BUSI3157 Business Ethics and Sustainability

Semester 2, 2022-23

PROJECT BRIEF
For Group Coursework and Group Presentation

Note: This document is to be read together with the Course/Module Outline for this module.

In Semester 2 of this module, you will be assessed by the following (weighted 50% of your
total mark for this full-year module):

• One 2,500-word group coursework (35%)

• One 10-minute group presentation (15%)

This document details the requirements of the above group coursework and group
presentation. Please read it carefully. The contact points for Semester 2 of this module are:

Module Convenors:

- Ms Chan Wen Li (wenli.chan@nottingham.edu.my) – Project Mentor in Semester 2

- Dr Patricia Ang (patricia.ang@nottingham.edu.my)

Teaching Assistant:

- Ms Fadhilah Fatnin binti Asri Afendi (sayfa2@nottingham.edu.my)

Contact point for matters related to group formation, submission of Group Information Sheets
(see next page), workshop signing-up and workshop-related logistics, and other matters that
may be informed from time to time during the course of the semester. After the assessed
presentation, each group should email their presentation files to Ms Fadhilah.

Please refer to Moodle for the teaching team’s consultation hours/availability.

Lectures

There will be 4 lecture sessions (weeks 22, 24, 26, 28) which provide the background for your
group project as well as an exposition to the theory and practice around sustainability.

Workshops

There will be 4 mentored workshops (weeks 24, 26, 28, 30) to facilitate and guide your work
for the group project and group presentation.

Important Dates

Group Presentation:

• The assessed group presentation will take place during your group’s timetabled
Workshop slot on week 32 (week commencing April 10, 2023).

Group Coursework Submission Deadline:

• April 20, 2023 (Thursday), 3:00pm MYT.

The PDF file of your group coursework is to be submitted on Turnitin by each Group
Leader. (Only the Group Leader needs to submit your group’s file.)
BUSI3157 Semester 2 Project Brief (2022-23) Page 2 of 12

Your project group

Group Formation – Key dates and important information

• By February 9, 2023 (Thursday), you should:

1. Have formed a group / become part of a group

§ Form your own project groups of 7-8 persons (the teaching team will
have the right to add member(s) to your group if appropriate).

§ If Feb 9th is approaching and you are still unable to find a

group:
i. First, go to the ‘GROUP MATCHMAKING’ CHANNEL on the BES
Team to connect with others to get yourself into a group
ii. It is preferable to have students form/join groups on their own,
rather than to allocate students to groups.
As a last resort, if you are unable to get into a group even
through the Group Matchmaking channel, please inform Ms.
Fadhilah as soon as possible (sayfa2@nottingham.edu.my) –
so we can assign you to a group of appropriate size, in time.

§ Please note that students who are not part of a group (and who do not
inform the teaching team of this by February 9, 2023) will receive
zero marks for the group coursework and group presentation.

§ You need to be part of a group by this date because Workshops will

begin the following week (week of Feb 13th) and you will have to start
working together with your group.

2. Sign up on Moodle for a Workshop slot

§ All group members must attend the same workshop session.
§ If you encounter any issues with signing-up, please approach Ms
Fadhilah.

3. Submit your Group Information Sheet (this softcopy is available on

Moodle) to Ms Fadhilah via email.

Working in Groups

Attendance at Mentored Workshops

All group members must sign up for and attend the same Workshop session. Attendance at
Workshops is compulsory, and attendance will be taken.

Working in your groups

1. Groups will be expected to work diligently and respectfully at all times. You will
collaborate in the working on the report during the mentored workshop sessions and,
as appropriate, between sessions. You cannot change groups at any stage.
BUSI3157 Semester 2 Project Brief (2022-23) Page 3 of 12

2. You are encouraged to consider using the resources found in the ‘Running Your
Group’ folder in Moodle to organise/manage your group and the process of group
decision-making. While the use of these resources is not mandatory and are not
part of the module assessment, they can help your group plan and carry out
your work more effectively, and are useful in helping the group consider how
to deal with conflict. The documents in this folder are:

(a) ‘1 – Elements of Effective Teamwork’ – This is a good (and quick) read, with
useful reminders even for those who have worked in numerous teams before!

