Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Unit Convenor
Jane Johnson
Contact via jane.johnson@mq.edu.au
Building W6A, Room 733
By appointment
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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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 as well as an introduction to some central topics in professional ethics. In the first part of the unit we examine the roles and responsibilities of corporations in relation to society and the environment. 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 business and the environment and the ethics of advertising and marketing. The second part of the unit includes a discussion of ethical issues that arise in the context of relations between industry and the professions, focusing on justice in health research and conflicts of interest in medicine. Other topics in this section include ethics and globalisation, the influence of corporations on government, affirmative action, and whistleblowing. This unit is relevant to students in accounting and business as well as those in the humanities and social sciences.
All enrolment queries should be directed to Open Universities Australia (OUA): see www.open.edu.au
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.open.edu.au/student-admin-and-support/key-dates/
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
Written assignments are to be submitted through Turnitin, and will be marked and returned via Grademark. For information about these tools, see:
http://www.mq.edu.au/iLearn/student_info/assignments.htm
There is no need for a coversheet - the iLearn assignment submission (Turnitin) involves declaring your details and honesty in submitting your work. Please note, we do not accept submission by email attachment.
See the "Policies and Procedures" section below for more detail about relevant policies.
Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
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Moral Reasoning Assignment | 30% | No | Sunday of Week 5 |
Participation | 10% | No | Ongoing |
Essay | 40% | No | Sunday of Week 11 |
Take Home Exam | 20% | No | Friday of Week 13 |
Due: Sunday of Week 5
Weighting: 30%
This 800 word assignment provides an opportunity for you to relate the theoretical and conceptual issues discussed in classes and readings to relevant current events or issues.
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.
Due: Ongoing
Weighting: 10%
Discussion is a vital part of learning in philosophy. Your participation mark will be assessed using the following criteria: quality of your posts and their timeliness (you should post within a week of the topic). Quality is not just measured by the philosophical content of your posts, but by your willingness to engage in discussion with your peers.
Due: Sunday of Week 11
Weighting: 40%
Essays develop your ability to engage with a topic in detail and to express, analyse and organize key ideas clearly and systematically. Students will complete a 1500 word essay.
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.
Due: Friday of Week 13
Weighting: 20%
The exam tests your general comprehension of key readings and arguments in each section of the unit and your ability to present your understanding of the texts clearly and succinctly. You will have 1 week to complete the take-home exam.
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.
All required readings and most supplementary readings are available from eReserve. Consult the Unit Schedule for a week by week outline of required readings and supplementary readings.
Week 1 |
Introduction: Ultimate Values, Business and the Professions All selections marked ** are on e-reserve Essential Readings:
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Week 2 |
Ethics and the Nature of Moral Reasoning Essential Readings:
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Week 3 |
The Social Responsibility of Business: The Narrow View Essential Readings:
Further Reading:
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Week 4 |
The Social Responsibility of Business: Stakeholder Theory and Economic Justice Essential Readings:
Further Reading: a) Justice and Egalitarianism
b) Stakeholder Theory
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Week 5 |
Ethical Issues in Advertising Essential Readings:
Further Reading:
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Week 6 |
Business and the Environment Essential Readings:
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Week 7 |
Discrimination and Affirmative Action
Essential Readings:
Further Reading:
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MID-SEMESTER BREAK - 2 WEEKS |
Week 8 |
Corporate Influence on Government Essential Readings:
Further Reading:
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Week 9 |
Justice and Globalisation Essential Readings:
Further Reading:
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Week 10 |
Industry Relations with the Professions Essential Readings:
Further Reading: a) Relations with the Pharmaceutical Industry
b) Conflicts of Interest
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Week 11
Week 12 |
Week 11: Professional Morality and Codes of Conduct Essential Reading: **John Kultgen, ‘The Ideological Use of Professional Codes’, in J. Callahan (ed.) Ethical Issue in Professional Life (OUP, Oxford, 1988), pp. 411-421 Further Reading: **Benjamin Freedman, ‘A Meta-ethics for Professional Morality’, Ethics, Vol. 89, No.1 (Oct. 1978), pp.1-19. Week 12: Whistleblowing Essential Readings:
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Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g. quizzes, online tests.
The University recognises that students may experience events or conditions that adversely affect their academic performance. If you experience serious and unavoidable difficulties at exam time or when assessment tasks are due, you can consider applying for Special Consideration.
You need to show that the circumstances:
If you feel that your studies have been impacted submit an application as follows:
Outcome
Once your submission is assessed, an appropriate outcome will be organised.
You can withdraw from your subjects prior to the census date (last day to withdraw). If you successfully withdraw before the census date, you won’t need to apply for Special Circumstances. If you find yourself unable to withdraw from your subjects before the census date - you might be able to apply for Special Circumstances. If you’re eligible, we can refund your fees and overturn your fail grade.
If you’re studying Single Subjects using FEE-HELP or paying up front, you can apply online.
If you’re studying a degree using HECS-HELP, you’ll need to apply directly to Macquarie University.
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.
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/
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.
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
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.
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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: