A Case Example: Integrating Ethics into the Academic Business Curriculum

Abstract

This paper combines a review of existing literature in the field of business ethics education and a case study relating to the integration of ethics into an undergraduate degree. Prior to any discussion relating to the integration of ethics into the business curriculum, we need to be cognisant of, and prepared for, the arguments raised by sceptics in both the business and academic environments, in regard to the teaching of ethics. Having laid this foundation, the paper moves to practical questions such as who should teach ethics, and when and how can ethics be taught. The paper presents alternative models for the teaching of ethics in the curriculum of undergraduate and postgraduate business programmes. An integrative model is elaborated on in more detail with a case example describing the six-stage process undertaken in the move from a single entry course to an integrated approach. The case study details not only the planning and initial implementation of ethical education in the context of an undergraduate business degree programme, but also the means by which a change in the way that ethics is taught was achieved in a business faculty in a tertiary institution.

Teaching ethics through court judgments in Finance, Accounting, Economics and Business

“…The literature supports different perspectives in this respect. Some authors propose a "vertical approach" to ethics, such as: studying philosophical principles in class to strengthen the ethical decisions to be taken by students (Felton & Sims 2005;McDonald 2004); attending independent seminars on ethics (Oddo 1997, 293); or including courses on ethics in academic curricula as an additional subject (Moore 2004, Ritter 2006, Thornberg 2008. Others stress that students need realistic business problems to deal with ethical dilemmas from a cross-sectional perspective (Zych, 1999) or management lessons through movies with corporate, entrepreneurial and ethics views (Higgins & Striegel's 1999, 2003.…”

“…H 1 -Students highly value studying ethics through court judgments based on "legal/illegal acts and ethical/unethical behaviour" Ethical competences might be developed first through a vertical approach, such as studying philosophical principles in class (Felton & Sims 2005;McDonald 2004), seminars on ethics (Oddo 1997, 293) or including courses on ethics as an additional subject (Moore 2004, Ritter 2006Thornberg 2008; Secondly, a cross-sectional perspective could be incorporated by dealing with ethical dilemmas (Zych 1999), watching movies from corporate standpoints (Higgins & Striegel 2003) or through the subject matter of this article, learning through legal judgments.…”

“…As stated in Table 6, 89% of students said that scattered references to ethics were made in class (specifically, only one class on average), and thought it would be helpful if the teachers were able to include more structured ethical cases. This is further proof that business and financial education continues to be based on pragmatic, superficial and utilitarian content instead of ethical content (Cragg 1997, McDonald 2004, Sims & Felton 2006, Sánchez 1997 H 3 -In the context of teaching technical perspectives instead of ethical ones, students compromise their personal (ethical) gain by behaving unethically Pragmatic, superficial and utilitarian content taught at university focus exclusively on competitiveness and outcomes (Cragg 1997, McDonald 2004, Sims & Felton 2006, Sánchez 1997) and maximising profit (McDonald & Donleavy 1995: 841, Gavin & Klinefelter 1988 but need to be supplemented with ethical knowledge. Some authors have explained the consequences of this type of teaching in Financial, Business and Accounting areas for students, saying it can compromise students' ethical principles for personal gain and be used as a vehicle for personal success (Ureña 1999), (Teixeira & Rocha 2010).…”

Approaches to Embedding Ethics in Finance and Finance Degree Programs

“…At the same time, finance and other educational programs are proliferating in the home countries of these students. One hopes that in these domestic programs due attention is paid to ethical behavior and social responsibility, ideally in an integrated approach, otherwise a problem is being perpetuated (McDonald, 2004).…”

Education in virtues as goal of business ethics instruction

“…The majority, however, reflect the view of moral development advanced by cognitive developmental psychology. Common among these studies is their focus on the cognitive processes of moral reasoning and moral awareness as aims of business ethics education, but with significant disregard for education in virtues among its goals (Felton and Sims, 2005;McDonald, 2004;Ritter, 2006;Waples et al, 2009;Williams andDewett, 2005, Sims, 2002). This trend stands in contrast to numerous studies in business ethics literature that place great emphasis on the need for virtues in business practice and management.…”