(b) ‘2 – Team Contract Template’ – This document identifies the ways in which the
group will work together. It provides a project vision; how members will
participate; how members will communicate as a group; how members will hold
meetings, frequency of meetings and how they will be minuted; how the group
will deal with conflict; and how the group will ensure they meet deadlines. You
are encouraged to have honest conversations with your peers on how you like to
work, how your fellow team members work, and how a compromise can be
reached if necessary.

(c) ‘3 – Team Meeting Notes’ – This is an example template for meeting

notes/minutes, which allows the group to monitor actions and responsibilities.

3. Please be aware that each member of the group will receive the same mark
for the group project unless representations are received in writing from all
group members requesting an unequal mark allocation. In such a situation,
evidence will be required – meeting notes/minutes (see above) will help.

4. In the event problems arise while working in your group, students should attempt to
resolve problems amongst group members before approaching the Module Convenors/
Teaching Assistant.

5. In the event an unequal mark allocation is requested, this must be justified by and
supported by appropriate evidence.

6. Please note that no case for an unequal allocation of marks from any group member
can be considered once a project has been marked. In other words, students must
report (providing the required evidence) any problems arising in their group when they
could still be reasonably dealt with by the teaching team.

Notwithstanding any of the above, unforeseen situations may arise with project groups that
the Module Convenors will deal with as circumstances require and in a manner which the
Module Convenors deem appropriate.
BUSI3157 Semester 2 Project Brief (2022-23) Page 4 of 12

Your project brief

Overview

The ethics consultancy firm you work for has recently received an important briefing
document from Halo Corp, a bio-engineering corporation from the United Kingdom.

Halo Corp is seeking advice from you regarding the release of a consumer product they are
currently innovating based on near-future technology – called the Halo Chip. With a market
release date of approximately 2-3 years from now, the product’s Unique Selling Proposition
(USP) is to enable users to voluntarily enhance their tendencies towards sustainability (e.g.
by reducing levels of unnecessary consumption, avoiding meat, increasing recycling
behaviour, turning off lights and other waste-reducing behaviours). There are two versions of
the chip – Type G intended for purchase by the general public, and Type E intended for
purchase by organisations for their employees.

Whilst the purpose of the product is potentially beneficial from an environmental viewpoint,
elements of the product’s usage (an ‘intelligent chip’ planted under the skin that manipulates
behavioural tendencies) are likely to be regarded as ethically controversial by some key
public stakeholder groups. For example, whilst Halo Chip is aimed at enhancing sustainability
behaviours the product’s core technology, genome reprogramming, could potentially have a
variety of behavioural applications such as the lowering or suppressing of emotions (e.g.
guilt, remorse, sadness, fear, insecurity).

There is, therefore, substantial uncertainty around the commercialisation of this unique
game-changing product, and, while they have separately conducted some preliminary market
research on the viability of this product among potential customers, Halo Corp are aware that
they may also face challenges from reactions of non-market stakeholders.

Halo Corp is looking at in making this product available in Malaysia in due course, and is
keenly interested in knowing how non-market stakeholder groups in Malaysia might respond
to this new product. They also wish to know how their product aligns with the SDG priorities
in Malaysia. They have selected your ethics consultancy firm to provide advice to them on
these matters.

The project brief in the following pages contains information you need to complete this task.
This brief takes the form of a letter from Halo Corp addressed to your firm.

