Students

PHIL201 – Business and Professional Ethics

2017 – S1 Day

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Convenor
Matthew Millar
Contact via email
Co-convenor
Jean-Philippe Deranty
Contact via email
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
(12cp at 100 level or above) or admission to GDipArts
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit provides students with an introduction to some of the main ethical issues raised by the activities of businesses and corporations in contemporary society and introduces some central topics in professional ethics. The first part of the unit examines the roles and responsibilities of businesses and corporations in relation to individuals and society. We ask whether corporations have moral responsibilities to stakeholders other than shareholders and examine competing accounts of economic justice related to this question. Other topics in this section include the ethics of discrimination and affirmative action and the influence of business on government. The second part of the unit begins with an examination of the responsibilities of business in relation to the environment. Other topics in this section include justice and globalization, conflicts of interest in medicine, the ethics of advertising, and whistleblowing. This unit is relevant to students in accounting and business studies as well as those in the humanities and social sciences.

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:

  • Demonstrate good general knowledge of the major issues in contemporary business and professional ethics
  • Understand the major ethical concepts and theories that inform the business and professional ethics literature
  • Analyse and critically evaluate theories and arguments in the relevant literature
  • Relate ethical concepts and theories to relevant case studies and current events
  • Develop your own view or perspective,through consideration and analysis of views and arguments presented in the unit
  • Develop your skills in clarity of thought,clarity of verbal and written expression,and written argumentation

General Assessment Information

Unit Requirements and Expectations

Internal students are expected to attend lectures and tutorials. They should do the assigned readings and review the weekly tutorial questions in preparation for lectures and tutorials.

For external students: There is no on-campus session for this unit. External students are expected to contribute to the online discussion board on a regular basis and to answer weekly tutorial questions.

Assignment submission

Written work must be submitted via the PHIL 201 iLearn homepage. A Turnitin link will be made available for each assignment.

Details will be provided with the assignment instructions. Marked work will be returned to students online.

Extensions and late penalties

Please note that any requests for extensions must be made in writing (by email) before the due date. Assessment submitted after the due date, or after the extension date, will lose 1 mark per day, including weekends. (Please also note that work due concurrently in other subjects is not a legitimate reason for an extension)

Disruption to Studies Policy

http://students.mq.edu.au/student_admin/exams/disruption_to_studies/

Disruption to studies is intended for a student who is prevented by serious and unavoidable disruption from completing any unit requirements in accordance with their ability.

The University defines serious and unavoidable disruption to studies as resulting from an event or set of circumstances that:

  • could not have reasonably been anticipated, avoided or guarded against by the student; and
  • was beyond the student's control; and
  • caused substantial disruption to the student's capacity for effective study and/or completion of required work; and
  • occurred during an event critical study period and was at least three (3) consecutive days duration, and / or
  • prevented completion of a final examination.

Applying for Disruption to Studies:

The Disruption to Studies Notification must be completed and submitted online through www.ask.mq.edu.au within five (5) working days of the commencement of the disruption.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Attendance & Participation 15% No Ongoing
Reading Assignment 1 20% No 17/03/2017
Reading Assignment 2 25% No 14/04/2017
Essay 40% No 07/06/2017

Attendance & Participation

Due: Ongoing
Weighting: 15%

Contributions to tutorial discussions are an important part of this unit. This means doing assigned readings, coming with questions and engaging constructively with peers. This task will be assessed by the following criteria: demonstration of familiarity with and understanding of the relevant readings and topics; quality of contribution to class discussion and group work.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate good general knowledge of the major issues in contemporary business and professional ethics
  • Understand the major ethical concepts and theories that inform the business and professional ethics literature
  • Relate ethical concepts and theories to relevant case studies and current events
  • Develop your own view or perspective,through consideration and analysis of views and arguments presented in the unit
  • Develop your skills in clarity of thought,clarity of verbal and written expression,and written argumentation

