Business EthicsBusiness Ethics

For My Friends in BSAD 101For My Friends in BSAD 101

By Thomas HiltonBy Thomas Hilton

Trust

• Do you want to be trusted?• Do you want to trust your

associates?• What happens to relationships

as trust decreases? Increases?

Topics for Today

• Definitions• Examples• Assignment

Definitions: Ethics

Rules of right and wrong behavior in a particular field

Definitions: Business Ethics

• Rules of right and wrong behavior in business

• Foundation of the trust essential for commerce

• Sometimes arbitrary: “Gaming Ethics”

• Based on universal moral principles

Definitions: AACSB International

• Accredits Virtually all Reputable US Business Schools, Including UWEC

• Aims to Educate Business Leaders

• “Business and society are mutually interdependent: Society depends on business for wealth creation while business depends on society for an environment wherein it can meet its obligation to create that wealth.”

• “…business schools cannot be expected to assume total responsibility for ethical debacles in [business]… Nonetheless, …the time has come for business schools…to renew and revitalize their commitment to the centrality of ethical responsibility at both the individual and corporate levels in preparing business leaders for the twenty-first century.”

Ethics Education in Business SchoolsReport of the Ethics Education Task Force to AACSB International’s Board of Directors

http://www.aacsb.edu/resource_centers/ethicsedu/eetf.asp

Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of BusinessAssociation to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business

Definitions: AACSB International’s Four Broad Ethics Themes

• Responsibility of Business in Society

• Ethical Decision-Making

• Ethical Leadership

• Corporate Governance

Definitions: AACSB Core Business Ethics

• Produce Wealth for Society

• Distribute that Wealth Appropriately

• Enhance these Abilities for the Future

Three Questions…

• What is “Wealth”?

• Who is “Society”?

• What is “Appropriate”?

CasesAnswer the Three Questions

• Hint: Use the Systems View

• Mayo Health System• Statz Construction• Aldi International• Accenture• Harley Davidson, Inc.

Personal Connections

• Professional Ethics• Learn Them• Use Them• Influence Others to Use Them• Support Ethical Management

Conclusion

• The world runs on information systems

• People run information systems• The people who run the

information systems run the world

• Be careful not to break it

Assignment

• Memo– One-page Defending Your Opinion of

Illegal Music File Trading

• Grading– Content– Organization– Language mechanics– Format

• Deadline– Email it to me by the start of Wednesday’s

class