Please see the next section for the full project brief.
BUSI3157 Semester 2 Project Brief (2022-23) Page 5 of 12

Project Brief from Halo Corp

Your ethics consultancy firm receives the following letter from Halo Corp, a bio-engineering
corporation from the United Kingdom:

Dear ethics consultants,

The last 20 years have seen a number of unprecedented global trends that present a
potentially significant level of risk to public security. At the centre of concerns over population
explosion, resource shortages and poverty are the profoundly damaging effects of climatic
instability. Amidst growing concern, several governments have funded a variety of private
sector projects whose principal aims are to develop radical solutions to manage the threat of
climate change. In addition to the more well-known research into renewable energy
technologies (solar, wind etc.) a vast amount of money has been channelled into bio-
technologies (genetic modification). The first wave of such funding culminated in the genetic
modification of food crops (e.g. wheat), enabling new strains of plants that could tolerate and
even prosper in the event of harsh climatic conditions, lowering the risk of crop failure and
global food shortages.

A second, less known stream of funding was poured into research into human bio-engineering
solutions. Our company, Halo Corp, was a key recipient of this funding, and has successfully
developed a portfolio of bio-technologies that, with no side effects, modify the behaviour of
humans in environmentally friendly ways (which will be outlined further below). The principal
USP of our technology is to address climate change by reducing negative human impacts on
the environment. Currently, we anticipate that our flagship product – the Halo Chip – is
around 2–3 years from commercialisation, subject to the mandatory screening procedures
and regulatory approval. We are keen on making the Halo Chip available in Malaysia in due
course.

In anticipation of this, we are soliciting your expertise in evaluating risks and threats we may
face if we were to sell this product in Malaysia . We are specifically concerned about the
reaction of key stakeholder groups (detailed below) who are thought to be crucial in
galvanizing public opinion, either for or against, the Halo Chip.

About the Halo Chip

The Halo Chip is an unobtrusive intelligent microchip implant that moderates human
behaviours via genome reprogramming. The core USP of the Halo Chip is to enhance
behavioural tendencies in the user that, over time, lower their negative impact on the natural
BUSI3157 Semester 2 Project Brief (2022-23) Page 6 of 12

environment. Two versions of the Halo Chip will be made available: one for purchase by the
general public (‘Type G’), and one for organizations to purchase for employees (‘Type E’).

Halo Chip (Type G)

The Halo Chip Type G is intended for purchase by the general public. Examples of behavioural
enhancements enabled through the Type G chip include:

enhancing the propensity to exercise daily, developing good eating habits which, aside
thus reducing use of private transport personal health benefits, may de-pressurise
food systems

enhancing toleration of low light and low
heat levels which may reduce demands on
energy consumption
stabilising the fluctuations in our desire
states – which often result in wasteful forms
of consumption such as ‘binge eating’,
‘impulse buying’ and ‘status competition’
(i.e. ‘keeping up with the Joneses’)

Halo Chip (Type E)

Business organisations are key to achieving sustainable development goals, as they have
resources to make an impact (and make an impact quicker) by integrating sustainable
decisions in their operations, business practices, investments, and other areas. Against this
background, we developed the Halo Chip (Type E) to offer specific behavioural enhancements
that help the user to optimise their work patterns, make sound decisions that are more
ethical in nature and that are in line with sustainable business practices, as well as promote
work-life balance.

The Halo Chip (Type E) is intended for purchase by organisations for their employees’ use
(with the consent of the employees). Organizations can select and customize which
behaviours to include in the Halo Chip Type E programming. Examples of behavioural
enhancements enabled through the Type E chip include:
BUSI3157 Semester 2 Project Brief (2022-23) Page 7 of 12

(continued on next page)

having a more sustainable mindset when increasing attention span to improve

making decisions at work (conserving
energy, implementing inclusive workplace
policies, selecting ethical suppliers, etc.)
productivity. In addition to efficiency
benefits for the business, this could reduce
the need to take work home or to work
after-hours, promoting better work-life
balance

increased sensitivity to ethical dilemmas, increasing awareness of the need to uphold

and increased propensity to implementing and protect consumer rights
choices that are more ethical in nature

