H9CGBE: Corporate Social

Responsibility and Business

Ethics

Module Details

Long Title: Corporate Social Responsibility and Business Ethics APPROVED

Title: Corporate Governance Business Ethics & CSR

Language of Instruction: English

Module Code: H9CGBE

Credits: 5

NFQ Level: LEVEL 9

Field of Study: Management and administration

Valid From: 2015 ( July 2015 )

Module Delivered In 8 programme(s)

Module Coordinator:

Module Author: COLETTE DARCY

Teaching and Learning The learning strategy involves the use of lectures, tutorials, case studies and class discussions as
Strategy: appropriate. Learners will be expected to read widely around the subject areas.

Learning Environment: of lectures, tutorials, case studies and class discussions

Module Description: The key aims of this module are to provide learners with the analytical tools necessary for determining the
ethical implications of business activities and an appreciation of potential responses to such decisions. In
addition learners will develop an in-depth understanding of the local and global frameworks that exists for
guiding corporate behaviour.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module the learner will be able to:

LO1 Demonstrate an enhanced appreciation for the relevance and practical application of ethics in the role of management

LO2 Critically evaluate the range of ethical issues that arise in management, and business organisations and the theories that are
used to model these issues and demonstrate an ability to propose solutions to those issues.

LO3 Critically evaluate the different ways in which people may respond to ethical issues at work and what may influence such
responses.

LO4 Demonstrate detailed knowledge of the development of Corporate Social Responsibility and the responsibilities of business
corporations beyond profit maximisation.

LO5 Critically evaluate the theory of corporate governance and apply this theory in analysing corporate structures, board
composition and how boards of directors conduct their affairs.

LO6 Appreciate how the ethical and business values of different countries and societies differ.

Pre-requisite learning

Module Recommendations
This is prior learning (or a practical skill) that is required before enrolment on this module. While the prior learning is expressed as named
NCI module(s) it also allows for learning (in another module or modules) which is equivalent to the learning specified in the named
module(s).

No recommendations listed

Requirements
This is prior learning (or a practical skill) that is mandatory before enrolment in this module is allowed. You may not enrol on this module if
you have not acquired the learning specified in this section.

No requirements listed
 H9CGBE: Corporate Social
Responsibility and Business
Ethics

Module Content & Assessment

Indicative Content

Defining Ethics in Business

¿ Business Ethics and its Issues ¿ Arguments for and Against Business Ethics ¿ Friedman’s theory and counter arguments ¿ Ethics and
the Law

Ethical Theories
¿ Utilitarianism ¿ Rights and Duties ¿ Justice and Fairness ¿ Virtue Ethics

Individual Responses to Ethical Issues

¿ Values, Perceptions of Values ¿ Influences on Ethical Decision Making ¿ Moral Reasoning and Moral Development ¿ The Individual in
the Organisation – Rational Model and Political Models ¿ Whistle-blowing

Corporate Social Responsibility

¿ The Business Case for CSR and Criticisms ¿ CSR in a historical context ¿ Stakeholder Theory of the Firm ¿ Social Accounting ¿ CSR in
an International Context ¿ Corporate Citizenship and Corporate Accountability

Corporate Governance
¿ Responsibilities of Directors – Duties and Powers ¿ Corporate Governance in the EU ¿ Responsibilities in Strategic Planning ¿ Codes of
Best Practice ¿ Sarbanes Oxley

Corporate Governance Theories

¿ Separation of Ownership & Control ¿ Agency Theory, Stakeholder Theory, Stewardship Theory etc. ¿ Potential Conflicts of Interest.

Role & Responsibilities of Company Boards & Committee

¿ Board Composition – Chairperson, company secretary, Exec and Non Exec Directors ¿ Role & Responsibilities of Directors ¿ Board
Committee – Audit, Risk, Remuneration, Nomination etc ¿ Risk Management & Role of Committees

Ethics in an International Context

¿ Globalisation and Ethics ¿ Cultural Diversity - Recognising International Differences ¿ The Multi-national Corporation ¿ UN Global
Compact ¿ OECD Guidelines

Assessment Breakdown %

Coursework 50.00%

End of Module Assessment 50.00%

Full Time

Coursework

Assessment Assessment Description Outcome % of Assessment

Type addressed total Date

Case Study For a given case study, learners will be required to identify the Ethical and 1,2,3,4,5,6 50.00 Sem 1 End
CSR issues, and the implications of local and international governance
frameworks to the case at hand. In light of ethical and CSR theories and
current literature, learners will be required to propose solutions to any
issues arising, within the framework of any applicable regulations. The
project will be graded according to clarity, structure, research into the
various theories and regulation, and the ability to bring together theories
and contemporary examples (that illustrate points made) from different
subject areas, if applicable.

