GBU 325.001 BUSINESS, ETHICS, & SOCIETY Fall 2010 Credit: 3 semester hours Prerequisite: Junior standing Textbook: Instructor: Business, Government, and Society by Steiner & Steiner (12 th Ed.) Dr. Beth Brice Department of General Business Office: 229E General Business Dept. (McGee Bldg.) OR 119 North Street, Suite A, Downtown Nacogdoches (Landmark Center) Telephone: 468-3103 or 468-1549 or 560-0777 E-mail: bbrice@sfasu.edu Class Hours: Tuesday-Thursday: 9:30 a.m. 10:45 a.m. GBU 325 12:30 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. GBU 325 2:00 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. BLW 330 Wednesday: *Office Hours: Tuesday: 6:45 p.m. - 9:15 p.m. BLW/FIN 366 8:30 a.m. 9:30 a.m. 10:45 a.m. 12:30 p.m. 3:15 p.m. - 4:15 p.m. Wednesday: 5:00 p.m. - 6:45 p.m. Thursday: 8:30 a.m. 9:30 a.m. 10:45 a.m. 12:30 p.m. 3:15 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. *Also available by appointment
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Comprehensive study of the dynamic social, political, legal, and regulatory environments within which domestic and international business must operate. Course topics are examined with emphasis on ethical business decision-making and consideration of the social responsibility of business. GOALS & OBJECTIVES: This course is designed to emphasize and explain the importance of understanding the dynamics of the environment of the business community. After completing this course, the student will be able to identify the environmental forces that may impact the operation of a business, and further, to understand the importance of being prepared for environmental changes and anticipating the expectations of stakeholders. This course will also help the business student to develop an understanding and application of ethical principles in evaluating business decisions, as well as considering the social responsibility expected by the stakeholders of the business community in its decision-making process. COURSE REQUIREMENTS: 1. Examinations: There will be four examinations during the semester, including the final exam. The final exam is not comprehensive. Each exam will consist of multiple choice and true-false questions. All material covered during class may be the subject of questions on the examination, including discussion of current events and material from sources outside the course textbook. If a student is unable to take an examination on the designated date in the class schedule, then a student is responsible for notifying the instructor on or before that date. If a student fails to timely notify the instructor of his/her inability to take an examination, then the student will be unable to take the examination, and will receive a 0 for the missed examination. If space permits in the classroom on test days, students shall sit with an empty chair on either side of the student during the examination. No electronic devices shall be allowed in the view of the student on examination dates, unless previously approved by the instructor. Each examination is 20% of your course grade. 2. Participation: All students are expected to attend class, arrive on time, and participate in class discussions. Three or more unexcused absences will result in a deduction of up to five points from the total point accumulation of the absent student, prior to determining the final average of the student. If a student is unable to attend class for any reason, the absent student should notify the instructor, either in person or by email, regarding the reason for being absent from class. 3. Current Events: Each class period, except on examination dates, students are required to bring a current news article to class, which illustrates how a business person, a business, or an industry has been impacted by its environment. Students will be called on at random to discuss their articles. The student will be required to orally summarize the
current event for class discussion. Once the article has been discussed, it will be summarized by the instructor for the class. Current event summaries WILL BE the subject of examination questions. Each student will be required to discuss at least one current event during the semester. If a student is absent or unprepared the first day he/she is called upon, there will be no penalty. The second day the student is called upon and is absent or unprepared, then five points will be deducted from the total semester point accumulation of the student prior to determination of the student s final average. When a student presents a current event to the class, a copy of the current event must be turned in to the instructor at the end of the class period. The presentation of the current event is a requirement of the course; no grade is assessed for this activity. 4. Case Study Oral Presentations: Each student will be assigned to a group and be given a case study from the textbook to present to the class during the semester. The purpose of the case study presentations is to assist students in developing/improving oral communication and group organizational skills. Students will be organized in panels to present the schedule of case studies in the Class Schedule attached hereto. Each panel member will receive a grade based on the presentation of the panel as a whole, as well as a grade for each student s individual presentation, and then these grades will be averaged together. The resulting grade is equal to an examination grade, or 20% of your course grade. (By the end of the semester, each student will have five grades, four examination scores and a grade for the case study presentation.) In order to properly assess each student s individual presentation, all members of the panel will be required to submit to the instructor comments concerning the contributions, or lack thereof, of each member of the panel in organizing/presenting the panel presentation. The instructor will maintain the confidentiality of these comments. The following guidelines should be considered in preparing the case study presentation: The responsibility of the group is to present/explain the assigned case study to the class, in a manner the group deems appropriate to assist the class in understanding the content of the case study. Students are encouraged to think creatively about the manner in which the case study can be presented. For example, students may decide to present the case study via role playing, where the students assume the role of the actual persons involved in the case study. You are encouraged to think outside the box in preparing your presentation. The case study should be considered a formal business presentation and students should dress accordingly in business attire, unless the group has decided to dress in a manner to compliment the subject matter of the case study. Students are encouraged to use power point slides, videos, handouts, posters, and/or any other resource which would assist the class in understanding the case study subject matter.
