Business Ethics

Syllabus

1. Fundamental principles of ethics theory A/Thematic focus of the theory: The topic focuses on the primary categories and fundamental principles of the theory of ethics. Subject matter and nature of business ethics. Theoretical starting points for business ethics. Moral principles in business ethics. Basics of ethics and its categories applicable in business ethics: standards of conduct, motives of action, principles of moral behavior, moral values, forms of interpersonal relationships. B/Thematic focus of case studies: Projects and case studies focusing on basic categories and fundamental principles of integrity in economics and management. The relationship of integrity through ethics to sustainability. The subject and essence of sustainable business ethics. The theoretical basis of sustainable business. Moral principles of business ethics of sustainable business. Fundamentals of ethics and its categories applicable in sustainable business: standards of behavior, motives of action, principles of moral behavior, moral values, forms of interpersonal relationships – manifested in managerial and economic behavior and actions. 2. Basic ethical principles in the economic field A/Thematic focus of the theory: The topic focuses primarily on fundamental ethical principles in the economic field. Modern ethics and economics. The principle of ethics and economic integration. Enterprise as part of the social system. New trends in business ethics. The essence of the fundamental ethical dilemma. Factors supporting the long-term prosperity of the business. Society and the expected active participation of companies in social well-being. The essence of the ethical and economic dilemma: manager – owner. B/Thematic focus of case studies: Projects and case studies focusing on a modern understanding of the form of sustainable business, authentic business practice – they offer a wide variety of phenomena of sustainable business, generating a typology of sustainable business. I. Forms relevant to alternative theories of sustainable business: the social economy; the economy of giving, reciprocity and altruism; new institutionalism; the community economy; economy with a moral dimension II. Forms relevant to derivative concepts of responsible business: stakeholder theory; corporate citizenship; corporate philanthropy; the social performance of enterprises; the theory of shareholder value; the social sensitivity of companies; the social integrity of the company. 3. Legal framework for economic operators as an ethical minimum A/Thematic focus of the theory: The topic is predominantly focused on the attributes of the legislative framework for economic operators as an ethical minimum. The relationship between integrity and law in terms of regulating business behaviour. Business ethics requires compliance with the law. Defining the essence of the ethical minimum in business ethics. Typology of stakeholders, the difference between primary and secondary stakeholders. Characteristics of ethical minimum levels according to stakeholder groups. B/Thematic focus of case studies: Projects and case studies focusing on the legal framework for business entities - ethical minimum. Relevant attributes of the legislative framework for business entities: the relationship between integrity and law regulating sustainable behavior and business behavior. Sustainable business requires at least compliance with the law. Defining the essence of the ethical minimum in sustainable business. Typology of stakeholders and classification of the company's relationships with its stakeholders. 4. Business ethics and responsibility of business entities A/Thematic focus of the theory: The topic primarily focuses on the fundamental relationships: relationships of ethics in economics and applying modelling tools to their target formation: business ethics, responsible behaviour, social responsibility, responsible business and responsibility of business entities. Tools and methods for assessing the state of ethical business in Slovakia and the E.U. Recommendations and institutionalization of improving the state of ethical business in Slovakia in the E.U. Current trends in the development of ethical business. B/Thematic focus of case studies: Addressing case studies and ethical dilemmas focused on the official support from national authorities and institutions: state, regional (VÚC), cities and municipalities. Promoting responsible business at the level of official bodies/ international institutions: e.g. the European Union, the OECD, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, ... Forms of support: binding (legislative) and voluntary (non-binding). 5. The position of ethical business in company management A/Thematic focus of the theory: The topic is predominantly focused on the integration and position of ethical/sustainable business in company management. Ethical/sustainable business strategy in society - as part of partial functional strategies. Roles and functions of ethical/sustainable business management. Adequate documentation, including the implementation of ethical/sustainable business management. Ethical/sustainable business of international corporations. Entities in the relationship between the headquarters and the subsidiaries. Corporate credo and approach to ethical/sustainable business. Corporate patriotism. Preventing problems as an immanent part of the ethical/sustainable business strategy in society. B/Thematic focus of case studies: Addressing case studies and ethical dilemmas focusing on the essence of the ethical/sustainable business strategy in society. Roles and functions of ethical/sustainable business management. Effective management of ethical/sustainable business of international corporations. 