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Embedding Ethics in the Business Curriculum: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach

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David S Waller at University of Technology Sydney
David S Waller
Lynne M. Freeman
Lynne M. Freeman
Lynne M. Freeman
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Gerhard Hambusch at University of Technology Sydney
Gerhard Hambusch
Katrina Waite
Katrina Waite
Katrina Waite
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Abstract

In response to recent corporate ethical and financial disasters there has been increased pressure on business schools to improve their teaching of corporate ethics. Accreditation bodies, such as the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), now require member institutions to develop the ethical awareness of business students, either through a dedicated subject or an integrated coverage of ethics across the curriculum. This paper describes an institutional approach to the incorporation of a comprehensive multidisciplinary ethics framework into the business curriculum. We discuss important implications for the assessment of ethics within institutional assurance practices, and address critical issues related to the support of academics when required to incorporate new ethics material within their subject which may be outside their field of expertise. As an example, the successful application of the framework within the marketing discipline is presented and discussed.
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Journal of Business Ethics Education 11: 239-260.
© 2014 NeilsonJournals Publishing. Author Promo Version
Embedding Ethics in the Business
Curriculum: A Multi-Disciplinary
Approach
David S. Waller, Lynne M. Freeman, Gerhard Hambusch,
and Katrina Waite
University of Technology, Sydney, Australia
John Neil
St James Ethics Centre, Sydney, Australia
Edward Wray-Bliss
Deakin University, Melbourne Burwood Campus, Australia
Abstract. In response to recent corporate ethical and financial disasters there has been increased
pressure on business schools to improve their teaching of corporate ethics. Accreditation bodies,
such as the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), now require member
institutions to develop the ethical awareness of business students, either through a dedicated subject
or an integrated coverage of ethics across the curriculum. This paper describes an institutional
approach to the incorporation of a comprehensive multi-disciplinary ethics framework into the
business curriculum. We discuss important implications for the assessment of ethics within
institutional assurance practices, and address critical issues related to the support of academics when
required to incorporate new ethics material within their subject which may be outside their field of
expertise. As an example, the successful application of the framework within the marketing
discipline is presented and discussed.
Keywords: business ethics, curriculum development, marketing education, assessment, changing
academic practice.
1. Introduction
The business world has been hit by a number of major scandals and controversies,
which have included firms such as Enron and Coca Cola in the early 2000s,
Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch in the 2008 global financial crisis (GFC), and
more recently the tax minimization strategies of companies such as Apple,
Amazon and Google (Dowling 2013). These events not only triggered legislative
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240 Embedding Ethics in the Business Curriculum: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach
changes around the world, but also accelerated discussion about the place of
ethics in the business education curriculum (Brinkmann, et al. 2012). Given the
increased awareness of ethical issues in business, it is important to ensure that
graduates are fully equipped not only with an understanding of the pivotal role
that ethical management plays in the development of organizational and market
sustainability, but also with the skills needed for ethical decision making. The
challenge for business educators is to develop an approach that goes beyond the
discussions of case studies and provides students with a fully integrated
framework, grounded in theory, upon which to build their thinking, enhance their
judgment, and improve their decision making. Then ethics would be understood
as an integral part of all business decision-making and not just an optional add-
on, as has often been the case.
Past research has examined ethics education from a macro institutional level
(Nicholson and DeMoss 2009, Rundle-Thiele and Wymer 2010, Shannon and
Berl 1997). However, this paper will contribute to the ethics education discourse
by focusing on the response of one institution attempting to deliver a fully
integrated approach to ethics education. The aim of this paper is to describe an
institutional response to the embedding of ethics throughout the curriculum, and
to analyze and reflect upon the outcomes in a way that provides useful learning
and guidance for other institutions faced with similar challenges. Specifically, the
objectives are to: (1) describe the development of a multi-disciplinary business
ethics framework and its successful implementation, (2) discuss the challenges
and outcomes in changing academic professional practices within the various sub-
disciplines comprising a business degree, and (3) provide results of a specific
application of the approach by outlining the outcomes of the new ethics
curriculum and assessment practices within the marketing discipline as an
example.
2. Background
2.1. The Need for Ethics in Business Education
Business education prepares future business leaders to manage organizations or
work along the value chains of businesses. Business decision making not only
affects businesses and individuals within them, but also stakeholders,
marketplaces, environment and society as a whole, and in some cases business
operations cross borders, jurisdictions, and cultures (Cant and Kulik 2009, Ferrell,
et al. 2012). Further, business objectives extend business performance from pure
financial performance to areas such as corporate social responsibility, corporate
governance and corporate sustainability (Christensen, et al. 2007). As a
consequence, to prevent potential future misconduct that could lead to a corporate
... This change must first start at the individual level and be based on selfawareness of value sets (Nonet, Kassel, and Meijs 2016). A values-based teaching curriculum (e.g. the values sets of PRME and TEFI) can enhance students understanding of ethical dilemmas (Waller, et al. 2014 ) and instil in learners the right attitudes for responsible decision making (Gretzel, Isacsson, Matarrita, and Wainio 2011). Including complimentary courses of business ethics and corporate social responsibility can contribute to this change as practiced in some business schools (Nonet, Kassel, andMeijs 2016, Deer andZarestky 2017). ...
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