Syllabus

Introduces basic ethical theories and value systems and applies these perspectives to moral issues, problems, and situations which arise within the business environment. The course will encompass codes of ethics, conflict of interest, social responsibility, the work ethic, white-collar crime, and fiduciary responsibilities. Emphasis will be placed on how the law is currently being interpreted as to business ethical issues.

Course outcomes will be pursued through a combination of lecture, class discussion, student presentation of selected topics, research and written assignments. Students will participate in activities designed to enhance their abilities in communication, critical thinking, research, and problem solving.

After completing BUS 2300, students should be able to:

1. Describe the differences between the law and ethics in the business environment.

2. Define the ethical and legal of employment-at-will in the context of whistleblowing and the duty of loyalty.

3. Define and explain diversity in the workplace in terms of discrimination, accommodation, and affirmative action.

4. Identify the issues concerning health and safety in the workplace.

5. Formulate risk allocation as to products liability.

6. Describe ownership and creativity of intellectual property within the basis of laws concerning copyright, trademark, and trade secrets

COURSE COMPETENCIES:

The following are detailed course competencies intended to support the course outcomes.

1. Identify methods of logically thinking to arrive at legal and moral decisions.

4. Contrast employment-at-will with the rights and duties possessed by both the employee-employer, and protection for "whistleblowers".

5. Compare and contrast the conflicts of interest and loyalties within a business setting.

topics as email privacy, drug testing, privacy of medical information, and HIV/AIDS testing.

9. Locate and identify cases and statutes in a law library and present oral or written briefs of cases and laws.

10. Explain the current legal context for affirmative action and compare it to reverse discrimination.

11. Define the corporation's role in eliminating sexual harassment in the workplace andcontrast it with the government’s (E.E.O.C) role.

12. Analyze current law and ethics concerning sexual harassment in the workplace.

14. Identify the movement for gender pay equality, and family-center (day care) policies and the Family Leave Act.

15. Summarize the government's role in implementing a safe workplace through Worker Compensation and O.S.H. A. laws.

16. Discuss the Workers Compensation laws within the United States and business' duty to provide a safe workplace.

18. Analyze the debate over Tort Reform in context of the product liability cases such as the Ford Pinto case.

19. Research and identify “Fair Use” laws of copyright in the context of the Internet and publishing.

20. Explain “Intellectual Property” along with corporate responsibility under misappropriation, trade secrets, and patent laws.

ISBN# 13: 978-1-305-97249-0. (There is an Ebook through the Nashville State's Bookstore. There is also a “Bundle” option from the publisher, Cengage ISBN# 978-133-7744-508. See below different options.

CONGRATULATIONS, Your textbook has already been purchased. All you need to do is log into the content.

2. Open the course “Content” tab then click on [THE FIRST FOLDER THAT CONTAINS A CENGAGE LINK].

3. You will see a “Cengage…” link. Click on any link that begins with “Cengage…”

a. Log in as an existing user. If you have ever used Cengage materials, then you have an account already.

5. Even though your materials for this course are already available, you have also been given a 14-day free trial to Cengage Unlimited. At the end of this trial period, you will have the option to purchase Cengage Unlimited at a reduced price. If you have more than one class that utilizes Cengage texts &/or materials, this is a great deal. I think it’s worth taking a look at the options Cengage Unlimited provides you. On the other hand, it is optional because you already have access to the materials for this course.

As a reminder, you can also download the Cengage Mobile app to your phone and download the audible book to your phone or mobile device. You can find this app in your App store under Cengage Mobile App.

· Please visit support.cengage.com to file a support ticket with our tech support team

· Techcheck - Visit this site any time to view current information on system status and performance information for Cengage products, updated every 5 minutes.

