Aims

The main purpose of this course is to provide the students with analytical material for critical reflection on personal or social ethical problems that emerge from business activities. It also aims at looking at the role of business in society. Therefore, this course will never propose - or even impose - any sort of doctrine.

In that perspective, business ethics is not based on any kind of dogmatic approach. On the contrary, it promotes critical reflection on the sense of human action and on raison-d'être of economic institutions, within a context of radical philosophical, religious and political pluralism. More precisely, its objective is to develop critical capabilities on values that support action for those who are involved in business activities. It will therefore aim at developing ethical evaluation of practical situations in business life.

Main themes

This course aims to provide students with the materials for a critical reflection on problems of personal and social ethics posed by running a business in the present-day world, and the specific features of the role of enterprises in economic life. The course will not suggest, let alone impose, a doctrine.

Content and teaching methods

Firstly, this course provides critical reflection on the following themes :

- specificity of ethicsapplied to organisations ;
- theories of justice in political and moral philosophy ;
- raison-d'être and role of business in society.

Students will also examine a number of practical situations where the issues like corporate social responsibility - for the organisations as well as for their members - emerge, concerning natural environment, specific social groups (suppliers, consumers, out-sourced companies, etc.) or personnel.

Methodology

As the purpose of this course is to develop critical reflection, the students are asked to stress the quality of their intellectual analysis of business situations, in order to extract specific ethical issues and to express possible appropriate behaviours. They will be asked to develop coherent and solid arguments, on the basis of rigourous conceptualisation

The means for such a critical capability are the following :

1. Theoretical courses, in which students will intervene by groups ;
2. Collective work, on a practical issue in business ethics ;
3. Readings, to be done individually or collectively.

The pedagogical approach used in theoretical courses and collective works is based on interactive and participatory methods. The theoretical courses will be an opportunity to discuss with the students. In their works, the groups will build rigourous argumentation about a specific ethical issue. The final exam

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

There is no final examination

Other credits in programs