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Module Catalogue

IB3E6-15 Ethical Issues in Contemporary Business

Department
Warwick Business School
Level
Undergraduate Level 3
Module leader
Demetris Hadjimichael
Credit value
15
Module duration
10 weeks
Assessment
Multiple
Study location
University of Warwick main campus, Coventry

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Introductory description

This is an elective module available for WBS and non-WBS students.

  • Introduce students to basic theories of ethics and politics.
  • Engage students with a range of ethical challenges faced by contemporary business and other organisations in the practices of their activities and operations.
  • Enable students to apply theories of ethics to contemporary issues faced by business and other organisations.
  • Enable students to engage with and critically reflect upon ethical choices and dilemmas by engaging in a team based project work which requires them to deal practically with ethical concerns.

Module web page

Module aims

  • Introduce students to basic theories of ethics and politics.
  • Engage students with a range of ethical challenges faced by contemporary business and other organisations in the practices of their activities and operations.
  • Enable students to apply theories of ethics to contemporary issues faced by business and other organisations.
  • Enable students to engage with and critically reflect upon ethical choices and dilemmas by engaging in a team based project work which requires them to deal practically with ethical concerns.

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Introduction to business ethics and contemporary ethical dilemmas
How narratives, habits and non-reflectiveness affect ethics in organizations
Utilitarian ethics and organizations
Kantian ethics and organizations
Virtue ethics and organizations
Freedom and rights: liberalism and egalitarianism
Marx, commodity fetishism and inhumane working conditions
Feminist Ethics
Ethics and Emotions in Organisations
The future of work; effective labour

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

  • Demonstrate knowledge of core theories of ethics.
  • Understand key contemporary ethical issues faced by businesses and organisations.
  • Utilise critical thinking skills in analyzing ethical dilemmas elicited/explored with the research project
  • Understand/have an experience of teamwork and research skills/activities

Indicative reading list

Sandel, M. (2010). Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do? London: Penguin Books.
Gibson, K. (2012). Ethics and Business: An Introduction Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Sandbu, Martin (2011) Just Business: Arguments in Business Ethics. London: Pearson Hall.

Subject specific skills

Apply ethical theories to analyse critically contemporary ethical issues faced by businesses and other organisations.
Understand current organizational responses (practices, procedures, etc.) to ethical dilemmas.

Transferable skills

Demonstrate improved verbal communication skills.
Demonstrate improved written communication skills.

Study time

Type Required
Lectures 10 sessions of 2 hours (13%)
Seminars 9 sessions of 1 hour (6%)
Private study 48 hours (32%)
Assessment 73 hours (49%)
Total 150 hours

Private study description

Private Study.

Costs

No further costs have been identified for this module.

You do not need to pass all assessment components to pass the module.

Assessment group A3
Weighting Study time Eligible for self-certification
Individual Assignment (15 CATS) 70% 51 hours Yes (extension)
Group Video and Summary (15 CATS) 20% 15 hours No

Group video and summary (500 words)
Participation (15 CATS) 10% 7 hours No
Assessment group R1
Weighting Study time Eligible for self-certification
Individual Assignment 30% Yes (extension)

1500 word limit (replaces group video and participation)
Individual Assignment 70% Yes (extension)
Feedback on assessment

Feedback via My.WBS.

Courses

This module is Core optional for:

  • Year 4 of UGEA-RN21 Undergraduate German and Business Studies

This module is Optional for:

