12/5/97
Tuesday - 6 January
Case:
Merck & Co., Inc. (A) [Business Enterprise Trust: 9-991-021]
Read:
A Note on Ethics and Business [UVA-E-071]
PREPARE:
Prepare a cost-benefit analysis for the decision to invest in the new drug for river blindness, i.e., the decision at th end of the (A) case.
What are Merck's social responsibilities? What are the limits to those responsibilities?
What are its responsibilities to other stakeholders? To its internal policies?
What would you have done if you were Merck? Why? How does common morality play a role in your decision?
Thursday - 8 January
Case:
"H.B. Fuller in Honduras: Street Children and Substance Abuse," by N. Bowie & S. A. Lenway (Ethical Issues in Business, Fifth Edition by Donaldson & Werhane), pp. 78-90 [PHWerhane MISC]
Read:
Note on Five Traditional Theories of Moral Reasoning [UVA-E-0092]
PREPARE:
Who are the most important stakeholders in the Fuller case?
Could Fuller's dilemma have been avoided?
What are the social responsibilities of multinational corporations? Do these responsibilities differ when one is operating in a foreign country?
What is the most important issue in this case?
What should Fuller do?
Friday - 9 January
Case:
Davis Press and Meccan Madness [UVA-E-073]
Note on the Ethics of Caring [UVA-E-0068]
Read:
"Business Ethics: The Perspective of Islam," by Feliz Pomeranz (The American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences, Vol. 12, No. 3 (Fall 1995), pp. 400-404 [PHWerhane MISC];
The Problem of Relativism: When in Rome. . . ," Corporate Strategy and the Search for Ethics by Freeman & Gilbert (eds.), pp. 21-41 [REFreeman MISC]
PREPARE:
What advice would you give to Ms. Davis?
Would this advice be different if Ms. Davis was publishing the book in a Muslim country?
Does appealing to the ethic of care make a difference in dealing with this issue?
Does appealing to ethical relativism make a difference?
Tuesday - 13 January
Case:
Run, Inc. [AICPA 93-11 - PHWerhane MISC]
Read:
"The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase its Profits," by Milton Friedman, Corporate Responsibility, pp. 87-91 [REFreeman MISC]
PREPARE:
There are three professional organizations to which an accountant can belong: the AICPA, the Institute of Management Accountants, and the Financial Executives Institute. Each has different expectations as spelled out in their Codes. Which one or ones has the overriding influence on Martin's decisions at Run?
When he finishes his coffee, what should Field do?
Run, Inc. is a caring organization. Does that change Field's decision?
How would Friedman decide this case?
Thursday - 15 January
Case:
This Case Sucks: Beavis, Butthead, and TV Content (A) [9-395-053]
Read:
"A Stakeholder Theory of the Modern Corporation," by R. E. Freeman (Ethical Theory and Business, 5th Edition by Beauchamp & Bowie), pp. 66-76 [REFreeman MISC]
PREPARE:
What are the most important issues in this case?
How should MTV respond to the Moraine fire?
What are the ethical issues that are implicit in the way that we think about marketing?
Friday - 16 January
Case:
Conoco's Green Oil Strategy [9-392-133]
Block 16: Environmental Groups' Perspectives [9-394-004]
Indigenous People's Perspective [9-394-003]
Ecuadorean Government's Perspective [9-394-002]
Read:
A Note on Environmental Sustainability [UVA-E-0094]
PREPARE:
How would the environmentalists (in the case), the indigenous people, and the Ecuadorian government differ in their perspectives on this case?
From a cost-benefit perspective, what should Conoco do?
Taking into account all the important stakeholders what should Conoco do?
Does your definition of "Sustainability" make a difference in your decision?
Tuesday - 20 January
Case:
Socially Responsible Mutual Funds [WEB Case Assignment]
PREPARE:
To be announced.
Wednesday - 21 January
Lecture & Discussion of Readings:
Read:
Note on Five Traditional Theories of Moral Reasoning [UVA-E-0092]
A Note on the Ethics of Caring [UVA-E-0068]
"The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase its Profits," by Milton Friedman, Corporate Responsibility, pp. 87-91 [REFreeman MISC]
"A Stakeholder Theory of the Modern Corporation," by R. E. Freeman (Ethical Theory and Business, 5th Edition by Beauchamp & Bowie), pp. 66-76 [REFreeman MISC]
PREPARE:
Be prepared to ask questions concerning the readings and to discuss issues you find important to be raised from the readings.
Thursday - 22 January
Case:
- Irwin Financial Corporation [UVa-E-Draft]
Speaker:
Will Miller - CEO, Irwin Financial Corporation
PREPARE:
To be announced.
