Business Ethics: An Introduction to Ethics for Business Leaders (FutureLearn)

Business Ethics: An Introduction to Ethics for Business Leaders (FutureLearn)

Identify the role that business ethics plays within a working environment with Dublin City University. Get an introduction to the study of business ethics within a working environment. This informative course will take you through the main themes and concepts of ethics within a business context. You’ll study business ethics according to four main topics: What is ethics? What are the main ethical approaches? What is the perspective of the individual within an organisation? And what is the role of the leader and the relationship between business and society?

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Discover the main ethical theories that can be applied to business
You’ll get an in-depth insight into what ethics is, and will explore the main ethical theories that can be applied to businesses and organisations.
You’ll then take the perspective of the individual within a business, and will explore what ‘responsibility’ means within a business context. You’ll then cover the main misbehaviours that can happen within a business and ways in which to avoid them.

Reflect on the ethical decision making process within a business environment
You’ll then take a look at the role of managers and leaders within a business organisation, and will reflect on different theories on what the purpose of a business is. You’ll gain an insight into the decision-making process of a business, and will challenge the perception of what a leader’s role is.
Finally, you’ll reflect on the relationship between a business and wider society. You’ll explore the relevance of cultural diversity for business ethics, and will then identify why the UN Sustainable Development Goals are important for a business.

Learn from ethics experts at the Dublin City University Business School
You’ll be studying throughout with Dr. Marta Rocchi, an Assistant Professor in Corporate Governance and Business ethics at the DCU Business School.

Syllabus

Week 1: Philosophical Frameworks for Business Ethics
Week 2: Individual Ethics in Business
Week 3: Managerial Ethics in Business and Leadership Theory
Week 4: Sustainable Business and Cultural Diversity

What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Define ethics and describe the main ethical theories applicable to business
  • Define what “responsibility” means in the business context
  • Identify the main misbehaviours in the context of business
  • Reflect on the purpose of business according to different approaches
  • Describe the decision-making process
  • Reflect on leadership and moral character
  • Reflect on the relationship between business and society
  • Describe what is cultural diversity and its relevance for business ethics

Explain what the Sustainable Development Goals are and why they are important for business

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