CC 306: Business Ethics

Contents
Presentation and discussion of fundamental approaches in normative ethics (utilitarianism, social contract theory, Kantianism); introduction to the basic terms of business ethics (shareholder vs. stakeholder, relation of ethics and economics/normative vs. empirical projects); fundamental questions in business ethics: moral quality of the free market/of capitalism (distribution/inequality; externalities; analysis of the ecological consequences of the market economy etc.); presentation and discussion of standard theories of business ethics (Homann, Ulrich etc.). Case studies (variable: e.g. Ford Pinto; corporate downsizing; sweatshops; advertising). Overview of opportunities to place CSR in the company. Guest lectures on social business etc.

Learning outcomes
By the end of the module students gained the following competences:
Specialized competence:

• introductory knowledge of basic positions in business ethics and in corporate ethics
• practicing a critical competence on case studies
• acquiring background knowledge of this specific area independently
• formulating and categorizing the pertinent contents in a written form

Methodical competence:

• understanding, processing and formulating the contents in a written form
• reconstructing and evaluating the contents conveyed
• critical and independent thinking and reasoning

Personal competence:

• identifying the economic function of ethics and morals

The course should increase the motivation to act ethically, e.g. also by broadening the horizon of possibilities.

Necessary prerequisites
semester 4 or higher

Recommended prerequisites
–

Forms of teaching and learning	Contact hours	Independent study time
Lecture	4 SWS	5 SWS

ECTS credits	3
Graded	yes
Workload	90h
Language	German
Form of assessment	Written exam or digital examination – supervised (on campus) or digital take home exam – unsupervised (off campus) (60 min)
Restricted admission	no
Further information	–

Examiner Performing lecturer

Prof. Dr. Bernward Gesang Prof. Dr. Bernward Gesang

Frequency of offering	Spring semester
Duration of module	1 semester
Range of application	B.Sc. Bus. Adm., other Bachelor programs (depending on respective study regulations) [9]
Preliminary course work	–
Program-specific Competency Goals	CG 2