End of Module Assessment

Assessment Assessment Description Outcome % of Assessment

Type addressed total Date

Terminal The end of semester examination paper which is two hours in duration 1,2,3,4,5 50.00 End-of-
Exam contains five to six questions, with learners required to answer three of the Semester
questions. All questions will necessitate essay-style responses on the subject
matter. Responses will require the learner to show an ability to develop an
argument while accounting for contrary arguments on the relevant topic.
Marks will be awarded based on clarity, structure relevant examples drawn
across different disciplines if applicable, depth of topic knowledge and
evidence of outside core text reading. An overall learning outcome of the
module is that learners will be in a position to take significant ethical
decisions.

No Workplace Assessment

Reassessment Requirement

Repeat failed items

The student must repeat any item failed

Reassessment Description
The module must be passed and an opportunity to submit a repeat assignment will be given to the students that fail the assignment. This
is likely to within one month of receiving the fail mark and on foot of detailed feedback. The repeat will be treated as a second attempt.
Should the learner only marginally fail the continuous assessment element they may be allowed to progress to the final examination
which tests all the learning outcomes and an average of the two marks are taken. Where a student fails the final examination and their
overall average is less than 40%, they will be required to sit a repeat examination.
NCIRL reserves the right to alter the nature and timings of assessment
 H9CGBE: Corporate Social
Responsibility and Business
Ethics

Module Workload

Full Time hours per semester

WorkLoad Type WorkLoad Description Hours

Lecture Delivered in block format 30

Independent Learning No Description 95

Total Hours 125.00

Part Time hours per semester

WorkLoad Type WorkLoad Description Hours

Lecture Delivered in block format 30

Independent Learning No Description 95

Total Hours 125.00

Module Resources

Recommended Book Resources

Fisher, C. & Lovell, A. 2009, Business Ethics and Values – Individual, Corporate and International Perspectives, 3rd Ed., Prentice
Hall London, UK

Supplementary Book Resources

Crane, A. and Matten, D. 2010, Business Ethics: Managing Corporate Citizenship and Sustainability in the Age of Globalization,
3rd Ed., Oxford University Press
Velasquez, M.G. 2011, Business Ethics, Concepts and Cases, 7th Ed., Pearson Education New Jersey, NJ
Blowfield, M. and Murray, A. 2011, Corporate Responsibility – A Critical Introduction, 2nd Ed., Oxford University Press
Ghillyer, A. 2009, Business Ethics – A Real World Approach, 2nd Ed., McGraw Hill New York
Duffy, D and McCarthy, J. 2004, The Management of Management - A Practical Guide to Corporate Governance, Prospectus Ltd
Dublin
Keane, R. & O’Neill A. 2009, Corporate Governance and Regulation, Roundhall Dublin
Institute of Directors 2009, The handbook of International Corporate Governance
Monks R. and Minow N. 2011, Corporate Governance, 5th Ed., Wiley
Solomon J. 2015, Corporate Governance and Accountability, 4th Ed., Wiley
Baker K. H., Anderson R. 2010, Corporate Governance: A Synthesis of Theory, Research, and Practice, Wiley
Kenneth K..A. and Nofsinger J.R. 2009, Corporate Governance, 3rd Ed., Pearson International Edition

This module does not have any article/paper resources

This module does not have any other resources

Module Delivered In

Programme Code Programme Title

MBA Master of Business Administration (Approved)

MSCIB MSc in International Business (Approved)

MSCMGMTD Msc in Management (Approved)

MSCMRKD MSc in Marketing (Approved)

MSCNPM MSc in Non Profit Management (Approved)

MSCENT MSc. in Entrepreneurship (Approved)

MSCENT MSc. in Entrepreneurship (Draft)

PGDMGT Postgraduate Diploma in Science in Management (Approved)