its high standards of scholarship. By accepting admission to the university, a student accepts its regulations (i.e., Code of Academic Conductand Code of Student Conduct) and acknowledges the right of the university to take disciplinary action, including suspension or expulsion, for conduct judged unsatisfactory or disruptive.

 

Except for group presentations, all assignments must be completed individually, and must be the original work of the student. Group presentations must be the original work of the group as a collective, as spelled out in your group contract, which you will complete at the beginning of the semester.

 

Religious accommodation policy

Per Tulane’s religious accommodation policy (with hyperlink), I will make every reasonable effort to ensure that students are able to observe religious holidays without jeopardizing their ability to fulfill their academic obligations. Excused absences do not relieve the student from the responsibility for any course work required during the period of absence. Students should notify me within the first two weeks of the semester about their intent to observe any holidays that fall on a class day or on the day of the final project.

Course Schedule

This schedule is subject to change at the instructor’s discretion.

 

 

	WEEK	DAY	DATE	TOPIC	READING
WHY BUSINESS ETHICS	WEEK 1	Wednesday	18-Jan	What is business ethics?	Syllabus and intro
		Friday	20-Jan		Amartya Sen: Does Business Ethics Make Economic Sense?: Ronald Duska: Business Ethics: Oxymoron or Good Business?
MORAL THEORY	WEEK 2	Monday	23-Jan	Introduction to major lines of thought in ethics	Lecture: Consequentialism
		Wednesday	25-Jan		Lecture: Deontology (and a note on virtue)
		Friday	27-Jan		No Class: meet to organize groups
ECONOMICS AND THE INDIVIDUAL	WEEK 3	Monday	30-Jan	Thinking of Investment Differently	Lecture: theories of value
		Wednesday	1-Feb		Barnett, Cafaro, Newholm: Philosophy and Ethical Consumption
		Friday	3-Feb		Thoreau: Excerpts from On Walden Pond
THE ATTENTION ECONOMY	WEEK 4	Monday	6-Feb	Developments in media	Lecture: The Ethics of the Attention Economy/Rawls
		Wednesday	8-Feb		Excerpts from: Digital Minimalism
		Friday	10-Feb		Bay: Social Media Ethics: A Rawlsian Approach
PRESENTATIONS	WEEK 5	Monday	13-Feb	Presentations
		Wednesday	15-Feb
		Friday	17-Feb
PERSONAL OBLIGATION	WEEK 6	Monday	20-Feb	MARDI GRAS
		Wednesday	22-Feb	Singer	Wealth and Affluence
		Friday	24-Feb		Wealth and Affluence (Cont'd)
GRANDSTANDING AND PERFORMATIVE VIRTUE	WEEK 7	Monday	27-Feb	Grandstanding	Warmke and Tosi: Moral Grandstanding
		Wednesday	1-Mar	Lecture	Motives and Reasons
		Friday	3-Mar	Motivations	Bob Goodin: Do Motives Matter?
CAREER CHOICE	WEEK 8	Monday	6-Mar	No Class — Meet With Your Groups
		Wednesday	8-Mar	Effective Altruism and Career Choice	William MacAskill, Replaceability, Career Choice, and Making a Difference
		Friday	10-Mar
MARKETS (Pt. I)	WEEK 9	Monday	13-Mar	Why Markets?	Virgil Storr, Why the Market?
		Wednesday	15-Mar
		Friday	17-Mar
PRESENTATIONS	WEEK 10	Monday	20-Mar	Presentations
		Wednesday	22-Mar
		Friday	24-Mar
MARKETS (Pt. II)	WEEK 11	Monday	27-Mar	Stakeholders	Peter French: The corporation as a moral person
		Wednesday	29-Mar		Freeman, Martin, and Parmer: Stakeholder Capitalism
		Friday	31-Mar		Boatright: What's Wrong -- and what's right -- with stakeholder management; Heath: Business Ethics Without Stakeholders
SPRING BREAK	SPRING BREAK	Monday	3-Apr	SPRING BREAK
		Wednesday	5-Apr
		Friday	7-Apr
MARKETS (Pt. III)	WEEK 12	Monday	10-Apr	The Limits of Markets	Brennan, Markets Without Limits (excerpts)
		Wednesday	12-Apr
		Friday	14-Apr	Asynchronous	Cohen, Why Not Socialism? (Excerpts),     Brennan, Why Not Capitalism? (Excerpts)
IMMIGRATION AND WAGES	WEEK 13	Monday	17-Apr	No Class — Meet With Your Groups
		Wednesday	19-Apr	Immigration	Huemer: A Right to Immigrate
		Friday	21-Apr	Wages	Brennan: Should Employers Pay a Living Wage?
CASE STUDY REVIEW	WEEK 14	Monday	24-Apr		Readings to be determined
		Wednesday	26-Apr
		Friday	28-Apr
PRESENTATIONS	WEEK 15	Monday	1-May	Presentations
		Wednesday	3-May
		Friday	5-May
	FINALS	Monday	8-May	FINALS (You did yours last week)
		Wednesday	10-May