Reading Assignment 1

Due: 17/03/2017
Weighting: 20%

All students must complete an initial assignment of 700 words. The aim of this exercise is to help you become familiar with the techniques of moral reasoning and to encourage you to think critically about moral issues in relation to current events. This task will be assessed by the following criteria: content, structure, argument and critical analysis, written expression and referencing. A detailed rubric for this task will be supplied on iLearn.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate good general knowledge of the major issues in contemporary business and professional ethics
  • Understand the major ethical concepts and theories that inform the business and professional ethics literature
  • Analyse and critically evaluate theories and arguments in the relevant literature
  • Relate ethical concepts and theories to relevant case studies and current events
  • Develop your own view or perspective,through consideration and analysis of views and arguments presented in the unit
  • Develop your skills in clarity of thought,clarity of verbal and written expression,and written argumentation

Reading Assignment 2

Due: 14/04/2017
Weighting: 25%

All students will be expected to complete a second assignment of  800 words. Students must analyze in detail the arguments presented in a selected reading and answer questions about a case study related to one of the central debates in business ethics. This task will be assessed by the following criteria: content, structure, argument and critical analysis, written expression and referencing. A detailed rubric for this task will be supplied on iLearn.

 

 

 

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate good general knowledge of the major issues in contemporary business and professional ethics
  • Understand the major ethical concepts and theories that inform the business and professional ethics literature
  • Develop your skills in clarity of thought,clarity of verbal and written expression,and written argumentation

Essay

Due: 07/06/2017
Weighting: 40%

All students must complete an essay of 1800 words. Essays develop your ability to engage with a topic in detail and to express, analyze and organize key ideas clearly and systematically. This task will be assessed by the following criteria: content, structure, argument and critical analysis, written expression and referencing. A detailed rubric for this task will be supplied on iLearn.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate good general knowledge of the major issues in contemporary business and professional ethics
  • Understand the major ethical concepts and theories that inform the business and professional ethics literature
  • Analyse and critically evaluate theories and arguments in the relevant literature
  • Develop your own view or perspective,through consideration and analysis of views and arguments presented in the unit
  • Develop your skills in clarity of thought,clarity of verbal and written expression,and written argumentation

Delivery and Resources

 

CLASSES

For lecture times and classrooms please consult the MQ Timetable website: http://www.timetables.mq.edu.au. This website will display up-to-date information on your classes and classroom locations.

Lecture 1: Monday 12.00-1.00

E3B 212

Lecture 2: Thursday 1.00-2.00

W5A 105

Tutorials

Monday 1.00-2.00

W5A 203

Thursday 2.00-3.00

W5C 210

 

 

REQUIRED AND RECOMMENDED TEXTS AND/OR MATERIALS

All required readings and most supplementary readings are available from eReserve. Consult the unit schedule on the iLearn homepage for a week­ by-week outline of required readings and supplementary readings.

UNIT WEBPAGE AND TECHNOLOGY USED AND REQUIRED

The unit uses the following technology: iLearn, ilecture, web discussion board

Online units can be accessed at: http://ilearn.mq.edu.au

Unit Schedule

Week 1

Introduction: Ultimate Values, Business and the Professions

Essential Reading:

**Peter Singer, ‘The Ultimate Choice,’ in How are We to Live? Ethics in an age of self-interest, (Mandarin: Melbourne, 1995), pp. 1-25.

Further Reading:

**Robert Solomon, ‘Business Ethics’, in Peter Singer (ed.) A Companion to Ethics, (Blackwell:Oxford, 1991), pp. 354-365.

**Michael D. Bayles, ‘The Professions’, in Professional Ethics, 1981. Reprinted in Joan C. Callahan (ed.), Ethical Issues in Professional Life, (Oxford University Press: Oxford, 1988), pp. 27-30.

Week 2

Ethics and the Nature of Moral Reasoning

Essential Reading:

**Stephen Cohen, ‘Top-down and Bottom-up Reasoning’ and ‘Reflective Equilibrium,’ in The Nature of Moral Reasoning, (Oxford: Oxford University Press 2004), pp. 59-74.

