Business Ethics

Module code: MN3109

From cutthroat Wall Street traders to corruption, sweatshops to environmental damage, false claims to pyramid schemes; there are endless stories about shady business practices. However, at the same time, many companies and organisations manage to reconcile a strong ethical stance with the realities of a market economy.

This module gives you an insight into the ethics of, and behind, business.

You will study a variety of concepts and theories on ethics, and examine how a certain concept of ethics can be aligned or may be difficult to align with the idea of business in a market economy. In this respect, the module pays close attention to the so-called 'business case argument' for business ethics: how ethics can or cannot be reconciled with economic and business ideas (like competitive advantage; profitability; etc.). In the seminars, we will discuss case studies of how companies are involved in business ethics.