Unit study package number: 303899

Mode of study: Internal

Tuition pattern summary: Lecture: 1 x 1 Hours Weekly
Tutorial: 1 x 2 Hours Weekly
This unit does not have a fieldwork component.
Credit Value: 25.0
Pre-requisite units: Nil
Co-requisite units: Nil
Anti-requisite units: Nil
Result type: Grade/Mark
Approved incidental fees: Information about approved incidental fees can be obtained from our website. Visit
fees.curtin.edu.au/incidental_fees.cfm for details.
Unit coordinator: Name: Theodora Issa
Phone: +618 9266 1284
Email: Theodora.Issa@curtin.edu.au
Building: 408
Room: 3036
Teaching Staff:
Administrative contact: Name: Canki Yuan
Phone: +618 9266 1667
Email: Canki.Yuan@curtin.edu.au
Building: 408
Room: 3003
Learning Management System: Blackboard (lms.curtin.edu.au)

Unit Outline
303899 Business Ethics 300
Semester 1, 2014
Curtin Business School
School of Management

303899 Business Ethics 300

Miri Sarawak Campus
25 Feb 2014
School of Management, Curtin Business School
Page: 1 of 7
CRICOS Provider Code
WA 00301J, NSW 02637B
Acknowledgement of Country
We respectfully acknowledge the Indigenous Elders, custodians, their descendants and kin of this land past and present.
Syllabus
In this unit students will examine ethical issues that arise within business management and will be asking questions and discussing
ethical and moral dilemmas that arise in business contexts. Students will learn and apply critical thinking skills related to the practice
of business within the framework of societal values. These skills include the ability to perceive the ethical implications of a situation,
engage in sound moral reasoning and develop practical problem solving strategies.
Introduction
Welcome to Business Ethics 300. In this unitYOU will explore different viewpoints on what it means to do the right thingin business.
The unit is not so much about remembering lots of facts but more about understanding theories that will lead you to critically
examining familiar eventsand controversies in ways that challenge you to think about business and your own decision-making in new
and creativeways.
Unit Learning Outcomes
Curtin's Graduate Attributes
Learning Activities
Formal learning activities are a one hour face-to-face lecture and a two hourface-to-face workshopin which you will be engaging in
discussion, case studies,critical and reflective thinking, problem solving and decision-making about ethical problems (real and
fictional) in business.
On successful completion of this unit students can: Graduate Attributes addressed
1 Investigate the different ethical frameworks used in business

2 Connect theoretical insights on business ethics to practice situations

3 Write clear, concise and coherent arguments relating to ethical theory and practice in business

4 Present critical accounts of theory and practice in business ethics

Apply discipline knowledge
Thinking skills
(use analytical skills to solve problems)
Information skills
(confidence to investigate new ideas)
Communication skills Technology skills
Learning how to learn
(apply principles learnt to new situations)
(confidence to tackle unfamiliar problems)
International perspective
(value the perspectives of others)
Cultural understanding
(value the perspectives of others)
Professional Skills
(work independently and as a team)
(plan own work)
Find out more about Curtin's Graduate attributes at the Office of Teaching & Learning website: ctl.curtin.edu.au

Curtin Business School

School of Management

303899 Business Ethics 300

Miri Sarawak Campus
25 Feb 2014
School of Management, Curtin Business School
Page: 2 of 7
CRICOS Provider Code
WA 00301J, NSW 02637B
Learning Resources
Recommended texts
You do not have to purchase the following textbooks but you may like to refer to them.
l Grace, D. and Cohen, S. (2014) Business Ethics 5th Ed. Melbourne: Oxford.
Other resources
Sandel, M.J. (2012) What Money Can't Buy: The Moral Limits of Markets, New York: Farrar, Strauss and Giroux.
Sandel, M.J. (2009) Justice: Whats the right thing to do?, New York: Farrar, Strauss and Giroux.
Sen, A. (2009). The Idea of Justice. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.
Assessment
Assessment schedule
Detailed information on assessment tasks
1. Assignment 1 Case Study (2000 words +/- 10% - reference list, appendices and cover letter outside the word count)
Worth: 20%
Due: 5:00pm (WST), Friday, 28 March,2014electronically to Turnitinembedded into theBlackboard.
The aim of this case study is to give you an opportunity to demonstrate your ability to apply theoretical content ofthe unit to a
practical setting. You will be assessed on how well you can identify the ethical dimensions of a givencase.
The case study and the grading rubricareavailable on the Blackboard web site.
2. Assignment 2 Case Study (2500 words +/- 10% - reference list, appendices and cover letter outside the word count)
Worth: 30%
Due: 5:00pm (WST), Friday, 23 May,2014electronically to Turnitin embedded into theBlackboard.
The aim of this case study is to give you an opportunity to demonstrate your ability to apply theoretical content ofthe unit to a
practical setting. You will be assessed on how well you can identify the ethical dimensions of a givencase, develop and explain
your position on the problem presented and present a reasoned decision.
The case study and thegradingrubricare available on the Blackboard web site.
3. Assignment 3 Semester Examination
Worth: 50%
Due: Exam Week
Task Value % Date Due
Unit Learning
Outcome(s)
Assessed
1
Case Study 1 20 percent Week: 4
Day: Friday 28th March
2014
Time: 5:00pm
1,2,4
2
Case Study 2 30 percent Week: 12
Day: Friday 23rd May
2014
Time: 5:00pm
1,2,4
3
Final Examination 50 percent Week: Exam Period
Day: TBA through Curtin
Exam Schedule when
available
Time: TBA through
Curtin Exam Schedule
when available
2,3