**Joan C. Callahan (ed.), ‘Some Major Distinctions and What Morality is Not’ and ‘Kinds of Moral Principles’ in Ethical Issues in Professional Life, (Oxford University Press: Oxford), 1988, pp. 10-14 and 19-21.

**Damian Grace and Stephen Cohen, ‘Consequentialism’, ‘Nonconsequentialism’, ‘Virtue Ethics’, and ‘Relativism’, in Business Ethics, (Oxford University Press: Oxford, 2010), pp. 15-27.

Further Reading:

James Rachels, The Elements of Moral Philosophy, 3rd ed., Boston: McGraw-Hill College, 1999. See especially chapters 5, 7, 9 & 10. (Reserve collection) (This is a very accessible introduction to moral philosophy)

**Peter Singer, ‘What ethics is: one view’, in Practical Ethics, (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1979), pp. 8-13.

Week 3

The Social Responsibility of Business: The Narrow View

Essential Readings:

**Albert Z. Carr, ‘Is Business Bluffing Ethical?’ Harvard Business Review, January- February, 1968. Reprinted in Tom Beauchamp & Norman Bowie (eds.). Ethical Theory and Business, 6th edition, (Prentice Hall, 2001), pp. 501-506.

**Milton Friedman, ‘The social responsibility of business is to increase its profits’, New York Times Magazine, September, 1970. Reprinted in George D. Chryssides & John H. Kaler, An Introduction to Business Ethics’, (Chapman & Hall, London, 1993), pp. 249-254.

**Mark Dowie, ‘Pinto Madness’, reprinted in Lisa H. Newton & Maureen M. Ford (eds.). Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Issues in Business Ethics and Society, 8th edition, (McGraw Hill, 2004) pp. 248-262.

Further Reading:

**Norman Bowie, ‘Changing the Egoistic Paradigm’, Business Ethics Quarterly, Vol. 1. (Jan., 1991), pp. 1-21.

Norman Chase Gillespie, ‘The Business of Ethics’, in

Profits and Professions: Essays in Business and Professional Ethics. edited by Wade L. Robison, Michael S. Pritchard, and Joseph S. Ellin (Clifton, NJ. Humana Press, 1983), pp. 133- 40.)[This is an interesting critique of Carr’s essay. Search author and title of the article to find online versions.]

T. Mulligan, “A critique of Milton Friedman's essay ‘The social responsibility of business is to increase its profits’.” J Bus Ethics, 5(4), (1986) pp.265-269.

Week 4

The Social Responsibility of Business: Broader Views and Stakeholder Theory

Essential Readings:

**William M. Evan & R. Edward Freeman, ‘A stakeholder theory of the modern corporation: Kantian capitalism’. Reprinted in George D. Chryssides & John H. Kaler, An Introduction to Business Ethics’, (Chapman & Hall, London, 1993), pp. 254-266.

Further Reading:

**K. E. Goodpaster, ‘Business Ethics and Stakeholder Analysis’, Business Ethics Quarterly, Vol. 1, No. 1. (Jan., 1991), pp. 53-73.

**Neil A. Shankman, ‘Reframing the Debate between Agency and Stakeholder Theories of the Firm’, Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 19, No. 4 (May, 1999), pp. 319-334.

**Lynn Stout, 'How Shareholder Primacy gets Corporate Economics Wrong', Chapter 3, The Shareholder Value Myth: How putting shareholders first harms investors, corporations, and the public, (Berrett-Koehler Publishers, San Francisco 2012), pp. 33-46.

Lynn Stout, ‘Response:The Toxic Side Effects of Shareholder Primacy’, University of Pennsylvania Law Review, Vol. 161: 2003, pp. 2003-2023.

Week 5

Justice, Markets and Equality

Essential Reading:

**William H. Shaw & Vincent Barry, ‘Justice and Economic Distribution’, Chap. 3 in Shaw & Barry (eds.) Moral Issues in Business, 6th edition, (Wadsworth, Belmont, CA, 1995), pp. 101-126.

