KATHMANDU UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT

BBA Honors
Course Plan
__________________________________________________________________
Course : MGEM 411 Introduction to Business Ethics
Credit : 2 (32 contact hours)
Session : Spring 2018
Facilitator: Asst. Professor Prabina Rajbhandari ( prabina@kusom.edu.np) Room No. 506 Ph.no.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Introduction and Objective
The term ‘business ethics’ has both business and ethics, seemingly two very disparate words juxtaposed together
in non- interrelated relation in a course. However, as ethic means application of values therefore business ethics really
only means application of values in business context.
The course aims to familiarize the foundation of ethical ideas, using variety of perspective on difficult decision dilemmas
encountered. It does not aim to teach ethics. This course helps to understand the different bases used to make decisions:
profit maximization, ethical, legal or religious beliefs. The course aims to try to illustrate that decisions made based of
ethics can become the foundation for all the different method used while making decision in business.
The course also promotes reflection on the ethical domain of economic decision making and develops the
student’s capacity to analyze and argue the ethical issues. The principal philosophical ethical theories are discussed, and
their applicability to business examined. The relationship between business ethics, corporate culture, corporate social
responsibility, the corporation in society, and business and environmental sustainability and CSR in Nepal are considered,
as is the impact of stakeholder theory. A range of practical applications individuals are likely to encounter in the earlier
years of their career are examined, including problem of just wage, sexual harassment, caveat emptor (let the buyer
beware) gift giving, bribery, corruption, morality of advertisement, office romance, fair pricing, privacy in the workplace,
employers responsibilities and rights, and ethical issues in advertisement. Whose responsibility is business ethics is an
important theme to try and understand and is relevant topic of conversation in our times of change.
Major topics that are covered in the course need to be read and prepared by the students using extra books and reading
articles.
After successful completion of all the learning units and the requirements of the course, students should be able to:

 Understand the relationship between business and society as a part of an interactive system
 Understand the nature and importance of Business ethics
 Describe all the underlying philosophical theories and traditions in Business ethics
 Discuss how corporate culture impacts ethical decision making
 Analyze and use moral reasoning in solving ethical issues and dilemmas
 Explain how environmental challenges can create ethically done business opportunities
 Understand the ethical issues in Nepalese business context.
Basic Text
Perspectives in Business Ethics (2012) Laura P. Hartman
Tata McGraw –Hill Publishing Company Ltd.
Reference Book
Business Ethics: Decision Making for Personal Integrity & Social Responsibility. Laura P. Hartman and Joe DesJardins
(2nd Eds.)
Corporate Governance: Theory & Practice, by Anil Kumar, International Book House, India

Resources
The KUSOM Library subscribes (electronically) to a wide range of academic journals. Journals that may be helpful are
given below and please make use of these sites for the presentation and report writing.
Journal of Business Ethics
Business Ethics Quarterly
Academy of Management Review
Academy of Management Perspectives
Academy of Management Journal
Journal of Management Studies
Useful Website
https://aom.org/BusinessEthics/
http://www.csrwire.com/members/12044-united-nations-global-compact
http://www.ethics.org.au/on-ethics/blog
https://www.shareable.net/news/commons
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/introduction/
https://www.humanrights.gov.au/publications/corporate-social-responsibility-human-rights
Students experiencing academic or personal problems are welcome to discuss

Evaluation Criteria- Evaluation in the semester will be continuous on presentation on the assigned date as provided, on participation,
MTE and ETE, as given in the table below. All the marks assigned in the presentation and test will be cumulated and in the end the
results will calculated out of 100 marks.
5 marks are assigned for attendance.
Assessment Plan
a) Total Internal Assessment 70%
b) MTE 20%
c) Attendance 5%
d) Presentation 15%
e) Discussion/ Assignments/ Class Tests / 10%
f) Project 20%
g) ETE 30%
Total 100%
Methodology
The course is based on the format of each student’s active participation. The faculty will facilitate and ensure the students keep to the
right track. Each must do the pre- session reading and careful preparation, active participation in the learning sessions, process and
practice and complete assignments on time and make presentation.