In general, it is often cited that the human desire for happiness fuels excessive levels of
material consumption. Both Halo Chips (Types G and E) can be programmed (within
acceptable boundaries) to produce and even prolong human satisfaction at lower levels of
material consumption, disrupting the connection between more consumption and greater
happiness. Further, Halo Chip (Type E) can be programmed by the employer to have its
employees make decisions guided by appropriate ethical theories of the employer’s choice
(e.g. utilitarian analysis / ethics of duties maxims / etc). In addition to this, again within
predefined limits, the Halo Chip can be programmed by the user to encourage particular
behavioural traits such as heightened and/or prolonged empathy with others (e.g. humans,
animals and ecosystems), so that we are more able to act in ways that don’t cause them
harm.

It is important to note that the Chip only enhances and stabilises tendencies that are already
‘engineered-in’ by Mother Nature. In this sense it is not re-wiring the users’ DNA code but
channelling it in ways that promote pro-sustainability outcomes. Moreover, the Halo Chip,
much like a mobile phone, is voluntarily purchased and can be switched on and off at the
discretion of the user. For employees in organizations where Type E is used, the Chip is only
activated during office hours, and automatically becomes inactive at the end of the work day.
There is no element of coercion to use the product and it is highly customisable such that
each user retains full autonomy. This includes employees, who will need to provide consent.
BUSI3157 Semester 2 Project Brief (2022-23) Page 8 of 12

One additional aspect of the Chip – which we are yet to decide on – is whether we should
enable it to collect user-driven content over its lifetime. We would not envisage the product to
be employed as a passive monitoring device but a user driven platform for individuals to
interpret their own data. For example, users could download the information in the chip to a
PC/Mac and observe trends in their behaviours over time. They could, for example, compare
behaviours at times when the chip is active and inactive. However, due to inevitable concerns
over consumer privacy we are, as yet, uncertain about this as a product feature.

The risk environment: Assessing non-market stakeholder reactions

While the ultimate objective of the Halo Chip is to minimise the global risk of climate change
to the maintenance of human systems, we recognise that the nature of the product and its
core technology, genome reprogramming, is likely to be considered by some groups as
controversial and thus a public risk.

For instance, there may be concern if it could be manipulated and/or used to achieve
behavioural advantages in other applications (e.g. warfare, sports, education). There is a
historical precedent for heightened public concern when it comes to bio-technologies.
Genetically modified (GM) food crops, despite enhancing global food security, were initially
met by huge resistance from key stakeholders in the global public domain who successfully
leveraged the media to mobilize negative public reactions (e.g. ‘Frankenstein Food’). Indeed,
if the public and media thought of GM crops as ‘FrankenFood’, might they see the Halo Chip
as creating actual ‘Frankenstein Monsters’!

Because of some of these concerns, we anticipate mixed reactions to the Halo Chip from a set
of key non-market stakeholders like:

• Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) (local, or international ones who have

Malaysia on their radar) that advocate for human rights, or the welfare of
children/women/minority groups, or environmental justice, or access to health;
• ;
• Religious associations/authorities/organisations/NGOs.
• Employee associations/representative groups, trade unions or NGOs advocating for
employees’ rights – in particular we are concerned about their potential reactions to
the Type E Halo Chip.

These stakeholders each represent a specific set of public interests. We expect that that they
may also be powerful influencers of public opinion and have strong connections with other
public interest groups and regularly attempt to influence media and government. It is
absolutely crucial to the successful commercialisation of the Halo Chip (and thus the
alleviation of climate instability) that we begin to develop an understanding of how these key
non-market stakeholders are likely to respond to the introduction of the Halo Chip (both Type
G and Type E) to the Malaysian market.

