Unit Guide

General Information

Unit convenor and teaching staff	Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor James Hazelton james.hazelton@mq.edu.au Contact via james.hazelton@mq.edu.au E4A 239 Refer unit webpage Tutor Andrew Skinner andrew.skinner@mq.edu.au Contact via andrew.skinner@mq.edu.au Refer unit webpage Tutor Clare Payne clare.payne@mq.edu.au Contact via clare.payne@mq.edu.au Refer unit webpage
Credit points	Credit points 3
Prerequisites	Prerequisites 24cp
Corequisites	Corequisites
Co-badged status	Co-badged status
Unit description	Unit description This unit is designed to present students with an understanding and wide appreciation of business ethics, risk management and corporate governance. Topics include: the ethics landscape, theoretical underpinning, ethical decision making, professionalism and corporate governance, ethics risks, and fraud. A large number of cases will be studied.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

A good general knowledge of the major issues in contemporary business ethics and risk management.
A sound understanding of the major ethical theories that inform the literature.
An ability to relate ethical theories to relevant case studies and current events.
The ability to develop one’s own view or perspective, through consideration and analysis of the views and arguments presented in the unit, and the ability to present views with clarity and rigour.

Assessment Tasks

Name	Weighting	Due
Weekly Tutorial Assignments	20%	11pm day prior to tuorial
Participation	20%	Assigned by tutor / ongoing
Essay	20%	Proposal 7/9/15; Final 6/10/15
Final Examination	40%	University Examination Period

Weekly Tutorial Assignments

Due: 11pm day prior to tuorial
Weighting: 20%

Submission

Assignments must be submitted on iLearn by 11pm on the day prior to tutoirals. Students should also bring a copy of their assignments to class. Four (4) assignments will be marked at random. One assignment will be marked in the first weeks of the semester to provide students with early feedback on their performance.

Estimated student workload

Students are expected to approximately 6 hours per week reviewing prescribed readings and preparing their weekly assignment.

Marking criteria

During the semester four assignments will be collected at random and marked out of five. The assessment criteria for tutorial assignments is as follows:

0/5 – Assignment is incomplete. One or more questions have not been attempted.

1/5 – Assignment is incomplete. All questions have been attempted, but some sub-parts of questions have not been addressed.

2/5 – All questions have been attempted but some answers are incorrect and / or superficial.

3/5 – All questions have been attempted and are substantially correct.

4/5 – All questions have been attempted and the student has answered questions in detail and has included their own opinions and/or analysis where appropriate.

5/5 - All questions have been attempted and in addition to providing their own analysis the student has related appropriate questions to other materials either in the unit or in the wider context. For example the student has related the question to a previous reading referred to a current event / media article.

Note that students submitting the same or similar tutorial assignments to others in the unit risk disciplinary action. Students must also ensure that they do not inadvertently plagiarise material from textbooks or other readings. Copying material verbatim from the textbook or readings is also a form of plagiarism.

Deliverables

Written assignment.

Preparation instructions

Assignment questions will be posted on the unit webpage.

Assignments should be no more than two pages in length (excluding references and a cover page).

On the front page of each weekly assignment that you submit include the following:

your student name
your student number
the following statement: “This assignment is my own work”

Files uploaded to iLearn should be in the following format Surname_StudentID_week#.

Extension

Extensions must be applied for in advance from the Unit Convenor, and will only be granted in exceptional circumstances.

Penalties

Late work will not be accepted.

On successful completion you will be able to:

A good general knowledge of the major issues in contemporary business ethics and risk management.
A sound understanding of the major ethical theories that inform the literature.
An ability to relate ethical theories to relevant case studies and current events.
The ability to develop one’s own view or perspective, through consideration and analysis of the views and arguments presented in the unit, and the ability to present views with clarity and rigour.

Participation

Due: Assigned by tutor / ongoing
Weighting: 20%

Submission

Active participation in tutorials is expected of BUSL 204 students. Mere attendance is not enough - students are expected to have prepared for tutorials and contribute to in-class discussions and activities. In particular students are expected to prepare for at least one debate during the semester, which will be assigned by the tutor.

Estimated student workload

Students are expected to spend approximately 30 minutes reviewing their weekly assignments before attending class. Debate preparation is expected to take an additional 2-3 hours.

Marking criteria

Ongoing participation (out of 10):

0/10 – No participation - No substantial contribution to class discussions

1-4/10 - Limited participation - for example, occasionally contributing to class discussions

5-8/10 – Good participation – for example, regularly contributing to class discussions

9-10/10 – Excellent participation – for example, regularly contributing to class discussions and sharing relevant examples from current media or personal experience

Debate participation (out of 10):

Matter (4/10) – The logic and relevance of your arguments

Manner (4/10) – The style with which you present yourself

Method (2/10) – The structure and clarity of your speech

Deliverables

Peer and class discussion.

Preparation instructions

Reviewing weekly assignment before attending class.