Further Reading:

**Richard Norman, ‘Arguments for Equality’, in Free and Equal, (Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1987), pp. 65-88.

**Peter Singer, ‘From equality of opportunity to equality of consideration’, in Chap. 2 of Practical Ethics, (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1979), pp. 34-39.

**Peter Singer, ‘Rights and the Market’, in Justice and Economic Distribution, John Arthur and William Shaw (eds.), Prentice Hall, Inc, (Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1978), pp. 207-221.

**Wilkinson and Pickett, ‘Poverty or Inequality?’ Chap. 2 of The Spirit Level: Why Equality is Better for Everyone, (Penguin Books, London, 2010), pp. 15-30.

Week 6

Ethical Issues in Advertising

Essential Reading:

** Robert L. Arrington, ‘Advertising and Behavior Control’ in William H. Shaw and Vincent Barry, Moral Issues in Business. 8th edition (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 2001.) pp. 529-535.

**Richard L. Lippke, ‘Advertising and the Social Conditions of Autonomy’ in William H. Shaw and Vincent Barry, Moral Issues in Business. 8th edition (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 2001.) pp. 536-541.

Further Reading:

Tom L. Beauchamp, ‘Manipulative Advertising,’ Business and Professional Ethics Journal 3 (Spring/Summer 1984), 1-22.

Damian Grace and Stephen Cohen, Chapter 5, ‘Marketing and Advertising Ethics,’ in Business Ethics. 4th edition, (Oxford University Press: Oxford, 2010), pp. 116-143.

David M. Holley, ‘A Moral Evaluation of Sales Practices’ n William H. Shaw and Vincent Barry, Moral Issues in Business. 8th edition (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 2001.) pp. 522-529.

Barbara J. Phillips, ‘In Defence of Advertising: A Social Perspective,’ Journal of Business Ethics 16, (1997), pp. 109-118.

Week 7

Business and the Environment

Essential Reading:

**Partick G. Derr and Edward M. McNamara, ‘A Word about Ethical Theories’ in Case Studies in Environmental Ethics xv-xxi, Oxford: Rowman and Littlefield Publishers Incorporated, 2003.

**Joe DesJardins, ‘Corporate Environmental Responsibility’ in Journal of Business Ethics 17, 1998, pp. 825-838.

Further Reading:

**S. Salman Hussain, ‘The Ethics of “Going Green”: The Corporate Social Responsibility Debate’ in Business Strategy and the Environment 8, 1999, pp. 203-210.

Damian Grace and Stephen Cohen, Chapter 8, ‘The Environment,’ in Business Ethics. 4th edition, (Oxford University Press: Oxford, 2010), pp. 191-214.

W. Michael Hoffman, ‘Business and Environmental Ethics,’, Business Ethics Quarterly 1, (April 1991), pp. 169-184.

Week 8

Corporate Influence on Government

Essential Readings:

**B. Hourigan, ‘Who Pays? Political Donations and Democratic Accountability’, IPA Review, 2006, 58(3), pp. 12-15.

**Leonard J. Weber, ‘Citizenship and Democracy: The Ethics of Corporate Lobbying,’ Business Ethics Quarterly, 1996, Vol. 6, 2, pp. 253-259.

Further Readings:

Miguel Alzola, 'Corporate Dystopia: The Ethics of Corporate Political Spending,' 'Business and Society,' 2013 52(3), 388-426.

**Sally Young and Joo-Cheong Tham, ‘Private Funding of Political Parties’, Ch. 2 in Political Finance in Australia: a skewed and secret system? (Canberra: Australian National University, 2006), pp. 8-35.

Week 9

Industry Relations with the Professions

Essential Reading:

**Wendy Rogers and Angela Ballantyne, ‘Justice in Health Research: What is the Role of Evidence-Based Medicine?’ Perspectives in Biology and Medicine 52, 2, 2009, pp. 188-202.