Curtin Business School

School of Management

303899 Business Ethics 300

Miri Sarawak Campus
25 Feb 2014
School of Management, Curtin Business School
Page: 3 of 7
CRICOS Provider Code
WA 00301J, NSW 02637B
The exam will consist of onequestionwith assessment tasks that will test your ability to apply what you havelearned in the
unit. You will be expected to attempt all the questions.
Marking Criteria:
You will be assessed on your ability to develop and support reasoned arguments. You will be expected to clearlydemonstrate
that you have engaged with the course materials and practical activities provided to you throughoutthe unit.
NB.: Please note that it is YOUR responsibility to find out the venue and time of your BE300 final exam.
Fair assessment through moderation
Moderation describes a quality assurance process to ensure that assessments are appropriate to the learning outcomes, and that
student work is evaluated consistently by assessors. Minimum standards for the moderation of assessment are described in the
Assessment Manual, available from policies.curtin.edu.au/policies/teachingandlearning.cfm
Late assessment policy
This ensures that the requirements for submission of assignments and other work to be assessed are fair, transparent, equitable, and
that penalties are consistently applied.
1. All assessments which students are required to submit will have a due date and time specified on the Unit Outline.
2. Accepting late submission of assignments or other work will be determined by the unit coordinator or Head of School and will
be specified on the Unit Outline.
3. If late submission of assignments or other work is not accepted, students will receive a penalty of 100% after the due date and
time ie a zero mark for the late assessment.
4. If late submission of assignments or other work is accepted, students will be penalised by ten percent per calendar day for a
late assessment submission (eg a mark equivalent to 10% of the total allocated for the assessment will be deducted from the
marked value for every day that the assessment is late). This means that an assignment worth 20 will have two marks deducted
per calendar day late. Hence if it was handed in three calendar days late and marked as 12/20, the student would receive 6/20.
An assessment more than seven calendar days overdue will not be marked. Work submitted after this time (due date plus
seven days) may result in a Fail - Incomplete (F-IN) grade being awarded for the unit.
Assessment extension
A student wishing to delay the completion or submission of an assessment task after the original published date/time (eg
examinations, tests) or due date/time (eg assignments) must apply for an assessment extension using the Assessment Extension form
(available from the Forms page at http://students.curtin.edu.au/administration/) as prescribed by the Academic Registrar. It is the
responsibility of the student to demonstrate and provide evidence for exceptional circumstances beyond the student's control that
prevented them from completing/submitting the assessment task.
The student will be expected to lodge the form and supporting documentation with the unit coordinator before the assessment
date/time or due date/time. An application may be accepted up to five working days after the date or due date of the assessment
task where the student is able to provide an acceptable explanation as to why he or she was not able to submit the application prior
to the assessment date. An application for an assessment extension will not be accepted after the date of the Board of Examiners'
meeting.
Additional assessment information
Pass requirements
Students must obtain an overall mark of 50/100 (50%) and attempt all assessments to pass this unit.
Referencing style
The referencing style for this unit is Chicago.
More information can be found on this style from the Library web site: library.curtin.edu.au.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism occurs when work or property of another person is presented as one's own, without appropriate acknowledgement or
referencing. Plagiarism is a serious offence. For more information refer to academicintegrity.curtin.edu.au.
Plagiarism monitoring
Work submitted may be subjected to a plagiarism detection process, which may include the use of systems such as 'Turnitin'. For