Presentation grades are assigned to each student even if they are in a group. Presentation slides should be simple and effective. The
criteria for grading-
 Analysis of the issue -10
 Research as backing from other articles - 10
 Arguments, counter arguments and understanding of the topic and application of theories -10
 Dress-5
 Slides -5,
 Presentation -5
 Personal ethics/views-5
 Answers given by the presenting group - 10
 Based on the presentation group marks -10
 Critical discussion questions asked by other groups in audience will get 10 marks as group grades
 Total 70 marks.
Use of Critical reviews in presentation and report writing
During your studies, you may be asked to present critically reviewed chapters in class. This form of assessment requires you to
critically examine a piece of writing in the light of what you know about that field of topic. Your critical review is written for a reader
(your lecturer or tutor) who is knowledgeable in the discipline and is interested not just in the coverage and content of the chapter
being reviewed for presentation, but also in your critical assessment of the ideas and argument that are being presented by the author.
Key steps in beginning your review of the chapter
To begin the task, you need to read and critically analyze the chapter in a group. When reading the text, have some questions in
mind to guide your analysis and help you to focus on areas to critique. The following questions are some ideas on how to engage with
the text and help you form your critical analysis:
 Objectives: what does the chapter set out to do?
 Theory: is there an explicit theoretical framework that is the basis of the chapter or themes taken up in the chapter? If not, are
there important theoretical assumptions?
 Concepts: what are the central concepts? Are they clearly defined?
 Argument: what is the central argument? Are there specific hypotheses?
 Method: what methods are employed to test these?
 Evidence: is evidence provided? How adequate is it?
 Values: are value positions clear or are they implicit?
 Literature: how does the work fit into the wider literature?
 Contribution: how well does the work advance our knowledge of the subject?
 Style: how clear is the author's language/style/expression?
 Conclusion: a brief overall assessment.
When critically analyzing the text, consider how it relates to your course materials, to the other articles or books that you have been
reading and the lecture material. This can help you find supporting evidence or alternative theoretical models or interpretations of data
and on that basis present the chapter presentation in a group. The more critical the ideas presented the better result in group
grades.
Class Tests
The faculty will mark and tests students in different dimensions of their learning in MTE as 20 % and in ETE will be30% and
cumulative marks in the end will be of 100 %. Throughout the semester students will be tested continuously. For MCQ’s students
must be prepared to take the test at any given time once the chapter has been completed.
Project
Visit an organization in a group and from the themes in the course choose one to get really well acclimatized in the subject matter.
Use interviews based on the underlying theories used in the text and then on the understanding developed from the organization
submit a report of not more than, approximately 3000 words double space, Font size: 12, Font type: Times New Roman following the
norms of APA format as much as possible.
Report writing
Report writing is common in a number of disciplines, and even if you visit as a group you will submit an individual report. A
report is a specific form of writing, written concisely and clearly and typically organized around identifying and examining issues,
events, or findings from a research investigation. It needs to be structured around your key message.
A report might involve an analysis of existing data and literature (for example, in the area of finance), field research (for example,
geography), results of an investigation (for example, many mgmt. disciplines).
Whatever the type of report, they are expected to be well written, clearly structured and expressed in a way that suits the particular
audience. Results and analysis should be accurate, clear and objective. Report structures can vary between disciplines and audiences
but the structure needs to support the key message.
Reports differ from essays in a number of ways. Consider the following:

Reports Essays

Convey specific information about an Show how you understood a question or topic &
issue, event or project. were able to draw on research to support your
understanding.

Contains a key message, a concise Develop an argument to support a particular

description and analysis of research thesis.
and results.

Contain conclusions and Draw a conclusion but recommendations are

recommendations based on findings. rare.

Report Structure
Reports are structured to suit the needs of the particular project and audience however they must typically contain:
 Title page
 Executive summary/abstract- Write at the end and write the findings of the report.
 Table of contents
 Introduction- State the theories you have studied or researched clearly that you will be using for this organization. Then based
on it you give information regarding the organization, the subject of your search. If in your earlier research you know of the
gaps then state them and see if those gaps are there in this organization.
  Body- Critically review and relate, argue, counter argue the issues you found in the organization if possible based on the
theory and clearly explain them in relation to other research or articles you have read, positively /negatively. Not looking for
an essay.
 Conclusion- The final assessment of the research, the recommendations based on theory and each student’s personal view.
 References- follow APA format.
 Appendices- Maps, pictures, diagrams etc…

Norms for Course Participants

Please follow the code of conduct of KUSOM. You are also required to strictly follow the following norms for the entire duration of
the course teaching, failing which will result in appropriate disciplinary and academic consequences, including down grading, barring
to attend final examination, giving incomplete grade and repeating the course.