**Dana J, Loewenstein G. A social science perspective on gifts to physicians from industry. JAMA. 2003; 290(2):252-255. 15.

Further Reading:

a) Relations with the Pharmaceutical Industry

**Elliott, C. 2004. Pharma goes to the laundry. Hastings Cent Rep 34 (5):18-23.

**Elliott, C. 2008. Guinea-pigging: healthy human subjects for drug safety trials are in demand. But is it a living? New Yorker 7:36-41.

**Healy, D., and D. Cattell. 2003. Interface between authorship, industry and science in the domain of therapeutics. Br J Psychiatry 183:22-7.

**Wazana A. Physicians and the pharmaceutical industry: is a gift ever just a gift? JAMA. 2000;283 (3):373-380.

b) Conflicts of Interest

**Carson TL. Conflicts of interest and self-dealing in the professions: a review essay. Business Ethics Quarterly 2004; 14 (1): 161-182.

**David M. Conflict of Interest. Encyclopedia of Applied Ethics, Vol 1 pp 589-595.

**Pritchard M. Conflicts of Interest: conceptual and normative issues. Academic Medicine 1996; 71 (12): 1305-1313.

**Stark A. Comparing conflict of interest across the professions. In Davis and Stark (eds) Conflict of Interest in the Professions. NY: OUP; 2001, pp 335-351.

**Warner TD and Roberts LW. Scientific integrity, fidelity and conflicts of interest in research. Current Opinion in Psychiatry 2004; 17: 381-385.

Week 10

Justice and Globalisation

Essential Reading:

**Denis G. Arnold and Norman E. Bowie, ‘Sweatshops and Respect for Persons’, Business Ethics Quarterly, 2003, Vol. 13, Issue 2, pp. 221-242. 

**Susan Black and Allen Myerson ‘Are Sweatshops Necessarily Evil?’ Ch. 16 of Lisa Newton and Maureen Ford (Eds) Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Issues in Business Ethics and Society, (New York, McGraw-Hill, 2004) pp. 306-315.

Further reading: 

**Thomas Pogge, ‘Moral Universalism and Global Economic Justice’, Chapter 4 of World Poverty and Human Rights (Oxford, Blackwell, 2002), pp. 91-117.

**Peter Singer, ‘One Economy’, ch. 3 in One World – the Ethics of Globalisation, (Melbourne, Text, 2002), pp.58-119. 

**Joseph Stiglitz, ‘The Promise of Global Institutions’, ch. 1 in Globalization and its Discontents, (London, Allen Lane, 2002), pp. 3-22.

Week 11

Discrimination and Affirmative Action

Essential Readings:

**Richard De George, ‘Discrimination, Affirmative Action, and Reverse Discrimination’,Ch. 16 of Richard de George, Business Ethics, 4th edition, (New Jersey, Prentice Hall,1995), pp. 421- 450.

Further Reading:

**Edwin C. Hettinger, ‘What is Wrong with Reverse Discrimination?’ in W. Michael Hoffman, Robert E. Frederick & Mark Schwartz (eds.) Business Ethics: Readings and Cases in Corporate Morality, 4th edition (New York, McGraw-Hill, 2001), pp. 315-322

Madeline E. Heilman, ‘Sex Discrimination and the Affirmative Action Remedy: The Role of Sex Stereotypes,’ Journal of Business Ethics 16 (1997): 877-899.

Irving Thalberg, ‘Themes in the Reverse-Discrimination Debate,’Ethics 91 (October 1980): 138-150.

Week 12

Ethical Business Models and Moral Managers

Essential Reading:

**Leo E. Strine Jr. ‘Making it Easier for Directors to “Do the Right Thing”?’, Harvard Business Law Review Vol. 4, 2, 2014, pp. 235-253.

Further Reading:

L.R. Boatright, ‘Presidential Address: Does Business Ethics rest on a mistake?,’ Business Ethics Quarterly 9, 1999, pp. 583-592.

John Hendry, ‘Morality and Markets: A Response to Boatright,’ Business Ethics Quarterly 11, 2001, pp. 537-545.

