Business Ethics

Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore

Course Description

  • Course Name

    Business Ethics

  • Host University

    Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore

  • Location

    Milan, Italy

  • Area of Study

    Management

  • Language Level

    Taught In English

  • Prerequisites

    A background in the history of ethics may be helpful, although it is not mandatory.

  • Course Level Recommendations

    Upper

    ISA offers course level recommendations in an effort to facilitate the determination of course levels by credential evaluators.We advice each institution to have their own credentials evaluator make the final decision regrading course levels.

    Hours & Credits

  • ECTS Credits

    6
  • Recommended U.S. Semester Credits
    3
  • Recommended U.S. Quarter Units
    4
  • Overview

    COURSE DESCRIPTION
    Can we look at business enterprise and interest from the perspective of good and virtuous behavior? If so, besides personal profit is there something else which provides benefits that can be shared? Generally speaking, is there a link between entrepreneurial interests and ethics, or are these unrelated or even incompatible spheres? This course attempts to present concrete answers to these questions.
    Although economics is widely thought to rest on standard (and value-free) theories of rational decisions, the course aims to examine the inescapable role ethics plays in entrepreneurship through an in-depth analysis and discussion of real contexts and challenges. Students will be guided to identify and reflect on ethical issues, as they arise in some paradigmatic cases in business ethics.
    Business ethics? main models will be taken into account to provide useful tools to help order and understand what is discussed. Thanks to a two-fold approach the decision process will be explored - namely from the first person and third person view -? that is from the standpoint of both key players, and from the perspective of those who are involved or affected by their successful actions (or failures).
     
    COURSE CONTENTS
    The course is designed to develop an increasing awareness of the ethical issues involved in entrepreneurial and, generally, in business activity. The initial classes will present entrepreneurship and business practices not only as value-led but also as actions which rely on a very wide and complex pattern of perspectives, motives, virtues and ideals.
    Concrete planning and decision-making will then be brought into focus in order to better recognize motives, situations and dilemmas both as ethically sensitive themes and interesting incentives for business planning.
    Concrete cases will be introduced to improve problem-solving skills while facing ethical challenges posed by real business scenarios, and to personally weigh the effects of ethically sensitive (or insensitive) behaviors.
    The lectures and discussions will pay specific attention to the ethical issues arising from the entrepreneur/manager?s behaviour (accountability, decision processes, primary and secondary virtues in the inter-subjective sphere, means/ends evaluation, etc.), and the deep and complex connections between entrepreneurship and its environment, such as family, social, political, and religious communities, city, state, markets and transnational institutions.

Course Disclaimer

Courses and course hours of instruction are subject to change.

Eligibility for courses may be subject to a placement exam and/or pre-requisites.

Some courses may require additional fees.

ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) credits are converted to semester credits/quarter units differently among U.S. universities. Students should confirm the conversion scale used at their home university when determining credit transfer.

Availability of courses is based on enrollment numbers. All students should seek pre-approval for alternate courses in the event of last minute class cancellations

Please note that some courses with locals have recommended prerequisite courses. It is the student's responsibility to consult any recommended prerequisites prior to enrolling in their course.

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