MCCCD Program Description

Business Ethics

Course: PHI214

First Term: 2025 Fall

Lecture 3.0 Credit(s) 3.0 Period(s) 3.0 Load
Subject Type: Academic
Load Formula: S - Standard Load

Description: Philosophical consideration of moral problems arising in business, including the purpose of corporations, corporate responsibility, acceptable consumer and occupational risk, employee and employer rights and obligations, marketing and disclosure, hiring and firing, environmental responsibility of business, and international business ethical issues.

MCCCD Official Course Competencies
1. Explain ethical relativism, Kant’s deontological ethical theory, and act utilitarianism and rule utilitarianism. (I) 2. Describe two distinct purposes of corporations: stockholder versus stakeholder management. (II) 3. Explain views of corporate responsibility and accountability. (III) 4. Assess acceptable consumer and occupational risk. (IV) 5. Explain rights and obligations of employers and employees. (V) 6. Explain ethical issues related to marketing and disclosure. (VI) 7. Describe the ethics of hiring, firing, and discriminating. (VII) 8. Describe the environmental responsibility of business. (VIII) 9. Describe ethical issues in international business. (IX)
MCCCD Official Course Competencies must be coordinated with the content outline so that each major point in the outline serves one or more competencies. MCCCD faculty retains authority in determining the pedagogical approach, methodology, content sequencing, and assessment metrics for student work. Please see individual course syllabi for additional information, including specific course requirements.

MCCCD Official Course Outline
I. Ethical theories A. Relativism B. Kant`s deontological ethical theory C. Act and rule utilitarianism II. The Purpose of the corporation A. Stockholder management; responsibilities to shareholders B. Stakeholder management III. Corporate responsibility and accountability A. Self-regulation vs. government regulation B. Determining responsibility C. Cost-benefit analysis IV. Acceptable risk A. Consumer risk: “Buyer beware/caveat emptor” approach B. Occupational risk: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the right to know V. Rights and obligations of employers and employees A. Employment at will and due process B. Drug and genetic testing of employees VI. Marketing and disclosure A. Truth marketing and advertising B. Ethics of bluffing VII. Ethics of hiring, firing, and discriminating A. Affirmative Action B. Pay equity C. Sexual harassment VIII. Environmental responsibility A. Corporate responsibilities, rights, and duties B. Future generations IX. Ethical issues in international business A. Outsourcing/sweatshops B. Working standards and conditions C. Child labor

MCCCD Governing Board Approval Date: December 10, 2024

All information published is subject to change without notice. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information presented, but based on the dynamic nature of the curricular process, course and program information is subject to change in order to reflect the most current information available.