Option #1: To ensure the lowest cost for students, this course includes a materials fee. This means that some or all of the required textbooks and materials for this course are available through your NS Online course shell. (The Supplemental Pass Out Booklet for BUSN2300 Business Ethics can be obtained on the first day of the Classroom course or at your NSCC Bookstore). When you register for this course, the charge will appear on your account. If you decide you do not want to purchase the course materials embedded in NS Online, you can opt out of the program until September 7, 2019. If you opt out, you will be responsible for obtaining the required course materials on your own. This is an "E-Book." If you wish to obtain a loose-leaf edition, check also Option #2 below.

Option 2: Halbert/Ingulli - Bundle: Law and Ethics in the Business Environment, Loose-leaf Version, 9th + MindTap Business Law, 1 terms (6 months) Printed Access Card ISPN #9781337744508. Check with your NSCC bookstore if you wish to purchase the loose-leaf edition for not much more money.

Option 3: Mindtap Digital code only: Includes the Mindtap platform with eBook and Mindtap mobile app (no physical book) ISPN #9781305972506.

REFERENCE MATERIALS: Various newspapers, publications, law cases, internet sites and forms along with those listed within this textbook and with this textbook's previous editions. Each students needs to pick up the "Business Ethics - Pass Outs and Supplements" handbook that is FREE from the Nashville State Bookstores or from your instructor at his office at Nashville State, Clement Building, Room 232E.

A = 90 – 100 (1010 to 909 points)
B = 80 – 89 (908 to 808 points)
C = 70 – 79 (807 to 707 points)
D = 60 - 69 (706 to 606 points
F = Below 60 (605 points and below)

According to NSCC policy, an FA is awarded to students who do not officially withdraw from a course and do not attend after the cut-off date provided in the academic calendar. Please refer to the current academic calendar available on Nashville State web site, looking for the date that indicates it is the “Last Day to Earn F for Attendance (FA).” Students who stop attending on or before this date receive an FA; students who stop attending after this date receive an F.

For online courses, attendance is defined by submission of assignments. Students who fail a course and whose last assignment is submitted on or before the FA date (will earn an FA for the course. Students who fail a course and whose last assignment is submitted after the FA date will earn an F for the course.

For the 2019 Spring semester, the cut-off dates for students who have not officially withdrawn are:

Six absences equal 20% of the course. What would an employer allow you to continue to be employed if you were to miss 20% of the workdays?

a course and whose last assignment is submitted after the FA date will earn an F for the course.

Research Term Paper 10% - Submitted as an attachment or as a “hard copy” (see Supplemental Pass-Out Book for requirements)

Test and quiz questions come from material covered in the Lecture Notes and from the textbook. Some students neglect to study the Lecture Notes and this is a "BAD" idea for passing this course. The lecture notes places emphasis on the most important aspects of the material in the textbook.

Students must take all quizzes and test and turn in all assigned material by the due dates. There are too many students in this class to allow late submissions. Also, it would not be fair to allow a student to keep taking test and quizzes late and have more study time than the other students. Consequently, all group assignments, tests or quizzes not taken on time will receive a zero for that assignment, test or quiz. The instructor reserves the right to allow a makeup test or quiz if there are extreme circumstances. Makeup test will be different from the original. Quizzes are taken on-line on your "home" computer and are therefore "open book."

However, each of the three Tests are taken in the Testing Centers and are not open book tests. No aids of any kind are allowed on the three Tests in this course - no notes, no textbook, no cell phones, no other open browsers, nothing but the students’ knowledge.

If your course is delivered through Videoconferencing (with TV), the three "big" Tests will be taken in the various Testing Centers. THE MULTIPLE-CHOICE PORTIONS OF TEST 1, 2, & 3, MUST BE COMPLETED IN THE TESTING CENTERS ABSOLUTELY NO LATER THAN THE TEST DUE DATE! The multiple-choice portion is NOT an open book test. For the tests taken in the Testing Center, you are allowed NO aids whatsoever; no notes, no textbook, no other browsers opened, and no electronic devices.