Curtin Business School

School of Management

303899 Business Ethics 300

Miri Sarawak Campus
25 Feb 2014
School of Management, Curtin Business School
Page: 4 of 7
CRICOS Provider Code
WA 00301J, NSW 02637B
further information, see academicintegrity.curtin.edu.au/students/turnitin.cfm.
Additional information
Enrolment
It is your responsibility to ensure that your enrolment is correct - you can check your enrolment through the eStudent option on
OASIS, where you can also print an Enrolment Advice.
Supplementary and Deferred Exams
Deferred examinations will be held at a date to be advised (see next section). Supplementary examinations, where applicable and
when granted by the Board of Examiners, will be held at a date to be advised (see next section). Notification to students will be made
after the Board of Examiners meeting via the Official Communications Channel (OCC) in OASIS.
It is the responsibility of students to be available to attend a supplementary or deferred examination on the date advised and to
check their OASIS account on a weekly basis for official Curtin correspondence. If your results show that you have been granted a
supplementary or deferred examination you should immediately check your OASIS email for details.
Student Rights and Responsibilities
It is the responsibility of every student to be aware of all relevant legislation, policies and procedures relating to their rights and
responsibilities as a student. These include:
l the Student Charter
l the University's Guiding Ethical Principles
l the University's policy and statements on plagiarism and academic integrity
l copyright principles and responsibilities
l the University's policies on appropriate use of software and computer facilities
Information on all these things is available through the University's "Student Rights and Responsibilities website at:
students.curtin.edu.au/rights.
Student Equity
There are a number of factors that might disadvantage some students from participating in their studies or assessments to the best
of their ability, under standard conditions. These factors may include a disability or medical condition (e.g. mental illness, chronic
illness, physical or sensory disability, learning disability), significant family responsibilities, pregnancy, religious practices, living in a
remote location or another reason. If you believe you may be unfairly disadvantaged on these or other grounds please speak to the
Student Equity Advisor Team member in your Faculty. Contact details are at: http://eesj.curtin.edu.au/contact.html
You can also contact Counselling and Disability services: http://www.disability.curtin.edu.au or the Multi-faith services:
http://unilife.curtin.edu.au/diversity_and_faith/faith_services.htm for further information.
It is important to note that the staff of the university may not be able to meet your needs if they are not informed of your individual
circumstances so please get in touch with the appropriate service if you require assistance. For general wellbeing concerns or advice
please contact Curtin's Student Wellbeing Advisory Service at: http://unilife.curtin.edu.au/student_wellbeing_service.htm
Recent unit changes
We welcome feedback as one way to keep improving this unit. Students are encouraged to provide unit feedback through eVALUate,
Curtin's online student feedback system (see evaluate.curtin.edu.au/info/). Recent changes to this unit include:

l In line with the University policy, the tuition pattern has been changed from a 3-hour seminar weekly into a one hour face-to-
face lecture, and two hours face-to-face workshop on weekly basis.
l The unit's final exam is now an open book exam.
l The 5th edition of Grace and Cohen book introduced.

Curtin Business School

School of Management

303899 Business Ethics 300

Miri Sarawak Campus
25 Feb 2014
School of Management, Curtin Business School
Page: 5 of 7
CRICOS Provider Code
WA 00301J, NSW 02637B

See evaluate.curtin.edu.au to find out when you can eVALUate this unit.

Curtin Business School

School of Management

303899 Business Ethics 300

Miri Sarawak Campus
25 Feb 2014
School of Management, Curtin Business School
Page: 6 of 7
CRICOS Provider Code
WA 00301J, NSW 02637B
Program calendar
Program Calendar - Other Study Periods
Week Face-to-Face
Lecture
Pre-readings Face-to-Face
Workshop
Assessment Due
1. Introduction to
Business Ethics
Available on
Blackboard
Introductions
2. What is Business for? Available on
Blackboard
Seeing the ethical
dimension

3. How do we reconcile
competing values and
priorities
Available on
Blackboard
Teleopathy and dirty
hands

4. Ethics and Markets Available on
Blackboard
Stakeholders and
Loyalty
Assignment 1 due at
5:00 p.m. (WST) on 28
March 2014
5. Is ethics relative? Available on
Blackboard
Tainted consent
6. When should
managers speak out?
Available on
Blackboard
Moral relativism
7. How to decide the
right thing to do?
Available on
Blackboard
Becoming a seeing-
talking practitioner

8. Heuristics and bias Available on
Blackboard
Codes of ethics
9. Tacit knowing Available on
Blackboard
Heuristics
10. Why should
managers review
their decisions?
Available on
Blackboard
Tacit knowing Assignment 2 due at
5:00 p.m. (WST) on 23
May 2014.
11. Being reflective
praxis
Available on
Blackboard
Become a reflective
practitioner

12. Putting it all together Available on
Blackboard
S-T-A-R
13. Preparation and
Exam Period

14. Preparation and
Exam Period

Curtin Business School

School of Management

303899 Business Ethics 300

Miri Sarawak Campus
25 Feb 2014
School of Management, Curtin Business School
Page: 7 of 7
CRICOS Provider Code
WA 00301J, NSW 02637B