Chapter 1 Introduction to Business Ethics
Exercise 1
Watch the movie Glengarry Glen Ross (1992100 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 (2015130 minutes). Discuss the following questions:
1. What is short selling? How can you make money using short selling?
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 (1987125 minutes). Discuss the following:
1. What are your reactions after watching the movie?
Exercise 2
Watch the Wolf of Wall Street (2013180 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?
Chapter 3 Ethical Theories
Exercise 1
Watch the movie The Insider (1987125 minutes). Discuss the following:
1. What conflicts is Mr. Wigand wrestling with in the movie?
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 (201191 minutes). Discuss the following questions:
1. Why was Madoff able to continue the fraud undetected for so long?
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 (2011104 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 (2011104 minutes). Discuss the following:
1. Is Nokia genuinely interested in improving the working conditions?
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?
Chapter 6 Primary Stakeholders: Customers
Exercise 1
Watch the movie The Joneses (200996 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?
Chapter 7 Primary Stakeholders: Shareholders and Corporate Governance
Exercise 1
Watch the movie Other People’s Money (1991103 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?
Chapter 8 Secondary Stakeholders: The Government, the Media and Non-
Governmental Organizations
Exercise 1
Watch the movie The Insider (1999157 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 (2001109 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
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?
2. Do you think that the privatization of water sources in the world is unethical? Who owns
water sources? Do you see that companies such as Nestlé and Coca-Cola are prioritizing
Exercise 2
Watch the movie Erin Brokovich (2000 191 minutes). Discuss the following:
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?
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
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 EnronThe Smartest Guys in the Room (2005110 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
Exercise 1
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 Nations website and review the UNs Global Compact.
1. Discuss each of the ten principles of the compact.