MCCCD Program Description

Business Ethics

Course: PHI214

First Term: 2023 Summer

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

Description: Philosophical consideration of moral problems arising in business practice, including corporate responsibility, government regulation, hiring practices, and advertising. Application to both the United States and other countries.

MCCCD Official Course Competencies
1. Define and give examples of at least three ethical theories. (I) 2. Define both free market and Marxist concepts of justice. (II) 3. Explain views of corporate responsibility, citing examples of corporate responsibility in third world countries. (III) 4. Explain the role of regulation in the corporate community. (IV) 5. Describe the obligations and interests of the business community in the U.S. and other countries. (V) 6. List and explain ethical issues related to advertising, citing specific examples of effects in third and second world countries. (VI) 7. Describe the environmental responsibility of business. (VII) 8. Describe the purpose and intent of affirmative action in the business community. (VIII) 9. Describe the purpose and intent of sexual harassment policies. (VIII)
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 Theory A. Relativism B. Consequentialism C. Deontologism II. Economic Justice A. Free market concepts of justice B. Income and wealth distribution in industrialized nations and developing countries C. Justice from an internal perspective III. Corporate Responsibility A. Responsibilities to shareholders B. Social responsibilities in U.S. and other countries IV. Regulation A. Code of ethics B. The corporate social audit C. Government regulation D. Cost/benefit analysis V. Obligations and Interests A. Conflicting obligations in doing business in the U.S. and other countries B. Personal freedom and corporate loyalty C. Conflicting interests VI. Advertising in the U.S. and other countries A. Truth in advertising B. Caveat emptor C. Creating demand VII. Environmental Responsibility A. Corporate responsibilities, rights, and duties B. Future generations C. Production D. Investment for safety VIII. Hiring and Promotion A. Affirmative action B. Preferential hiring C. Reverse discrimination D. Sexual harassment

MCCCD Governing Board Approval Date: 2/24/2004

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.