Alignment to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

We are also cognizant of the importance of aligning the functions of our product to the SDGs
in the context of Malaysia’s national development, and as such would like to seek your views
on the extent to which our product aligns with relevant SDGs in line with priorities in the
Malaysian context.
BUSI3157 Semester 2 Project Brief (2022-23) Page 9 of 12

Your brief

(I) Please prepare a presentation advising us of the extent to which our product, the Halo
Chip (both Types G and E) aligns with any two relevant UN SDGs, in line with priorities
in the Malaysian context.

(II) Please prepare a report advising us as follows:

• Select two stakeholder organisations of your choice, one representing each of the
following categories of non-market stakeholders*:

Category 1:
Any employee association/representative group, trade union, or NGO advocating for
employees’ rights; in Malaysia.
• e.g. The National Union of Bank Employees (NUBE) (www.nube.org.my), etc.

AND

Category 2:

Either:
(a) any NGO (whether local, or international with an interest in Malaysia) that
advocates for human rights, or the welfare of children/women/minority groups,
or environmental justice, or access to health.
• e.g. Human Rights Watch (http://www.hrw.org), Save the Children
(https://www.savethechildren.net), etc.

Or:
(b) any religious association/authority/organisation/NGO in Malaysia.
• e.g. The Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM)
(http://www.islam.gov.my), etc.

*Except for United Nations agencies/organisations.

• Assess each of your two selected stakeholder organisations to predict their potential
reactions to the Halo Chip, explaining the nature and intensity of these potential
reactions, as follows:

o For your chosen Category 1 stakeholder, please assess the stakeholder’s potential
reactions to Halo Chip Type E.

For your chosen Category 2 stakeholder, please assess the stakeholder’s potential
reactions to Halo Chip Type G and/or Type E.

o To do this, you would gather and provide evidence (from secondary sources*) to
support the potential reactions of each of the two stakeholders based on their
reactions to similar/analogous situations in the past.

*e.g. press releases/the organisations’ websites/online news sites or blogs that may have
reported on their past reactions, etc.).
BUSI3157 Semester 2 Project Brief (2022-23) Page 10 of 12

o You should also discuss the relevant ethical theories that inform your prediction
of each stakeholder’s potential reactions based on their past reactions.

(For example, you may perhaps observe a stakeholder organisation’s past

reactions to have been consistently based on a deontological standpoint, and are
therefore likely to react to the introduction of the Halo Chip through a
deontological lens.)

• Assess the salience of each of the two selected stakeholder organisations in terms of
the attributes of power, legitimacy and urgency (with reference to Mitchell et al., 1997).

• Based on your analysis, indicate your recommendations for a stakeholder

engagement strategy to be adopted by Halo Corp.

We look forward to hearing your thoughts!

Yours faithfully,

GWatson
Gene M. Watson
(CEO, Halo Corp)

Group presentation requirements

• When? – This will take place during your group’s timetabled Workshop slot on
week 32 (week commencing April 10, 2023).
• Prepare a presentation (you may use any presentation software/tool, e.g. Microsoft
PowerPoint, Prezi, Keynote, Canva, etc.)
o Duration: 10 minutes (7-minute presentation, 3 minutes for Q&A)
o How many presenters? – At least 50% of the group should present.
o Your group will present to an audience consisting of the module convenors
(who will assess your presentation) and students from the other groups in your
workshop slot (who may also pose questions).
o After your presentation, please email a copy of your presentation file (you may
export to PDF) to Ms Fadhilah. You are not required to provide any hardcopies.

Your group presentation will be assessed as follows:

No. Item Mark

weightage
1 Content 70%
- Advising Halo Corp of the extent to which their product (Halo Chip,
Types G and E) aligns with any two chosen UNSDGs, in line with
priorities in the Malaysian context.
2 Effectiveness of communication 20%
- The presentation should be well-organised, clearly structured and easy
to follow. The delivery of the presentation should be clear, and at an
appropriate pace.
3 Engagement with questions 10%
BUSI3157 Semester 2 Project Brief (2022-23) Page 11 of 12