1. Full attendance and punctuality to be maintained at all times. 5% marks is allocated to attendance for 100% attendance.
Students who enter the class during or after the roll call starts, s/he will be considered absent but will be allowed to sit in the
class.
2. Bunking is not allowed and will result in parents being called and action taken against the student. Leave and absenteeism are
to be informed through the CR.
3. Assignments are to be submitted on time. Late submission is not acceptable and will either get a zero or if accepted will be
downgraded.
4. Pre- session reading and preparation is a must to come to class. Please be prepared for the planned learning activity in
class, as the class will be full of discussions and failing to do so will result in your inability to take benefit from the learning.
5. During the discussion, debate and interactive session everyone must participate and it will be an opportunity to learn, students
must always be prepared when they come to class.
6. Prior arrangement with the faculty will ensure the availability of the faculty for discussion and guidance.
7. Use Virtual class. Discussions will take place in Virtual class. Communication with faculty and among the colleagues must
be done through the facility like email or telephone as much as possible if and when required.
8. Plagiarism (copying of others’ materials, either full or partial, without proper citations following the standard rules and
representation of others’ work as own) will not be accepted. The penalty will be outright ‘0’. Cheating in examinations will
be graded outright 0. Please learn to be individuals with individual opinion in your classwork, examination and other works
in the school.
9. In case of group work, all members are required to take full participation in contributing to the work of the team- both the
process and the output. Social loafing (inactive participants in group) will not be allowed and each member of the group will
be marked separately for their presentation.
10. Mobiles must be switched off or in silent mode; if it rings it will be confiscated and returned after the semester is over.

Course Faculty: Ms. Prabina Rajbhandari ; Email: Prabina@kusom.edu.np

Session Plan

Session Topics to be dealt Readings/supporting materials

1-4 Philosophical Ethics and Business Chapter 3: Business Ethics by L. P. Hartman & J.
DesJardins

Utilitarianism: Making decisions based in ethical consequences

Deontology:: An ethics of Rights and Duties The HBR case uploaded in the VC

Kant’s categorical moral imperative
Virtue ethics: Making decisions based on Integrity and Character
A decision making model for Business ethics
5-6 Foundations of Business ethics Chapter 1: Business Ethics by L. P. Hartman & J.
 Concepts of Business ethics, myths of business ethics, scope and DesJardins
significance
 Moral reasoning in Business and the morality of Profit motive The case will be uploaded in VC
 Business ethics and the law
 Business ethics as Ethical decision making, ethics as practical
reason.
 Business ethics and Philosophy

7-8 The corporation in Society Chapter 2 : Business Ethics by L. P. Hartman & J.

DesJardins
 Concept of Business and society, forces shaping business and
society relationship Chapter 2 : Perspectives in Business Ethics by
 Relationship between Business and society L.P.Hartman ( photocopy if need be)
 A system perspective of Business
 Shareholder and stakeholder concept of Business ethics
 Managing Public issues
9-12 Ethical issues and dilemmas Research articles to be printed. There are 2
articles related to each topic
 Introduction
 The problem of Just wage
 Sexual harassment
CR- for print
 Caveat Emptor
 Gift giving
 Bribery
 Corruption
 The morality of advertising
 Office romance
 The problem of fair pricing
 Privacy in the workplace
 Employer responsibilities and Employee rights
 Ethical issues in Advertising

13-15 The corporate culture-Impact and Implications

 Culture and ethics Chapter 4 : Business Ethics by L. P. Hartman & J.

 Compliance and value-based culture DesJardins
 Ethical leadership and corporate culture
 Building a value-based corporate culture
 Effective Leadership and ethical, effective leadership
 16-17 6. Business and environmental sustainability Chapter 9 : Business Ethics by L. P. Hartman & J.
DesJardins
 Business ethics and environmental values
 Business’ environmental responsibility: The regulatory approach,
the market approach and the sustainability approach
 Principles for sustainable business
 The “ Business case” for a sustainable economy managing
environmental issues

18 Business ethics and CSR in Nepal NBI’s Paper and related articles

 Business ethics and ethical standards of Nepalese firms

 Ethical issues and dilemmas in business organization in Nepal
 Suggestions for improving existing ethical practices in Nepal
 CSR in Nepal –History and its importance
 Status of CSR in Nepal
 CSR Problems and Prospects in Nepal

Note: All the students must have their books and must come to class prepared, having read the chapter and prepare questions
for interaction/debate, topic for discussions.