  • UIBA-N20B BSc in Management
    • Year 3 of N20B Management
    • Year 3 of N20B Management
    • Year 3 of N23K Management with Accounting
    • Year 3 of N234 Management with Digital Business
    • Year 3 of N235 Management with Entrepreneurship
    • Year 3 of N232 Management with Finance
    • Year 3 of N252 Management with Marketing
    • Year 3 of N23L Management with Strategy and Organisation
  • UIBA-MN3C Law and Business Four Year (Qualifying Degree)
    • Year 3 of MN3C Law and Business Four Year (Qualifying Degree)
    • Year 4 of MN3C Law and Business Four Year (Qualifying Degree)
  • Year 3 of UIBA-N400 Undergraduate Accounting and Finance
  • UIBA-N404 Undergraduate Accounting and Finance (with Foundation Year and Placement/Undergraduate Partnership Programme)
    • Year 5 of N4N7 Accounting and Finance (Foundation Year and Intercalated)
    • Year 5 of N404 Accounting and Finance (Foundation Year and Placement)
    • Year 5 of N405 Accounting and Finance (Foundation Year and UPP)
    • Year 5 of N403 Accounting and Finance (with Foundation Year)
  • Year 4 of UIBA-N403 Undergraduate Accounting and Finance (with Foundation Year)
  • UIBA-N401 Undergraduate Accounting and Finance (with Placement Year/Undergraduate Partnership Programme)
    • Year 4 of N401 Accounting and Finance (Placement)
    • Year 4 of N402 Accounting and Finance (Undergraduate Partnership Programme)
  • Year 3 of UCSA-I1N1 Undergraduate Computer Science with Business Studies
  • Year 4 of UCSA-I1NA Undergraduate Computer Science with Business Studies (with Intercalated Year)
  • Year 1 of UIOA-EEU Undergraduate EU Exchange
  • Year 3 of UIPA-L8N1 Undergraduate Global Sustainable Development and Business
  • Year 4 of UIPA-L8N2 Undergraduate Global Sustainable Development and Business Studies (with Intercalated Year)
  • Year 4 of UIBA-N1RA Undergraduate International Business with French
  • Year 4 of UIBA-N1RB Undergraduate International Business with German
  • Year 4 of UIBA-N1RC Undergraduate International Business with Italian
  • Year 4 of UIBA-N1RD Undergraduate International Business with Spanish
  • UIBA-N20F Undergraduate International Management
    • Year 4 of N20F International Management
    • Year 4 of N20F International Management
    • Year 4 of N20S International Management (with Accounting)
    • Year 4 of N20T International Management (with Chinese)
    • Year 4 of N20P International Management (with Entrepreneurship)
    • Year 4 of N20M International Management (with Finance)
    • Year 4 of N20U International Management (with French)
    • Year 4 of N20L International Management (with Marketing)
    • Year 4 of N20V International Management (with Spanish)
    • Year 4 of N20W International Management (with Strategy and Organisation)
    • Year 4 of N20N International Management with Digital Business
    • Year 4 of N20E Management (with Foundation Year)
    • Year 4 of N234 Management with Digital Business
  • Year 3 of UIBA-MN3A Undergraduate Law and Business Studies
  • UIBA-N20G Undergraduate Management (with Foundation Year and Intercalated Year/Undergraduate Partnership Programme)
    • Year 5 of N20G Management (Foundation Year and Intercalated)
    • Year 5 of N20H Management (Foundation Year and UPP)
    • Year 5 of N23B Management with Finance (with Foundation Year and Intercalated Year)
    • Year 5 of N23C Management with Finance (with Foundation Year and Undergraduate Partnership Programme)
    • Year 5 of N25B Management with Marketing (with Foundation Year and Intercalated Year)
    • Year 5 of N25C Management with Marketing (with Foundation Year and Undergraduate Partnership Programme)
  • UIBA-N20E Undergraduate Management (with Foundation Year)
    • Year 4 of N20E Management (with Foundation Year)
    • Year 4 of N23N Management with Accounting (with Foundation Year and Placement Year)
    • Year 4 of N23M Management with Accounting (with Foundation Year)
    • Year 4 of N23E Management with Digital Business (with Foundation Year)
    • Year 4 of N23F Management with Entrepreneurship (with Foundation Year)
    • Year 4 of N23D Management with Finance (with Foundation Year)
    • Year 4 of N252 Management with Marketing
    • Year 4 of N254 Management with Marketing (with Foundation Year)
    • Year 4 of N23P Management with Strategy and Organisation (with Foundation Year)
  • UIBA-N20C Undergraduate Management (with Placement Year/Undergraduate Partnership Programme)
    • Year 4 of N20M International Management (with Finance)
    • Year 4 of N20B Management
    • Year 4 of N20D Management (Undergraduate Partnership Programme)
    • Year 4 of N20C Management (with Placement Year)
    • Year 4 of N20Q Management with Accounting (with Placement Year)
    • Year 4 of N236 Management with Digital Business (with Placement Year)
    • Year 4 of N237 Management with Entrepreneurship (with Placement Year)
    • Year 4 of N232 Management with Finance
    • Year 4 of N233 Management with Finance (with Placement Year)
    • Year 4 of N253 Management with Marketing (with Placement Year)
    • Year 4 of N23L Management with Strategy and Organisation
    • Year 4 of N20R Management with Strategy and Organisation (with Placement Year)
  • Year 3 of UMAA-G1N4 Undergraduate Mathematics with Business Studies
  • Year 4 of UMAA-G1N5 Undergraduate Mathematics with Business Studies (with Intercalated Year)
  • UIOA-EOS Undergraduate Overseas Exchange
    • Year 1 of UEOS Undergraduate Overseas Exchange
    • Year 1 of UEOS Undergraduate Overseas Exchange
  • Year 4 of UPXA-F3ND Undergraduate Physics and Business Studies (with Intercalated Year)
  • Year 3 of UPXA-F3N2 Undergraduate Physics with Business Studies
  • Year 1 of UIOA-EUS Undergraduate USA Exchange