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Cover of Business Ethics

Business Ethics

by Stephen M. Byars and Kurt Stanberry

Published by OpenStax

BusinessCollege

Business Ethics is designed to meet the scope and sequence requirements of the single-semester business ethics course. This title includes innovative features designed to enhance student learning, including case studies, application scenarios, and links to video interviews with executives, all of which help instill in students a sense of ethical awareness and responsibility.

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Attribution

Adapted from Business Ethics by Stephen M. Byars and Kurt Stanberry, published by OpenStax (Rice University) under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/). Access the original for free at https://openstax.org/details/books/business-ethics. Changes: converted to CuraCourse lessons, with interactive practice added.

Table of contents

71 pages in 13 modules. Sign up to read and adopt them.

  1. Preface1 page
    1. Preface
  2. 1Why Ethics Matter5 pages
    1. Introduction
    2. 1.1Being a Professional of Integrity
    3. 1.2Ethics and Profitability
    4. 1.3Multiple versus Single Ethical Standards
    5. Practice
  3. 2Ethics from Antiquity to the Present8 pages
    1. Introduction
    2. 2.1The Concept of Ethical Business in Ancient Athens
    3. 2.2Ethical Advice for Nobles and Civil Servants in Ancient China
    4. 2.3Comparing the Virtue Ethics of East and West
    5. 2.4Utilitarianism: The Greatest Good for the Greatest Number
    6. 2.5Deontology: Ethics as Duty
    7. 2.6A Theory of Justice
    8. Practice
  4. 3Defining and Prioritizing Stakeholders6 pages
    1. Introduction
    2. 3.1Adopting a Stakeholder Orientation
    3. 3.2Weighing Stakeholder Claims
    4. 3.3Ethical Decision-Making and Prioritizing Stakeholders
    5. 3.4Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
    6. Practice
  5. 4Three Special Stakeholders: Society, the Environment, and Government5 pages
    1. Introduction
    2. 4.1Corporate Law and Corporate Responsibility
    3. 4.2Sustainability: Business and the Environment
    4. 4.3Government and the Private Sector
    5. Practice
  6. 5The Impact of Culture and Time on Business Ethics6 pages
    1. Introduction
    2. 5.1The Relationship between Business Ethics and Culture
    3. 5.2Business Ethics over Time
    4. 5.3The Influence of Geography and Religion
    5. 5.4Are the Values Central to Business Ethics Universal?
    6. Practice
  7. 6What Employers Owe Employees6 pages
    1. Introduction
    2. 6.1The Workplace Environment and Working Conditions
    3. 6.2What Constitutes a Fair Wage?
    4. 6.3An Organized Workforce
    5. 6.4Privacy in the Workplace
    6. Practice
  8. 7What Employees Owe Employers7 pages
    1. Introduction
    2. 7.1Loyalty to the Company
    3. 7.2Loyalty to the Brand and to Customers
    4. 7.3Contributing to a Positive Work Atmosphere
    5. 7.4Financial Integrity
    6. 7.5Criticism of the Company and Whistleblowing
    7. Practice
  9. 8Recognizing and Respecting the Rights of All7 pages
    1. Introduction
    2. 8.1Diversity and Inclusion in the Workforce
    3. 8.2Accommodating Different Abilities and Faiths
    4. 8.3Sexual Identification and Orientation
    5. 8.4Income Inequalities
    6. 8.5Animal Rights and the Implications for Business
    7. Practice
  10. 9Professions under the Microscope6 pages
    1. Introduction
    2. 9.1Entrepreneurship and Start-Up Culture
    3. 9.2The Influence of Advertising
    4. 9.3The Insurance Industry
    5. 9.4Ethical Issues in the Provision of Health Care
    6. Practice
  11. 10Changing Work Environments and Future Trends6 pages
    1. Introduction
    2. 10.1More Telecommuting or Less?
    3. 10.2Workplace Campuses
    4. 10.3Alternatives to Traditional Patterns of Work
    5. 10.4Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, and the Workplace of the Future
    6. Practice
  12. 11Epilogue: Why Ethics Still Matter5 pages
    1. Introduction
    2. 11.1Business Ethics in an Evolving Environment
    3. 11.2Committing to an Ethical View
    4. 11.3Becoming an Ethical Professional
    5. 11.4Making a Difference in the Business World
  13. Appendices3 pages
    1. AThe Lives of Ethical Philosophers
    2. BProfiles in Business Ethics: Contemporary Thought Leaders
    3. CA Succinct Theory of Business Ethics