Thursday - 29 January
Case:
- Levi-Strauss & Co.: Global Sourcing (A) [9-395-127]
Read:
"Moral Minimums for Multinationals," by T. Donaldson (Ethical Issues in Business, Fifth Edition, by Donaldson & Werhane), pp. 95-110 [PHWerhane MISC]
PREPARE:
1. Put yourself in the shoes of the China Policy Group. What decision would you make?
2. How does Levi Strauss's principled reasoning approach affect this decision? What else affects this decision?
3. Why is the China market important to this company?
MID-COURSE PARTICIPATION EVALUATION
Friday - 30 January
Case:
"Foreign Assignment," by Thomas Dunfee & Diana Robertson (Ethical Issues in Business, Fifth Edition by Donaldson & Werhane), pp. 377-378 [PHWerhane MISC]
Susan Woods {9-391-059]
Read:
"Ways Women Lead," by Judy B. Rosener [HBR #90608]
"Sexual Static and the Ideal of Professional Objectivity: Conflicts in Management Relations," by P. H. Werhane (It Comes with the Territory by Gini & Sullivan), pp. 170-178 [PHWerhane MISC]
PREPARE:
What "facts of life" get in the way of Sara Strong?
Is "Foreign Assignment" merely a case about cultural relativism?
What is Susan Woods' problem? Any "static"?
Would Rosener's notion of interactive leadership help in these cases?
What should be done in each case?
Monday - 2 February
Case:
"Is This the Right Time to Come Out?" by Alistair D. Williamson [PHWerhane - MISC / HBR #934311]
Tom Reese [9-391-145]
Read:
"Gay in Corporate America," by Thomas A. Stewart, Fortune, December 16, 1991, pp. 42-56 [REFreeman MISC]
PREPARE:
What should Tom Reese do?
What should Adam Larson do?
What moral rules are involved in your decisions?
How are their situations the same? different?
Do Tom's and Adam's rights conflict with other company problems?
Wednesday - 4 February
Case:
Inland Steel Industry (A) [Business Enterprise Trust: 9-992-006]
Read:
"The Moral Muteness of Managers," by Frederick B. Bird & James A. Waters, California Management Review, Vol. 32, (Fall 1989), pp. 73-88.
"White Privilege and Male Privilege: A Personal Account of Coming to See Correspondences Through Work in Women's Studies," by Peggy McIntosh, 1988, Wellesley College: Center for Research on Women, Working Paper No. 189 [REFreeman MISC]
PREPARE:
What advice would you give?
How do "muteness" and "privilege" help/hinder your analysis of the case?
Tuesday - 10 February Double Class
Case:
Miniscribe [UVA-C-2139]
PREPARE:
What is the responsibility of the Board of Directors at Miniscribe?
What is the responsibility of the CEO and CFO?
What is the responsibility of the General Manager of Singapore and his peers?
Thursday - 12 February
Case:
- "Good Will," by Jane Smiley, Ordinary Love & Good Will (Fawcett Columbine - ISBN: 0-449-90794-5 - paperback) [to be purchased by students at Courts & Commerce Bookstore in Slaughter Hall, Law School]
PREPARE:
What are the key images in the story? What work does each of the images do?
What are the central themes in Good Will? How do the characters and their relationships illustrate these themes?
What are the ethical issues in the story? How do these issues relate to others we have discussed in this course?
What is the difference between reading fiction and reading cases? Is there a difference about what can be learned from each?
Tuesday - 17 February
Case:
The Johnsonville Sausage Co. [9-387-103]
Jack Stack (A) [Business Enterprise Trust: 9-993-009]
PREPARE:
What is unique about Johnsonville Sausage?
Should Ralph take on more private label business? Why or why not?
What should Jack Stack do?
In what ways is Johnsonville Sausage like Stack's Company? How are they different?
STUDENT CASELETS ARE DUE EIGHTEEN FEBRUARY
Wednesday - 18 February
Case:
The Body Shop International PLC: 1990 [REFreeman MISC]
Read:
"This Woman Has Changed Business Forever," by Bo Burlingham, INC. Magazine, June 1990 [REFreeman MISC]
"Whales, Human Rights, Rain Forests -- and the Heady Smell of Profits," by Laura Zinn, Business Week, July 15, 1991, pp. 114-115 [REFreeman MISC]
"Rebel With a Cause," by Melissa J. Kuperminc, The Darden Report, (Charlottesville, VA: University of Virginia), Fall 1992, pp. 14-17 [REFreeman MISC]
"Shattered Image," by Jon Entine, Business Ethics, September/October 1994, pp. 23-28 [PHWerhane MISC]
"Dear fellow Business Ethics subscriber, -- The Body Shop Responds," by T. Gordon Roddick, Chairman, The Body Shop International PLC (22 September 1994), pp. 1-10 [PHWerhane MISC]
PREPARE:
What kind of manager is Anita Roddick?
Is Anita Roddick capitalizing on "ethics"?
If you were in the corporate headquarters of Body Shop, what recommendations would you make?
If Entine is correct in his accusations, what effect does that have on the Body Shop?
Tuesday - 24 February
Case:
In-class presentations of student-written caselets
Wednesday - 25 February
Case:
The Tobacco Industry [UVA-E-Draft]
PREPARE:
1. What are the ethical issues that face tobacco companies?
2. Pick a company and do:
(a) A Stakeholder Analysis
(b) An assessment of the rights and duties of key stakeholders.
(c) The principles that are at issue in managing the company.
3. What do you see as the major challenges facing companies in the industry?
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*Copyright ©1997, R. Edward Freeman and Patricia H. Werhane. All rights reserved.
