Transcript Chapter 2: Business Ethics & Social Responsibility

Chapter 2: Business Ethics &
Social Responsibility
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Misgoverning Corporations (Overview)
The Individual Approach to Ethics
Identifying Ethical Issues
The Organizational Approach to Ethics
Corporate Social Responsibility
Environmentalism
Stages of Corporate Responsibility
(Cases & Problems)
1. Misgoverning Corporations
(Overview)
• Give a definition of business ethics and
corporate social responsibility.
• What are some of the characteristics of an
ethical organization?
• What are some of the drawbacks in
working for a business that compromises
ethics.
2.The Individual Approach to Ethics
• What values do you place on your own
personal ethical behavior?
• How do you address an ethical dilemma
and make an ethical decision? What is an
ethical lapse?
• What are the five steps in a right vs. right
decision?
3.Identifying Ethical Issues
• Give some examples of the difference
between bribes and gifts
• Define conflict and interest and conflict of
loyalty and cite their similarities and
differences.
• What is the definition of insider trading?
• What is whistleblower and how is it used in
business?
4. The Organizational Approach to
Ethics
• Explain organizational behavior and
ethical leadership
• Give examples of work experiences where
there were ethical role models leaders.
Work experiences where leaders
compromised values and beliefs
• Define code of conduct in business and
give examples from your work experience
5.Corporate Social Responsibility
• What is the definition of corporate social
responsibility? Who are the stakeholders?
• Define fiduciary responsibility
• Discuss the advantages of company
responsibility to employees re: wages, safety,
sexual harassment, equal opportunity, diversity
• What does a socially responsible company owe
its customers? The community in which it
resides? The community(s) it serves?
• Should employee volunteerism be mandatory for
all major businesses?
6. Environmentalism
• Do you believe companies have the social
responsibility to protect the environment? Why?
• Should companies who are not good stewards
of environment resources be penalized for their
actions? For their inactions?
• Should companies that participate in good
environmental practices receive rewards for their
efforts?
7.Stages of Corporate
Responsibility
• What are the five faces of corporate
responsibility? (name and definition)
• Give examples for each of the five faces
Cases & Problems
Assignment
The class will divide into 4 groups:
In this exercise each group will answer all 4
questions in the cases and problems
section of chapter 2.
Be prepared to discuss your answers in your
groups in the next class session
Lessons in Community Living
Executives consider it an honor to have their company named one of Business Ethics
magazine’s “100 Best Corporate Citizens.”Companies are chosen from a group of
one thousand, according to how well they serve their stakeholders—owners,
employees, customers, and the communities with which they share the social and
natural environment. Being in the top one hundred for five years in a row is cause for
celebration. Two of the twenty-nine companies that enjoy this distinction are
Timberland and the New York Times Company.
The two companies are in very different industries. Timberland designs and manufactures
boots and other footwear, apparel, and accessories; the New York Times Company is
a media giant, with nineteen newspapers (including the New York Times and the
Boston Globe), eight television stations, and more than forty Web sites. Link to the
Timberland Web site (http://www.timberland.com/corp/index.jsp?page=csroverview)
and the New York Times Company Web site
(http://www.nytco.com/social_responsibility/index.html) to learn how each, in its own
way, supports the communities with which it shares the social and natural
environment. Look specifically for information that will help you answer the following
questions:
1. How does each company assist its community? To what organizations does each
donate money? How do employees volunteer their time? What social causes does
each support?
2. How does each company work to protect the natural environment?
3. Are the community-support efforts of the two companies similar or dissimilar? In what
ways do these activities reflect the purposes of each organization?
4. In your opinion, why do these companies support their communities? What benefits do
they derive from being good corporate citizens?