Each student in the group will be required to speak during the presentation. The length of each student s oral presentation will be determined by the group as it organizes the presentation. Each group should plan for the oral presentation to be at least fifteen (15) minutes in length. Preparation of written notes by a student to read from during his/her presentation is acceptable; however, if a student reads directly from material and does not properly cite the material being read, then the student will receive an automatic thirty (30) point deduction for plagiarism. Each group will be required to provide current information regarding the status of the case study during the oral presentation. Failure to do so will result in an automatic ten (10) point deduction from the group s grade. The preparation of the case study presentation will be completed outside of class. The instructor expects each group member to work with other group members in a cooperative and courteous manner. If challenges develop in getting the group together and/or working together, the instructor expects the group to attempt to resolve the challenges within the group. However, if the group is unable to resolve these challenges, please contact the instructor as soon as the group determines additional assistance is needed. GENERAL POLICIES: If you need special accommodations for this class, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible. Food, drink, and tobacco products are strictly prohibited in the classroom. All students are expected to comply with the academic and student policies set forth in the SFASU General Bulletin and/or SFASU student handbook. Specifically, please note the Rusche College of Business Syllabus Addendum attached hereto. CLASS SCHEDULE (Subject to change only as needed and announced) August 31 September 2 Introduction Chapter 1 The Study of Business, Government and Society Last day to change schedules other than to drop courses Last day to register (both full-time and part-time students) September 6 LABOR DAY HOLIDAY
September 7 September 9 September 14 September 16 September 21 Chapter 1 The Study of Business, Government and Society Chapter 2 The Dynamic Environment Chapter 2 The Dynamic Environment Chapter 3 Business Power Chapter 3 Business Power Chapter 4 Critics of Business Chapter 4 Critics of Business Chapter 5 Corporate Social Responsibility Chapter 5 Corporate Social Responsibility Review September 23 TEST (Chapters 1-5) September 28 September 30 October 5 October 7 October 12 October 14 October 19 Chapter 6 Implementing Social Responsibility Chapter 6 Implementing Social Responsibility Case Study: Marc Kasky versus NIKE Inc. Chapter 7 Business Ethics Chapter 7 Business Ethics Case Study: The Trial of Martha Stewart Chapter 8 Making Ethical Decisions in Business Chapter 8 Making Ethical Decisions in Business Case Study: Columbia/HCA Chapter 9 Business in Politics Case Study: Westar Goes to Washington Chapter 10 Regulating Business Case Study: The FDA and Tobacco Regulation Review October 21 TEST (Chapters 6-10) October 25 Last day to apply for degrees to be completed in December 2010 October 26 October 27 Chapter 11 Multinational Corporations Last day to drop courses
Last day to withdraw from the University without WP or WF October 28 November 2 November 4 November 9 November 11 Chapter 11 Multinational Corporations Case Study: Union Carbide Corporation and Bhopal Chapter 12 Globalization Chapter 12 Globalization Case Study: David and Goliath at the WTO Chapter 13 Industrial Pollution and Environmental Policy Case Study: Owls, Loggers, and Old-Growth Forests Chapter 14 Managing Environmental Quality Case Study: Johns Manville Corporation and the Asbestos Nightmare (Not in textbook) Review November 16 TEST (Chapters 11-14) November 18 November 23 November 24 November 25 Chapter 15 Consumerism Chapter 15 Consumerism Case Study: Alcohol Advertising Chapter 16 The Changing Workplace Beginning of Thanksgiving Holiday at 8:00 a.m. THANKSGIVING DAY November 29 November 30 December 2 December 7 December 9 December 14 Classes resume at 8:00 a.m. Last day to withdraw from the University Chapter 16 The Changing Workplace Case Study: Workplace Drug Testing Chapter 17 Civil Rights in the Workplace Case Study: Adarand v. Pena Chapter 18 Corporate Governance Case Study: High Noon at Hewlett-Packard Review FINAL EXAMINATION (8:00 a.m. 10:00 a.m.)
