This module will provide students with a critical introduction to the institution of the corporation in its wider context. Key areas of study will include corporate governance, the history of the corporation, corporate social responsibility, and business ethics. These issues will be explored through the use of a range of theoretical perspectives and case studies and scenarios. Broadly the syllabus covers: the history and position of the corporation in society; corporate governance and strategy; the ethics of corporate behaviour; corporate codes, boards and regulation; corporate social responsibility; philanthropy. Knowledge of cases relevant to the study of the corporation and of corporate social responsibility.

(LO1) Students will be able to appraise contemporary changes in the business world such as business ethics

(LO2) Students will be able to apply key ethical frameworks and ideas

(LO3) Students will be able to evaluate how frameworks and ideas can be used to develop ethical decision-making skills and reasoning

(LO4) Students will be able to examine the current ethical challenges facing managers and employees in organizations today

(S1) International awareness

(S2) Lifelong learning skills

(S3) Ethical awareness

(S4) Excellent communicator

(S5) Digitally confident

Teaching Method: Lecture
Scheduled Directed Student Hours: 22 hours (11 lectures of 2 hours)
Attendance Recorded: Yes

Teaching Method: Seminar
Description: Students will be expected to complete work provided by the module leader in advance of the seminar, which will then be discussed in class.
Scheduled Directed Student Hours: 9 (1 hour seminar per week, 9 weeks in total)
Attendance Recorded: Yes

Self-Directed Learning Hours: 119
Description: Students are expected to complete tasks ahead of seminars, and to read widely to prepare for lectures and seminars. A reading list will be provided in the module handbook.

This module is a pre-requisite for the following modules:
ULMS352

Skills/Other Attributes Mapping

Skills / attributes: Ethical awareness
How this is developed: Lectures in the course, as well as the chosen key readings, specifically engage with ethical normative theories and ethical descriptive theories (ethical decision making).
Mode of assessment (if applicable): Group Presentation and Examination

Skills / attributes: Lifelong learning skills
How this is developed: Developing ability to apply theory to commercial practice
Mode of assessment (if applicable)

Skills / attributes: International awareness
How this is developed: Lectures in the course, as well as the chosen key readings, outline both theoretical overviews and real life cases that span different countries and cultural backgrounds.
Mode of assessment (if applicable): Group Presentation and Examination

Skills/attributes: Excellent communicator
How this is developed: Students are required to voice their ideas and understanding of course material during the collective discussions in seminars and in preparation for group presentation
Mode of assessment (if applicable): Group presentation

Skills/attributes: Digitally confident
How this is developed: collective creation of a powerp oint presentation that is visually appealing, informative and easy to understand
Mode of assessment (if applicable): Group presentation

Introduction to the course;

Setting the scene: What is responsibility and who is responsible?;

Narrating the rise of the corporation: an historical perspective;

Self interest and the new economy;

Agency Theory;

Corporate Governance – The principal/agent problem;

Relevant case studies;

The effectiveness of codes and regulation;

Whistle blowing, virtue ethics and systems of accountability: the issues;

In what circumstances is it right to reveal perceived ‘wrong doing’ of an organization and what are the possible consequences?;

Should corporations put systems in place to allow for the reporting of failures, errors and dangers? Should we always make public the doing of wrong?;

Ethical theories: rights and duties; utilitarianism and utility;

Ethical dilemmas in business;

The environment and corporate involvement;

Stakeholder theory, stewardship theory and shareholder theory;

Co rporate Philanthropy.