Business Ethics in the 21st Century

Description

This course deals with business ethics, the consideration of questions of moral right versus wrong in the context of business practice. Individual business leaders are increasingly being held responsible and accountable for their ethical behavior. Organizations have learned that the costs of unethical actions can be high, both legally and from the perspective of brand image and reputation.

This course reviews how organizations can establish and encourage an ethical culture while monitoring for compliance.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course participants will be able to:

• Describe the major ethical frameworks used in developing business ethics
• Explain the three components of the Ethical Triangle: Individual Ethics, Leadership Ethics, and Governance and Control
• Discuss key ethical challenges in the workplace
• Describe the use of organizational ethics codes
• Outline the ethical issues involved in the employer-employee relationship including Employment at Will, due process and fairness
• Discuss the use of ethics training
• Explain how organizations monitor ethical performance
• Describe the relationship between Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and ethics
• Outline issues involving corporate governance
• Explain how sustainability is an ethical concern
• Discuss ethics and the regulatory environment (Sarbanes-Oxley Act; U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act)
• Explain the issues around whistleblowing
• Describe the role of leadership in establishing an ethical culture

Intended Audience

This course is targeted to individuals who meet or exceed the following professional demographics:  

• Entry-level public procurement and central warehouse professionals who serve as assistants, coordinators, buyers, or equivalent functions within their respective entities.   

• Non-procurement managers and supervisors who are responsible for either the procurement function or staff who provide procurement functions under delegated authority.   

• Professionals who are employed by governing entities and special authorities (such as K-12 and higher education, publicly-owned utilities, transportation providers, and other publicly-funded or created organizations) that either serve within or manage the procurement function.  

• Suppliers or representatives of suppliers seeking to understand the public procurement function from a holistic level, including the policies, standards, and procedures by which public entities must function.