Extension

No extensions will be given.

Penalties

Non-attendance at tutorials (without appropriate medical certification) will result lower participation marks. Non-attendance at the assigned debate week (without appropriate medical certification) will result in a zero mark.

On successful completion you will be able to:

A sound understanding of the major ethical theories that inform the literature.
An ability to relate ethical theories to relevant case studies and current events.
The ability to develop one’s own view or perspective, through consideration and analysis of the views and arguments presented in the unit, and the ability to present views with clarity and rigour.

Essay

Due: Proposal 7/9/15; Final 6/10/15
Weighting: 20%

Submission

The proposed essay topic must be submitted by 9am Monday 7th September. Failure to comply will incur a 10% penalty.

The final essay is to be submitted by 9am Tuesday 6th October.

The proposal and essay are to be submitted via iLearn.

Estimated student workload

Students are expected to spend approximately 15-20 hours on the essay.

Marking criteria

Detailed marking criteria will be provided on the unit webpage.

Deliverables

Written essay.

Preparation instructions

Detailed instructions will be provided on the unit webpage.

Extension

Extensions must be applied for in advance from the Unit Convenor, and will only be granted in exceptional circumstances.

Penalties

Late written assignments will be accepted up to 72 hours after the submission deadline. There will be a deduction of 10% of the total available marks made from the total awarded mark for each 24 hour period or part thereof that the submission is late (for example, 25 hours late in submission - 20% penalty). This penalty does not apply for cases in which an application for special consideration is made and approved.

On successful completion you will be able to:

A sound understanding of the major ethical theories that inform the literature.
An ability to relate ethical theories to relevant case studies and current events.
The ability to develop one’s own view or perspective, through consideration and analysis of the views and arguments presented in the unit, and the ability to present views with clarity and rigour.

Final Examination

Due: University Examination Period
Weighting: 40%

Examination conditions

The final examination will be of two hours duration (plus ten minutes reading time). Calculators and dictionaries will not be permitted.

What is required to complete the unit satisfactorily

All topics will be examinable. A final examination is included as an assessment task for this unit to provide assurance that:

i) the product belongs to the student and

ii) the student has attained the knowledge and skills tested in the exam.

On successful completion you will be able to:

A good general knowledge of the major issues in contemporary business ethics and risk management.
A sound understanding of the major ethical theories that inform the literature.
An ability to relate ethical theories to relevant case studies and current events.
The ability to develop one’s own view or perspective, through consideration and analysis of the views and arguments presented in the unit, and the ability to present views with clarity and rigour.

Delivery and Resources

Classes

BUSL204 will be presented via lectures and tutorials. The first half of the semester will be presented in 'flipped' mode, whereby lecture videos will be used. The second half of the semester will comprise traditional 1.5 hour lectures each week. Tutorials of 1.5 hours will operate throughout the semester. The timetable for classes can be found on the University web site at: http://www.timetables.mq.edu.au/.

Lectures

Video lectures will be available from iLearn. A recording of live lectures will be available for students to download from iLectures (via iLearn) by the end of each week.

Tutorials

Tutorials begin in Week 2 and are based on the previous week’s lecture topic. Tutorial activities for each week will be released on iLearn in the week prior to the respective tutorial and will include short answer questions and/or case studies. Students are required to download these questions and prepare their answers before they attend their tutorial.

Prizes

Prizes for this unit are detailed on the following website:

http://www.businessandeconomics.mq.edu.au/undergraduate_degrees/prizes_scholarships

Required and Recommended Texts and/or Materials

The prescribed text for this unit is:

Joseph DesJardins An Introduction to Business Ethics (5^th Edition), (McGraw-Hill, New York, 2014)

The following text may also be helpful to students that wish to deepen their understanding of business and professional ethics:

Grace, D. & Cohen, S., Business Ethics (4^th edition), (Oxford University Press, Melbourne, 2010).

Technology Used and Required

iLearn

To access the unit’s online website on iLearn, students need to navigate to the following website http://ilearn.mq.edu.au.

As iLearn will be used extensively in this subject, students need to ensure that you access this website on a regular basis by using your university username/password details. Lecture notes should be downloaded from the website mentioned above and should be brought to the lectures. Always check the website for important information as this is our main way of communicating with you.

E-Reserve

Extra readings and references will be placed on a link on iLearn, known as e-Reserve. Students’ tutorial questions and lecture content may be based on material and resources located at this link. Students need to download all relevant information to complete their tutorial questions and their learning objectives.

Requirements to satisfactorily complete the unit

Satisfactory completion of BUSL 204 is an overall passing grade. There is no requirement to achieve a passing grade in each individual assessment component, including the final exam. However, since each assessment component contributes to the overall learning outcomes of the unit, students are expected to complete each assessment task in order to maximise their educational experience.

