BUS B368F Business Issues and Ethics

Course Document

January 2016

Contents
Introduction

Aims

Learning outcomes

Content

Alignment of outcomes and content

Teaching and learning strategies

Assessment

Textbook and other material

Teaching staff

Teaching schedule

INTRODUCTION
BUS B368F Business Issues and Ethics is a five-credit, one-term, higher-level course for
students in the Bachelor of Business Administration and Bachelor of Business Administration
with Honours programmes. It is also suitable for all students who wish to improve their
analytical skills in solving ethical dilemmas and conflicts, and to learn more about how
various stakeholders address ethical issues differently.
AIMS
This course aims to introduce the theories and practices of business ethics. The primary
function is not to change students personal values; rather, it is to raise students awareness on
business ethical issues and to develop an ethical mind-set (i.e., outcome-based vs. rule-based)
so that they consider ethics when analysing business and social cases and making business
decisions.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Define and explain business ethics, recognize practical business issues with ethical
dimensions at the level of the individual, the organization and society, and apply ethical
judgment to business decisions in which they are involved.
Explain and discuss sustainability, the triple bottom line, corporate accountability and
corporate social responsibility.
Explain and discuss personal, cultural and other contextual factors that can affect
peoples ethical choices and decisions.
Explain and discuss different approaches to ethics management and how an ethics
culture can be created, integrating the relevance of codes and principles of business
ethics.
Identify and deal with ethical issues involving different stakeholders. Critically discuss
on the future evolution of ethics in business and explain why accountability,
transparency, corporate social responsibility and sustainability may be the new goals for
business ethics.

CONTENT
Contact
hours
4
4
4
4
4
4

Topics
1
2
3
4
5
6

Introduction to business ethics

Theories and Management
Firms, labors and Ethics
Markets, consumers and ethics
Government, regulation and ethics
Revision

ALIGNMENT OF OUTCOMES AND CONTENT

The outcomes are related to the above topics as follows:
Outcome
Outcome 1
Outcome 2
Outcome 3
Outcome 4
Outcome 5

Topic
Topics 1
Topic 1, 2 and 3
Topics 2
Topic 3 and 4
Topic 3, 4 and 5

TEACHING AND LEARNING STRATEGIES

Lectures, tutorials, group presentations and the use of multi-media materials are the main
means employed in the course to help students achieve the learning outcomes.
Lectures are used to introduce the theories and concepts for the field of study. They are
supplemented by tutorials and/or group presentations to enhance students analytical skills in
problem determination and solving.
Students can use the Online Learning Environment (OLE) which contains notes and
PowerPoint files from lectures and hyperlinks to useful websites and other relevant resources.
They can also use the OLE Discussion Board to interact with the teaching staff and other
students on the course. Alternatively, students can submit their study problems and questions
to their lecturer/tutors through email.
ASSESSMENT
Course assessment includes continuous assessment and examination is as follows:
Continuous assessment:
Examination:

40% (2 project-based assignments)

60% (final examination)

Assignment 1 (weighting 20%)

This is a (open book) quiz in which students are required to complete some multiple-choice
questions. This assignment is used mainly to assess outcomes 1, 2 and 3.
Assignment 2 (weighting 20%)
This is a group project. Students are required to work with their team members to complete a
project on a relevant topic of their instructors selection. Presentations may be required. This
assignment is used mainly to assess outcomes 4 and 5.
Examination (weighting 60%)
This is a three-hour examination and students are required to synthesize and demonstrate what
they have achieved in learning outcomes 1 to 5.
The pass mark for each assignment is 40. To pass this course, students must pass both the
overall course score and the examination.
Assignment Submission
As a mechanism to maintain academic integrity, students are required to submit both hard and
soft copies of their assignments as below:
3

i.

Submission of hard copy

Students should put a hard copy of the assignment in the collection box on 8F in Block A
between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm on or before the submission due date.

ii.
iii.

Submission of soft copy

Students should upload a soft copy of the assignment to the OLE of the course by 6:00
pm on the submission due date. Files uploaded to the OLE should be in MS Word format.
10% of the marks awarded to the assignment will be deducted for each day it is overdue
until both hard and soft copies are submitted.

Please note that only the hard copies of your assignments will be graded and returned.
TEXTBOOK
Crane, A. and D. Matten, Business Ethics 3nd edition, Oxford. ISBN 978-0-19-956433-0
OTHER REFERENCES
Ramasamy, B. and Yeung, M. (2009) Chinese Consumers Perception of Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR), Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 88(1), pp. 119-132,
Ramasamy, B., Yeung, M., Au, A. (2010) Consumer Support for Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR): The Role of Religion and Values, Journal of Business Ethics, Vol.
91(1), pp. 61-72.
Ramasamy, B. and Yeung, M. (2012) Ethical Distance and Difference in Bilateral Trade, The
Journal of World Investment & Trade, Vol. 13(3), pp. 420-441.

TEACHING STAFF
Lecturer:

Mr KW Lam
Office: Block A, 8/F
Tel: 2768 6951
Email: lamkwo2003@yahoo.com.hk
Consultation hours: by appointment

Tutors:

Mr Marcus Chow
Office: Block A, 8/F
Tel: 2768 6983
Email: kfchow@ouhk.edu.hk
Consultation hours: by appointment
Ms Sindy Chung
Office: Block A, 8/F
Tel: 2768 6095
Email: skwchung@ouhk.edu.hk
Consultation hours: by appointment
Ms Kitty Lau
Office: Block A, 8/F
Tel: 2768 6977
Email: klau@ouhk.edu.hk
Consultation hours: by appointment
Ms Elizabeth Nam
Office: Block A, 8/F
Tel: 2768 6951
Email: t432195@ouhk.edu.hk
Consultation hours: by appointment
Dr Reginald Tai
Office: Block A, 8/F
Tel: 2768 6951
Email: reginaldtai@yahoo.com.hk
Consultation hours: by appointment
Dr Matthew Yeung
Office: Block A, 8/F
Tel: 2768 6951
Email: myeung@ouhk.edu.hk
Consultation hours: by appointment

TEACHING SCHEDULE
Teaching Week
1
2
3
4
5
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14

Topics

Assignment

1. Introduction to business ethics

2. Theories and Management

Quiz
Week 6

3. Firms, labors and Ethics

4. Markets, consumers and ethics
5. Government, regulation and ethics
6. Revision

TMA
Week 10