Course Title: Managing Personal and Corporate Responsibility

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Managing Personal and Corporate Responsibility

Credit Points: 12

Course Code	Campus	Career	School	Learning Mode	Teaching Period(s)
BUSM2170	City Campus	Postgraduate	660H Grad School of Business	Face-to-Face	Sem 2 2006, Sem 2 2008

Course Coordinator: Michael Segon

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 5950

Course Coordinator Email:michael segon

Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

There are no prerequisite courses. However, you are expected to have knowledge of management theory and practical experience of organizations. This course should also be seen as a key partner to BUSM 1229 Corporate Governance, Principles and Processes, and BUSM Organisational Citizenship and Sustainability

Course Description

The plight of companies such as Enron, WorldCom, HIH and One-Tel have drawn greater attention to the need for more enlighted decision making. Managers make decision everyday, usually rational judgements based on economic and profitability considerations. However, every decision has degrees of risk that may not only damage individual and organisational reputation but also cause harm and adversely affect societal norms. The aim of this course is to explore: ethical decision making in organizations, the nature of professionalism, the role of organizations as members of society and the ethical and social duties of responsibilities of managers and organizations.

Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

This course seeks to develop a greater understanding of the individual and organisational influences that cause inappropriate behaviour in organizations and society. It addresses the strategies, which can be used to develop cultures that encourage ethical behaviour. The course will review the mechanisms by which organizations can evaluate and report their ethical and social performance to stakeholders and reflect on the relationship between ethics and integrity, corporate reputation and the corporation’s performance.

At the end of this unit you should be able to:

1. Understand the nature of professionalism and the responsibilities and duties that it implies.

2. Understand the causes of inappropriate behaviour and recognize the implications from the perspectives of the individual, the organization and key stakeholder groups.

3. Have an understanding of the approaches that encourage ethical behaviour within organizations.

4. Recognize the nature of organizations, their role in society, and their social responsibility

Overview of Learning Activities

Fundamental to the development of greater ethical awareness is the concept of discourse. You will participate in discussions using variety of different methodologies including role-plays and real workplace and organizational case studies. Reflective observation will be used to encourage you to develop moral reasoning skills. You will be expected to bring topical and work related issues to the class discussion for analysis

Overview of Learning Resources

The full course information documents details prescribed and recommended texts. You will have access to an extensive DLS site which features course overviews, learning objectives for each topic, downloadable PowerPoint slides and links to recommended readings.

Overview of Assessment

You are required to submit individual and group reports and make formal presentations in class. An individual reflective essay allows students to delve into an aspect of ethics and managerial professionalism. The group paper is based on an analysis of an organization’s approach to developing ethical culture and how it demonstrates a commitment to socially responsible practice.