| CODE | MRT5301 | ||||||
| TITLE | Ethical Theories and the Practice of Business | ||||||
| UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | ||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 7 | ||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 10 | ||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Moral Theology | ||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit will seek to improve the understanding of basic moral concepts such as trust, fairness, rights, duties, good and bad, right and wrong, virtue and vice, agents and actions. The notion of justice will be given central importance with the investigation of competing conceptions of justice and their application to business policy and practice. The course will also investigate the way in which decision-making can take place in the light of key ethical theories such as Utilitarianism, Kantianism, Contractarianism, and Virtue ethics. Moreover, the notion of rationality underlying rational choice theory, and its repercussions for business decisions will be examined, together with the question as to whether cost-benefit analysis (mostly considered as utilitarianism) provides an ethically defensible way of making business decisions. The study-unit will also include 7-10 hours of lectures on research methodology. Study-Unit Aims: This study-unit aims to introduce the moral concepts and theories that are required to tackle problems related to ethical business practices and to develop the necessary skills for moral reasoning. These will include key ethical theories such as Utilitarianism, Kantianism, Contractarianism, and Virtue ethics. It will also include matters on Cost-Benefit Analysis and its effects. In order to prepare students for their assignments and research, 7-10 hours of research methodology will be included in this study-unit. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - comprehend the major ethical theories used in ethical argumentation; - understand basic moral concepts such as trust, fairness, rights, duties, good and bad, right and wrong, virtue and vice, agents and actions with special reference to the notion of justice and its application to business policy and practice; - understand how a human rights framework might be used in business; - understand virtue theory, the importance of virtues, and the understanding of business as a practice; - understand various conceptions of the concept of justice; - have a clear understanding of the notion of rationality underlying rational choice theory, and its ethical repercussions for business decisions; - apply appropriate research methodologies in their studies. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - develop the necessary skills for moral reasoning in the context of the moral concepts and theories that are required in business practice; - evaluate an ethical argument and the presuppositions it makes; - argue for a moral position using ethical concepts; - critically respond to the question as to whether cost-benefit analysis provides an ethically defensible way of making business decisions; - articulate the role of businesses in respecting human rights, and the role of government to protect and offer a remedy in the case of their violation; - articulate reasons for the need of virtues in the business environment, and debate which virtues are (more) important; - argue for a particular conception of the concept of justice in the case of business; - debate within a community of engaged learners, articulating and defending one's position; - engage critically with the different opinions of others; - employ a relevant research methodology. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - Adler MD, EA Posner. New foundations of cost-benefit analysis. Harvard 2006. - Beauchamp TL, NE Bowie, DG Arnold. Ethical theory and business. Prentice Hall 2001. - Boardman Anthony E. Cost-benefit analysis: concepts and practice. Prentice Hall 2006. - Chryssides George D, John H Kaler. An Introduction to Business Ethics, London: International Thomson Business 2002. - Crane A, D Matten. Business Ethics. Oxford University Press 2004. - DeGeorge Richard. Business Ethics. 2006. - Frederick RE. A Companion to Business Ethics. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing 2002. - Fuguitt Diana, Shanton J. Wilcox. Cost-benefit Analysis for Public Sector Decision Makers. Quorum Books 1999. - Grace D, S Cohen. Business Ethics: Problems and Cases. Oxford: OUP 2005. - Mishan EJ, E Quah. Cost-benefit analysis. Routledge 2007. - Nas TF. Cost-benefit analysis: theory and application. Sage Publications, 1996. - Puttaswamaiah K. Cost-benefit analysis: environmental and ecological perspectives. Transaction Publishers 2002. - Trevi艅o L, KA Nelson. Managing Business Ethics: Straight Talk about how to Do it Right. Hoboken 2004. - Velasquez MG. Business Ethics: Concepts and Cases. New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall 2006. - http://benefitcostanalysis.org/resources/benefit-cost-analysis-resources. - http://evans.uw.edu/centers-projects/bcac/benefit-cost-analysis-center. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture and Independent Study | ||||||
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| LECTURER/S | Glen Attard Carlo Calleja David Cortis Martin F. Micallef Carl Mario Sultana Raymond Zammit |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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