Business Ethics Chapter 1 1 Before coming to class, watch two hours of children’s programming on one of the children’s TV channels such as Disney Channel or Nick Junior

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Chapter 1 Introduction to Business Ethics

Exercise 1

Watch the movie Glengarry Glen Ross (1992—100 minutes). Discuss the following questions:

1. What are some of the major challenges facing the employees in the movie?

Exercise 2

Watch the movie The Big Short (2015—130 minutes). Discuss the following questions:

1. What is short selling? How can you make money using short selling?

2. Why is Wall Street involved in mortgages?

Exercise 2

Go to a well-known company’s website (for example, GE or Shell). Review their code of ethics.

1. What are some of the key aspects of the company’s code of ethics?

Chapter 2 Building Ethics at the Individual Level

Exercise 1

Watch the movie Wall Street (1987—125 minutes). Discuss the following:

1. What are your reactions after watching the movie?

2. Do you agree with the main premise of the movie that “greed is good”?

Exercise 2

Watch the Wolf of Wall Street (2013—180 minutes). Discuss the following:

1. What are your reactions after watching the movie?

Exercise 3

Read the following dilemma: You are done with classes and walk to your car. It is a windy day

and when you open your car door, the door accidentally hits the car parked next to you. Do you

1) leave your name and number to be contacted for repairs, or 2) leave the parking lot without

leaving any identifying information.

1. Which option did you choose? Why?

2. Read Kohlberg’s Moral Development Stage. Which stage are you at? Why?

Chapter 3 Ethical Theories

Exercise 1

Watch the movie The Insider (1987—125 minutes). Discuss the following:

1. What conflicts is Mr. Wigand wrestling with in the movie?

2. Discuss how he applies Kantian ethics in his reasoning.

Exercise 3

Read the following dilemma: You find that one of your best friends cheated on an exam. You

have to decide whether to reveal that to the teacher or not.

1. Which option did you choose? Why?

Chapter 4 Stakeholders

Exercise 1

Watch the movie Chasing Madoff (2011—91 minutes). Discuss the following questions:

1. Why was Madoff able to continue the fraud undetected for so long?

2. Who are the stakeholders affected in the movie? How?

Exercise 2

Read recent articles about the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Discuss the following:

1. Which stakeholders were affected by BP’s mistakes?

2. Identify those affected stakeholders that were most surprising to you.

Chapter 5 Primary Stakeholders: Employees

Exercise 1

Watch the movie The Company Men (2011—104 minutes). Discuss the following:

1. How much does the movie reflect current experiences with the economic recession?

Exercise 2

Watch the movie A Decent Factory (2011—104 minutes). Discuss the following:

1. Is Nokia genuinely interested in improving the working conditions?

2. What are some of the violations of labor laws revealed by the movie?

Exercise 3

Think of the company where you are working for about ten minutes. Discuss the following

questions with the class:

1. How are employees treated in the company? Are you happy to work there?

2. Are employees treated fairly? Why or why not?

Chapter 6 Primary Stakeholders: Customers

Exercise 1

Watch the movie The Joneses (2009—96 minutes). Discuss the following:

1. What are the real goals of the “Joneses” as they move to the suburbs? Do you think

that the product placement is somewhat reflective of reality?

Exercise 2

Before coming to class, watch two hours of children’s programming on one of the children’s TV

channels such as Disney Channel or Nick Junior.

1. How many advertisements were shown during the two hours? Do you think that it is an

excessive amount of advertising?

2. What types of products were advertised? Do you feel that some specific industries focus

their attention on children’s advertising?

Chapter 7 Primary Stakeholders: Shareholders and Corporate Governance

Exercise 1

Watch the movie Other People’s Money (1991—103 minutes). Discuss the following:

1. What is the main plot/theme of the movie?

2. Do you think that it is ethical that raiders can make offers for hostile takeovers and then

shut the business down? Why or why not?

Exercise 2

Watch the movie Margin Call (2011– 106 minutes). Discuss the following:

1. What is the main premise of the movie?

Exercise 3

Read the Strategic Business Ethics Insight on the Strategic Importance of Corporate Governance.

1. Is corporate governance a key issue in your country? Why or why not?

2. Discuss some of the examples in the Strategic Business Ethics Insight. How did lack of

corporate governance lead to the downfall of the companies?

Chapter 8 Secondary Stakeholders: The Government, the Media and Non-

Governmental Organizations

Exercise 1

Watch the movie The Insider (1999—157 minutes). Discuss the following:

1. What is the main premise of the movie?

Exercise 2

Read the Strategic Business Ethics Insight on U.S. newspapers and ethical issues in the

pharmaceutical industry (Power of the Media).

1. Do you think that the media portrays businesses in more of a negative light? Why or why

not?

Chapter 9 Information Technology and Ethics

Exercise 1

Watch the movie Antitrust (2001—109 minutes). Discuss the following:

1. Why does Hoffman decide to join NURV? Would you have accepted the job too?

2. Why are NURV projects always on time? Where does the company get excellent

programming codes?

Exercise 2

Go to a well-known global multinational website. Visit the company’s website in different

countries.

1. What are some of the important differences you notice among the different websites

worldwide?

Chapter 10 The Environment and Sustainability

Exercise 1

Watch the documentary FLOW: For Love of Water (2008 – 93 minutes). Discuss the following:

1. What is the main theme of the documentary?

Exercise 2

Watch the movie Erin Brokovich (2000 – 191 minutes). Discuss the following:

1. What is the main theme of the movie?

Exercise 3

Read the Global Business Ethics Insight on Volkswagen and Sustainability.

1. What are some of the steps Volkswagen is doing to become more sustainable?

2. Visit the Volkswagen website. Are there other aspects of sustainability that Volkswagen

is tackling? Be specific.

Chapter 11 Global Ethics

Exercise 1

Watch the documentary The New Rulers of the World (2001 – 65 minutes). Discuss the

following:

1. What are some of the key effects of globalization?

2. Globalization also means that the world is becoming more interdependent. Do you agree

that such interdependence has bad consequences for countries?

Exercise 2

Go to the European Union website. Review their anti-bribery policies.

1. How are the European Union policy rules different than those included in the Foreign

Corrupt Practices Act?

Chapter 12 Building Ethics at the Corporate Level: Managing the Ethical Climate

Exercise 1

Watch the movie Enron—The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005—110 minutes). Discuss the

following questions:

1. Describe the ethical culture/ethical climate at Enron.

Exercise 2

Think of the company you are currently working for or the company you worked for most

recently. Discuss the following:

1. What type of ethical climate exists in the company (caring, instrumental, principled)?

Support your answer with some evidence.

Chapter 13 Corporate Social Responsibility

1. What are some of the similarities among the companies? How do they all approach social

responsibility similarly?

2. What are the main differences?

3. Based on the videos, what are the core components of a socially responsible company?

Exercise 2

Go the United Nation’s website and review the UN’s Global Compact.

1. Discuss each of the ten principles of the compact.

2. Discuss what companies are doing to adhere to the Global Compact.