 

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_2016.html

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

Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/complaint_management/procedure.html​

Disruption to Studies Policy (in effect until Dec 4th, 2017): http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html

Special Consideration Policy (in effect from Dec 4th, 2017): https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/special-consideration

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.

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://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

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

Graduate Capabilities

Creative and Innovative

Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Analyse and critically evaluate theories and arguments in the relevant literature
  • Relate ethical concepts and theories to relevant case studies and current events
  • Develop your own view or perspective,through consideration and analysis of views and arguments presented in the unit
  • Develop your skills in clarity of thought,clarity of verbal and written expression,and written argumentation

Assessment tasks

  • Attendance & Participation
  • Reading Assignment 1
  • Reading Assignment 2
  • Essay

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

  • Relate ethical concepts and theories to relevant case studies and current events
  • Develop your own view or perspective,through consideration and analysis of views and arguments presented in the unit
  • Develop your skills in clarity of thought,clarity of verbal and written expression,and written argumentation

Assessment tasks

  • Attendance & Participation
  • Reading Assignment 1
  • Reading Assignment 2
  • Essay

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Our graduates will have enquiring minds and a literate curiosity which will lead them to pursue knowledge for its own sake. They will continue to pursue learning in their careers and as they participate in the world. They will be capable of reflecting on their experiences and relationships with others and the environment, learning from them, and growing - personally, professionally and socially.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Develop your own view or perspective,through consideration and analysis of views and arguments presented in the unit

Assessment tasks

  • Attendance & Participation
  • Reading Assignment 1
  • Essay

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

  • Demonstrate good general knowledge of the major issues in contemporary business and professional ethics
  • Understand the major ethical concepts and theories that inform the business and professional ethics literature

Assessment tasks

  • Attendance & Participation
  • Reading Assignment 1
  • Reading Assignment 2
  • Essay

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

  • Understand the major ethical concepts and theories that inform the business and professional ethics literature
  • Analyse and critically evaluate theories and arguments in the relevant literature
  • Relate ethical concepts and theories to relevant case studies and current events
  • Develop your own view or perspective,through consideration and analysis of views and arguments presented in the unit
  • Develop your skills in clarity of thought,clarity of verbal and written expression,and written argumentation

Assessment tasks

  • Attendance & Participation
  • Reading Assignment 1
  • Reading Assignment 2
  • Essay

Problem Solving and Research Capability

Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Analyse and critically evaluate theories and arguments in the relevant literature
  • Relate ethical concepts and theories to relevant case studies and current events
  • Develop your own view or perspective,through consideration and analysis of views and arguments presented in the unit
  • Develop your skills in clarity of thought,clarity of verbal and written expression,and written argumentation

Assessment tasks

  • Attendance & Participation
  • Reading Assignment 1
  • Reading Assignment 2
  • Essay

Effective Communication

We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Analyse and critically evaluate theories and arguments in the relevant literature
  • Relate ethical concepts and theories to relevant case studies and current events
  • Develop your skills in clarity of thought,clarity of verbal and written expression,and written argumentation

Assessment tasks

  • Attendance & Participation
  • Reading Assignment 1
  • Reading Assignment 2
  • Essay

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 outcome

  • Develop your own view or perspective,through consideration and analysis of views and arguments presented in the unit

Assessment tasks

  • Attendance & Participation
  • Reading Assignment 1
  • Essay

Socially and Environmentally Active and Responsible

We want our graduates to be aware of and have respect for self and others; to be able to work with others as a leader and a team player; to have a sense of connectedness with others and country; and to have a sense of mutual obligation. Our graduates should be informed and active participants in moving society towards sustainability.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Develop your own view or perspective,through consideration and analysis of views and arguments presented in the unit

Assessment tasks

  • Attendance & Participation
  • Reading Assignment 1
  • Essay

Changes from Previous Offering

We have introduced some new topics and changed the set readings for some weeks. There is no longer a final exam and an additional reading assignment has been added.