 

Title IX:

Tulane University recognizes the inherent dignity of all individuals and promotes respect for all people. As such, Tulane is committed to providing an environment free of all forms of discrimination including sexual and gender-based discrimination, harassment, and violence like sexual assault, intimate partner violence, and stalking. If you (or someone you know) has experienced or is experiencing these types of behaviors, know that you are not alone. Resources and support are available: you can learn more at allin.tulane.edu.  Any and all of your communications on these matters will be treated as either “Confidential” or “Private” as explained in the chart below. Please know that if you choose to confide in me I am required by the university to share your disclosure in a Care Connection to the Office of Case Management and Victim Support Services to be sure you are connected with all the support the university can offer.  The Office of University Sexual Misconduct Response and Title IX Administration is also notified of these disclosures.  You choose whether or not you want to meet with these offices. You can also make a disclosure yourself, including an anonymous report, through the form at tulane.edu/concerns.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Confidential

Private

Except in extreme circumstances, involving imminent danger to one’s self or others, nothing will be shared without your explicit permission.       §  Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) | (504) 314-2277   §  The Line (24/7) | (504) 264-6074   §  Student Health Center | (504) 865-5255   §  Sexual Aggression Peer Hotline and Education (SAPHE) | (504) 654-9543

Conversations are kept as confidential as possible, but information is shared with key staff members so the University can offer resources and accommodations and take action if necessary for safety reasons. §  Case Management & Victim Support Services | (504) 314-2160 or srss@tulane.edu §  Tulane University Police (TUPD) | Uptown - (504) 865-5911 | Downtown – (504) 988-5531 §  Office of University Sexual Misconduct Response and Title IX Administration | (504) 865-5611 or titleix@tulane.edu §  Student Affairs Professional On-Call (24/7) | (504) 920-9900

 

 

 

 

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Statement (EDI)

 

"Equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are important Tulane values that drive excellence in our learning environments and help us build a supportive culture and climate for every member of our community  Diversity refers to many different identities and experiences that include the following and more: race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, military status, veteran status (or any other classification protected by applicable law). To live our values of EDI with one another, we acknowledge that each of us have areas of strength and growth in our EDI learning and competency that we each continuously work on to sustain EDI on our campus."

 

Emergency Preparedness & Response:

 

EMERGENCY NOTIFICATIONS: TU ALERT	SEVERE WEATHER
In the event of a campus emergency, Tulane University will notify students, faculty, and staff by email, text, and/or phone call. You were automatically enrolled in this system when you enrolled at the university.   Check your contact information annually in Gibson Online to confirm its accuracy.	§  Follow all TU Alerts and outdoor warning sirens §  Seek shelter indoors until the severe weather threat has passed and an all-clear message is given §  Do not use elevators §  Do not attempt to travel outside if weather is severe   Monitor the Tulane Emergency website (tulane.edu/emergency/) for university-wide closures during a severe weather event
ACTIVE SHOOTER / VIOLENT ATTACKER	EVERBRIDGE APP
RUN – run away from or avoid the affected area, if possible HIDE – go into the nearest room that can be locked, turn out the lights, and remain hidden until all-clear message is given through TU ALERT FIGHT – do not attempt this option, except as a last resort §  For more information or to schedule a training, visit emergencyprep.tulane.edu	§  Download the Everbridge app from the App Store or Google Play store §  The Report feature allows you to silently and discreetly communicate with TUPD dispatchers §  The SOS button allows you to notify TUPD if you need help §  The Safe Corridor button serves as a virtual escort and allows you to send check-in notifications to TUPD

From: Tulane Office of emergency preparedness and response