Students are required to turn in a written research paper on a subject chosen by the student from topics of "business" ethical interest. Within the Business Ethics Pass Out and Supplement book right after we complete Test #1, (pages 33 - 34) there are instructions for the Research Paper along with permissible topics. Approval of the topic is required from the instructor if the topic selected is NOT on the permissible list within the Pass Out Booklet (page 34). If you wish to write on a topic not listed, simply consult the instructor before beginning the paper. The written research paper will be due as set out on the Schedule on the left menu bar or as announced in the Classroom.

For Web based students, your Paper must be submitted by a "Word" attachment to an email to your Professor, or by leaving a hard copy in the instructor’s box on his door at his office at Nashville State in the Clement Building in Room C-232-E. If submitted in "hard copy" format, you must also include a diskette with your paper. If submitted by email, it must be in a word processing form that can be opened by the instructor such as Microsoft's Word or Word Perfect. WordPad and NotePad will NOT open! I cannot grade what I cannot open.

Papers will be submitted to Turnitin or other sources to determine if it is truly your work and that the content has not been plagiarized. Plagiarism will result in a zero for the paper. Grades will be posted in "Grades" once grading is complete. The Research Paper must be a minimum of five (5) FULLY TYPED pages not counting the "Work Cited" page.

It is required that students participate in all Web-based courses. Students are expected to attend all lecture classes if you are in one of the lecture classes. If a student is absent from a class or does not participate, courtesy requires an explanation to the instructor. A student is permitted three absences for day students per semester and one absence for night students. Excused absences are those that are due to his or her own sickness or to a death in the immediate family. More than three absences in a course may require a reduction of the final grade. These rules apply to students in the Web-based course where students do not enter this Web based course for two straight weeks or who do not participate in other graded assignments, quizzes or tests.

Student’s Responsibility in Class -Students are responsible for reading all assigned material so that they will be knowledgeable and be able to participate in class group discussions. Students are encouraged to ask questions through email at any time.

A student is expected to attend all scheduled classes and laboratories. Each instructor will formulate an attendance policy and provide it on the course syllabus. Absences are counted from the first scheduled meeting of the class, and it is the responsibility of each student to know the attendance policy of each instructor in whose class he/she is enrolled. If a student is absent from a class, he/she should give an advanced explanation to the instructor. Absences in a course may affect a student’s final grade. The student is responsible for all assigned work in the course regardless of excused or unexcused absences. Tardiness may also affect a student’s final grade.

Nashville State Community College has implemented an Early Warning System to notify students via e-mail about academic problems such as poor classroom attendance, poor performance on assignments/tests, poor communication skills, late/missing assignments, and/or lack of classroom participation. Please note that Early Warning Alerts do not affect a student’s academic standing.

It is the student’s responsibility to check D2L and MyNSCC email on a regular basis. These are the official communication channels between the college and students. Students are responsible for the information communicated through those channels. D2L contains specific course information and MyNSCC contains information important for other purposes.

Nashville State's classes are considered to be web-enhanced. Faculty have an expectation that students will use a computer and the Internet to complete assignments, engage in online discussions, and access various course materials through Desire2Learn (D2L) course shells. Computers are available for student use at each campus during campus open hours.

Nashville State complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you wish to request any special accommodations for any courses in which you are enrolled, contact the Access Center at 615.353.3741 or 615.353.3721.

Nashville State Community College has a zero-tolerance policy for disruptive conduct in the classroom. Students whose behavior disrupts the classroom will be subject to disciplinary sanctions. Please consult your Student Handbook for more specific details.

The instructor has primary responsibility for control over classroom behavior and maintenance of academic integrity. He/she can order temporary removal or exclusion from the classroom of any student engaged in disruptive conduct or in conduct which violates the general rules and regulations of the College.

