Teaching ethics to professionals pursuing a university degree programme requires a method that engages them with the realities and problematic nature of their workplace environment. In this paper we examine some of the history of Professional Ethics from a philosophical and political standpoint. Unfortunately this analysis appears to produce more questions than answers with the terms professional and expert seemingly poorly defined. In order to demonstrate some of the generic problems likely to be encountered by anyone teaching Professional Ethics we (...) make use of our case study. Whilst this is concerned largely with what can be termed Business and Computing Ethics, the case study does highlight problems that occur across the curricula. We look at the concerns and problems surrounding the teaching of issues such as Integration into the Curricula, Codes of Ethics, Ethical Decision Making and Ethical Standards. We stress the value in universities moving away from traditional methods, based purely in direct value, of decision making to an alternative ethical evaluative framework based on Social, Economic, Environmental and Rights information. This model should be introduced early in the student calendar and used as a vehicle for discussion of later issues such as Whistleblowing. (shrink)

This paper accepts as given that business students want to get ahead. It criticizes business schools for their failure to reduce the incongruence between doing what is right and doing what it takes to get ahead. Because of this failure business school graduates carry negative ideas, attitudes and behaviors vis-à-vis social responsibility from business schools into the business world. Recommendations are made for increasing the social responsibility of business schools.

The authors argue that studying classic literature (fiction) is useful in strengthening the manager''s ability to resolve specific ethical dilemmas.The authors summarize stories, plays and novels that explicitly address a series of ethical trials common to many managers (e.g., whistleblowing, discrimination and greed). Recognizing the multicultural nature of contemporary business practice, the authors draw upon literature from Europe and Asia to illustrate their thesis. Studying literature offers a challenging and personally compelling method for managers (and management students) to improve their (...) moral sensitivity and strengthen the decision making skills used in addressing the ethical ambiguities of business practice. (shrink)