Unit Schedule

Week	Date	Title	Ethical issue topic	Ethical theory topic	Tutorial
1	31/7	Is business ethics a science or an art?	Introduction	Introduction	No tuts
2	7/8	Who to believe: the Pencil or the Piano Man?	Corporate Social Responsibility	Critical Theory	Assign 1 due
3	14/8	When in Rome, do – uh, what, exactly?	Globalisation and bribery	Moral relativism	A2, Debate 1
4	21/8	Should we sweat about sweatshops?	Labour outsourcing	Utilitarian ethics	A3, Debate 2
5	28/8	Is Fair Trade fair?	Fair Trade	Kantian ethics	A4, Debate 3
6	4/9	Customers – always right or routinely ripped off?	Customers	Virtue ethics	A5, Debate 4 (essay topics due)
7	11/9	So long, and thanks for all the fish	The environment	Environmental ethics	A6, Debate 5
	14/9		Recess - private study
	21/9		Recess - private study
8	2/10	What happens at Fight Club . . .	Employee responsibilities & whistleblowing	Discourse ethics	A7, Debate 6
9	9/10	How simple is safety?	Risk management I	Postmodern ethics	(essays due Tuesday) A8, Debate 7
10	16/10	Enterprise Risk Management in a world of black swans	Risk management II	Non-Western ethics	A9, Debate 8
11	23/10	Risk Management and Risk Managers	Risk management III	Indigenous ethics	A10, Debate 9
12	30/10	Why your first day could wreck your career	CSR & RM in practice	Situationist ethics	A11, Debate 10
13	6/11	What a great course that was!	Revision	Revision	A12

Note: The above schedule may change due to the availability of guest lecturers. Any amendments will be posted on the unit webpage.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html

Assessment Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html

Grading Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html

Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html

Grievance Management Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grievance_management/policy.html

Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.

In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/

Results

Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.

Academic Honesty

The nature of scholarly endeavour, dependent as it is on the work of others, binds all members of the University community to abide by the principles of academic honesty. Its fundamental principle is that all staff and students act with integrity in the creation, development, application and use of ideas and information. This means that:

all academic work claimed as original is the work of the author making the claim
all academic collaborations are acknowledged
academic work is not falsified in any way
when the ideas of others are used, these ideas are acknowledged appropriately.

Further information on the academic honesty can be found in the Macquarie University Academic Honesty Policy at http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html

Grades

Macquarie University uses the following grades in coursework units of study:

HD - High Distinction
D - Distinction
CR - Credit
P - Pass
F - Fail

Grade descriptors and other information concerning grading are contained in the Macquarie University Grading Policy which is available at:

http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html

Grading Appeals and Final Examination Script Viewing

If, at the conclusion of the unit, you have performed below expectations, and are considering lodging an appeal of grade and/or viewing your final exam script please refer to the following website which provides information about these processes and the cut off dates in the first instance. Please read the instructions provided concerning what constitutes a valid grounds for appeal before appealing your grade.

http://www.businessandeconomics.mq.edu.au/new_and_current_students/undergraduate_current_students/how_do_i/grade_appeals/

Supplementary Examination

If a Supplementary Examination is granted as a result of the Special Consideration process the examination will be scheduled after the conclusion of the official examination period. Please note that the supplementary examination will be of the same format as the final examination.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://informatics.mq.edu.au/help/.

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

Capable of Professional and Personal Judgement and Initiative

We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

An ability to relate ethical theories to relevant case studies and current events.
The ability to develop one’s own view or perspective, through consideration and analysis of the views and arguments presented in the unit, and the ability to present views with clarity and rigour.

Assessment tasks

Weekly Tutorial Assignments
Essay
Final Examination

Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills

Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

A good general knowledge of the major issues in contemporary business ethics and risk management.
A sound understanding of the major ethical theories that inform the literature.

Assessment tasks

Weekly Tutorial Assignments
Participation
Essay
Final Examination

Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

An ability to relate ethical theories to relevant case studies and current events.
The ability to develop one’s own view or perspective, through consideration and analysis of the views and arguments presented in the unit, and the ability to present views with clarity and rigour.

Assessment tasks

Weekly Tutorial Assignments
Participation
Essay
Final Examination

Engaged and Ethical Local and Global citizens

As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

A good general knowledge of the major issues in contemporary business ethics and risk management.
A sound understanding of the major ethical theories that inform the literature.
An ability to relate ethical theories to relevant case studies and current events.
The ability to develop one’s own view or perspective, through consideration and analysis of the views and arguments presented in the unit, and the ability to present views with clarity and rigour.

Assessment tasks

Weekly Tutorial Assignments
Participation
Essay
Final Examination

Changes from Previous Offering

BUSL 204 has been updated to reflect feedback from prior years and recent developments in business ethics and risk management. In addition, the unit has moved incorporated video lectures for the first half of the semester.

Research and practice

BUSL 204 makes extensive use of contemporary research in business ethics, including research by Dr Hazelton, the Unit Convenor. The unit also examines contemporary practices in business ethics and requires students to examine a contemporary business ethics issue as their essay topic.