Program Learning Outcomes: Rusche College of Business Syllabus Addendum Program learning outcomes define the knowledge, skills, and abilities students are expected to demonstrate upon completion of an academic program. These learning outcomes are regularly assessed to determine student learning and to evaluate overall program effectiveness. You may access the program learning outcomes for your major and particular courses at http://cobweb.sfasu.edu/plo.html. General Student Policies: Academic Integrity (A-9.1) Academic integrity is a responsibility of all university faculty and students. Faculty members promote academic integrity in multiple ways including instruction on the components of academic honesty, as well as abiding by university policy on penalties for cheating and plagiarism. Definition of Academic Dishonesty Academic dishonesty includes both cheating and plagiarism. Cheating includes but is not limited to (1) using or attempting to use unauthorized materials to aid in achieving a better grade on a component of a class; (2) the falsification or invention of any information, including citations, on an assigned exercise; and/or (3) helping or attempting to help another in an act of cheating or plagiarism. Plagiarism is presenting the words or ideas of another person as if they were your own. Examples of plagiarism are (1) submitting an assignment as if it were one's own work when, in fact, it is at least partly the work of another; (2) submitting a work that has been purchased or otherwise obtained from an Internet source or another source; and (3) incorporating the words or ideas of an author into one's paper without giving the author due credit. Please read the complete policy at http://www.sfasu.edu/policies/academic_integrity.asp. Withheld Grades Semester Grades Policy (A-54) Ordinarily, at the discretion of the instructor of record and with the approval of the academic chair/director, a grade of WH will be assigned only if the student cannot complete the course work because of unavoidable circumstances. Students must complete the work within one calendar year from the end of the semester in which they receive a WH, or the grade automatically becomes an F. If students register for the same course in future terms the WH will automatically become an F and will be counted as a repeated course for the purpose of computing the grade point average. Students with Disabilities To obtain disability related accommodations, alternate formats and/or auxiliary aids, students with disabilities must contact the Office of Disability Services (ODS), Human Services Building, and Room 325, 468-3004 / 468-1004 (TDD) as early as possible in the semester. Once verified, ODS will notify the course instructor and outline the accommodation and/or auxiliary aids to be provided. Failure to request services in a timely manner may delay your accommodations. For additional information, go to http://www.sfasu.edu/disabilityservices/. Acceptable Student Behavior Classroom behavior should not interfere with the instructor s ability to conduct the class or the ability of other students to learn from the instructional program (see the Student Conduct Code, policy D-34.1). Unacceptable or disruptive behavior will not be tolerated. Students who disrupt the learning environment may be asked to leave class and may be subject to judicial, academic, or other penalties. This prohibition applies to all instructional forums,
including electronic, classroom, labs, discussion groups, field trips, etc. The instructor shall have full discretion over what behavior is appropriate/inappropriate in the classroom. Students who do not attend class regularly or who perform poorly on class projects/exams may be referred to the Early Alert Program. This program provides students with recommendations for resources or other assistance that is available to help SFA students succeed. August 20, 2010