Disruptive behavior in the classroom may be defined as, but is not limited to, behavior that obstructs or disrupts the learning environment (e.g., offensive language, harassment of students and professors, repeated outbursts from a student which disrupt the flow of instruction or prevent concentration on the subject taught, failure to cooperate in maintaining classroom decorum, etc.), the continued use of any electronic or other noise or light emitting device which disturbs others (e.g., disturbing noises from beepers, cell phones, palm pilots, lap-top computers, games, etc.).

Any form of academic dishonesty, cheating, plagiarizing, or other academic misconduct is prohibited. “Plagiarism may result from: (1) failing to cite quotations and borrowed ideas, (2) failing to enclose borrowed language in quotation marks, and (3) failing to put summaries and paraphrases in your own words (A Writer’s Reference 331). Academic dishonesty may be defined as, but is not limited to, intentionally trying to deceive by claiming credit for the work of another person, using information from a web page or source without citing the reference, fraudulently using someone else’s work on an exam, paper, or assignment, recycling your own work from another course, purchasing papers or materials from another source and presenting them as your own, attempting to obtain exams/materials/assignments in advance of the date of administration by the instructor, impersonating someone else in a testing situation, providing confidential test information to someone else, submitting the same assignment in two different classes without requesting both instructor’s permission, allowing someone else to copy or use your work, using someone else’s work to complete your own, altering documents, transcripts or grades, and forging a faculty/staff member’s signature.

In addition to other possible disciplinary sanctions that may be imposed through regular college procedures as a result of academic dishonesty the instructor has the authority to assign an “F” or a “Zero” for the exercise, paper, or examination or to assign an “F” for the course. Students may appeal through the appropriate college grade appeal procedures.

Emergency events can happen at any time and Nashville State Community College wants to be able notify students if and when they occur. For this reason, all students have been enrolled in the free RAVE alert system. If you have not already done so, please log in at https://getrave.com/login/nscc to confirm and update your contact information and notification preferences. It is critical that your information be correct so that you will receive any emergency notifications. Your RAVE Username is your NSCC email address. If you've never received an email from RAVE with your password, or if you need to reset your password, select “Forgot your password?” and a new password will be emailed to you. Should the RAVE system indicate “user not found”, select Register and create your own RAVE account.

In the event of an inclement weather event, check the Nashville State web site home page at www.nscc.edu for announcements on campus closures. Campus closures will also be announced on local television stations (channels 2, 4, 5, and 17).

When classes are cancelled, an online assignment will be posted in NS Online. Check your NS Online email for a message from your instructor regarding your online assignment requirements. Even though classes may be cancelled, some areas, i.e. Testing Center, may be open. However, you should check before commuting to campus.

The Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Director of Security are responsible for cancellation decisions during an inclement weather event for the Nashville State main campus and the Southeast campus. Cookeville, Waverly, and Dickson Campus Directors will make class cancellation decisions based on conditions in their respective areas. Decisions about class cancellations are based on actual conditions, not forecasts. The perspective used for making decisions is that of the college as an employer, not as a K-12 institution. Students should use their own best judgment in determining whether to report to campus during inclement weather when classes are not cancelled.

IV. Valuing Diversity: Stereotyping vs. Inclusion (Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, and Affirmative Action)

F.    Work/Life Balance
   1. Family and Medical Leave Act
   2. Pregnancy Discrimination Act

B. The Debate Over Tort Reform – Firestone/Ford cases
C. Evolution of Products Liability Law

A. Copyright Law - Fair Use – Suntrust Bank and Gone With the Wind
B. Traditional Copyright Law
1. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998
2. Joint Copyrights and Collective Rights

3. Napster and the New York Times Co v. Tasini
C. Beyond Copyright Law: Patent Law, Trade Secret, and Misappropriation

D. Patents and Trade Secrets - Vana White case
E. Global Intellectual Property Rights

6th - Chapter 5 – Valuing Diversity: Stereotyping versus Inclusion + Affirmative Action

8th - Chapter 10 – Ownership, Creativity, and Innovation: Intellectual Property

10th- Chapter 6 - Workers Rights as Human Rights: Health and Safety in the Workplace