Report requirements
• Word limit: 2,500 words (plus/minus 5%). Please state your word count on your
Group Coursework Coversheet (a softcopy of this template is on Moodle).
o The word count includes: In-text referencing, quotations/citations, headings,
subheadings, contents of tables, table captions, figure/diagram captions,
footnotes/endnotes (if any).
o The word count excludes: Executive Summary, Table of Contents, appendices
(if any), figure/diagram content, list of references at the end of the report.
The penalty for exceeding the word limit is a five mark deduction.
• Your group coursework should be submitted in PDF format via Turnitin (Moodle), by
April 20, 2023 (Thursday), 3:00pm Malaysian time. The Turnitin submission
should be done by your Group Leader (only).

Your report should contain the following:

No. Item Mark Suggested

weightage word count
1 Executive Summary 10% 300 – 500
This should communicate an overview of the key findings of words (this is
not included in
your report to readers who may or may not have time to read
the word count,
the whole report in detail. It should make sense on its own, but serves as a
independently of the full report. guide)

2 Analysis of potential reactions of the two stakeholders 30% 900 – 1000

that your group has selected words
• In respect of each stakeholder: Prediction of potential
reaction(s) to the relevant Types of Halo Chip; discussion
of evidence supporting the potential reactions; discussion
of ethical theories that inform your prediction of the
potential reactions.
3 Stakeholder salience analysis of the two stakeholders 25% 700 – 800
• Discussion of stakeholder salience in terms of power, words
legitimacy and urgency (Mitchell et al., 1997) for each You are
stakeholder. This discussion should draw from the analysis encouraged to
in item 2 above and research on the background use tables and
surrounding each stakeholder organisation. diagrams here
4 Stakeholder engagement strategy 25% 700 – 800
• Based on the analyses in items 2 and 3 above, make words
appropriate recommendations to Halo Corp on a
stakeholder engagement strategy to manage the two
selected stakeholders, with reference to a relevant
framework.
5 Report structure and communication 10%
- Your report should have a well-organised structure, clear
writing, and a clear flow of ideas/arguments.
- Please include a Table of Contents.
- Appropriate headings and sub-headings should be used.
- The main body of the report should contain brief introduction
and conclusion paragraphs.
- Appropriate references should be provided to support your
points (Harvard referencing style).
Total 100%
BUSI3157 Semester 2 Project Brief (2022-23) Page 12 of 12

Some references to use for the project

Academic Sources:

• Mitchell, R. K., Agle, B. R., & Wood, D. J. (1997). Toward a theory of stakeholder
identification and salience: Defining the principle of who and what really matters.
Academy of Management Review, 22(4): 853-886. (You would be familiar with this
from Semester 1!)

• Readings from relevant lectures of this module, e.g. Ethical theories, ‘Ethics and
Employees’, etc.

• Lecture 1 in Semester 2 provide an explanation of the requirements of this project in

diagrammatic form, as well as the big-picture of how the project relates to the
application of certain Semester 1 topics.

• While researching on possible stakeholder organisations to select for your project, you
can find information about potential organisations through online research on the
internet.

Some advice (further guidance will be provided during workshop interactions with your
group):

o While specific search keywords like ‘human rights NGOs in Malaysia’ could be
helpful, depending on your context you may also wish to explore searches at a
more general level, e.g. ‘NGOs in Malaysia’ to get an idea of the local NGO
landscape.

o In assessing the likely response of the stakeholders, you will be looking to find out
how the stakeholders you chose have responded to past events/product
releases/news/discussions, on issues that would be similar or analogous to those
that may be raised in the context of the Halo Chip.

o Therefore, in addition to the information contained within the official websites of

these stakeholders, you would also be interested in past news articles/reports
(from online news sites and other resources) that may have quoted the responses
of your selected stakeholders to such issues in the past.

Please refer to the BES Moodle page to access various guides and resources for this
semester, including an Interactive FAQ board on Padlet.com set up for everyone’s
reference.