6. Institutionalization of ethics into business entities A/Thematic focus of the theory: The topic focuses in detail on the primary categories and fundamental principles of institutionalization of ethics into the business entities. The fundamentals and forms of institutionalization of ethics. The benefits of ethical business. Application of the PDCA model in institutionalizing ethics to the company. Ethical program tools. Base determinants of the Code of Ethics. General principles of the Code of Ethics. Typology of the Codes of Ethics. Activities and responsibilities of ethical business implementation. B/Thematic focus of case studies: Addressing case studies and ethical dilemmas focused on the essence of institutionalizing ethical/sustainable business - implementation of the ethical agenda (including the Code of Ethics / the Code of Conduct). Effective relationship management ethical minimum <=> compliance program <=> ethics program. The Code of Ethics / the Code of Conduct - part of sustainable business management. General principles of the Code of Ethics. Classification and typology of the Code of Ethics system. Implementation of the ethics program - applying the PDCA model for institutionalization of ethics to the enterprise. Positives and negatives of institutionalizing sustainable business. 7. Ethical business in relation to human capital A/Thematic focus of the theory: The topic primarily focuses on ethical business concerning human capital. Identification of the most frequent ethical problems of human capital in the company. The guiding principles of ethical action in sustainable employment relationships. Typology, classification, and categorization in unethical behavior towards human capital in the enterprise. Valid legislation as an ethical minimum and a system of tools to positively handle problems of unethical behavior. Fundamental certainties and rights for employees in the Labour Code. Standardization by a system of adequate standards. Employee protection. Social inclusion. B/Thematic focus of case studies: Projects and case studies focusing on the ethical minimum and a compliance program of the human capital. Ethical aspects of collective bargaining and collective agreement. Dimensions of solving the most frequent ethical problems of human capital in the company. 8. Ethical business in relation to the environment A/Thematic focus of the theory: The topic focuses on the ethical dimension of the relationship of ethical business to the environment. Content classification: ecology, environmental sciences and environment. Taking care of the environment. Strategic initiatives of the company in the field of environmental protection. Compliance program and ethical minimum in the field of the environment in the Slovak Republic and the E.U. Standardization using the system of adequate standards. Environmental management system. Positives and negatives of the implementation of the environmental management system. Comparison of ISO 14001 and EMAS elements. Application of the PDCA model in the implementation of the environmental management system. B/Thematic focus of case studies: Projects and case studies focused on applying the PDCA model in the implementation of the environmental management system according to ISO 14001 or EMAS. Compliance program and environmental, ethical minimum in the Slovak Republic and the E.U. Standardization using a system of adequate standards. 9. Ethical business in relation to consumer protection and responsible procurement A/Thematic focus of the theory: The topic focuses on the fundamental economic and ethical aspects of contemporary consumerism and its relationship to sustainable development. Dimensions of the functional model of the consumer protection system. Sustainable consumption. Basic principles of consumer protection in the Slovak Republic and the E.U. Food safety in Slovakia and the E.U. Corporate responsibility for applied marketing tools. A strategy for responsible sales of addictive products. Consumer compliance program and ethical minimum in favor of sustainable development. Supervision and regulation of consumer protection in Slovakia. Powers and responsibilities (obligations) of the company towards suppliers. Focus on suppliers with natural products. Participatory consumer protection and food safety. Forms of ethical procurement. Standardization using a system of adequate standards. Socially responsible procurement. "Green" procurement. Above-standard parameters of public procurement (e.g.ISO, ...) Responsible logistics. B/Thematic focus of case studies: Projects and case studies focusing on sustainable consumption models. Consumer compliance program and ethical minimum in favor of sustainable development. Standardization using a system of adequate standards. Socially responsible procurement. "Green" procurement. 10. Ethical business in relation to local communities and competitive partnerships A/Thematic focus of the theory: The topic primarily concentrates on the essential characteristics of the sociological structuring of society (community and society). Socially beneficial behavior of an ethical business for the benefit of the community. Typology, classification and categorization of ethical business activities for the benefit of the community: philanthropy, donation, volunteering, corporate investment in the community, sponsorship. Specification of corporate philanthropy and its tools. Volunteering management. Partnership in favour of the development of ethical business. Regulation of cooperation relationships based on ethics. Generated voluntary support for ethical business resulting from the cooperation of members of associated partners in national and international associations, chambers: (a) of a professional character (e.g. employers, trade unions...) and (b) focused on ethical business and sustainable development (e.g. BLF, U.N. Global Compact....). Compliance program and ethical minimum. Standardization using a system of adequate standards. B/Thematic focus of case studies: Addressing case studies and ethical dilemmas with topics of economic parameterization of typology, classification, and categorization of ethical business activities for the benefit of the community and associations of partner and competitive relationships. Volunteering management. Compliance program and ethical minimum. Standardization using a system of adequate standards. 11. Ethical business of liberal professions A/Thematic focus of the theory: The topic focuses on the importance of performing liberal business from the economic, managerial, and ethical aspect in the Slovak Republic and the E.U. General characteristics of liberal professions in terms of applied integrity by profession. The primary classification of liberal professions. Matrix regulation: the essence of legislative regulation, the essence of professional regulation. General principles of professional Codes of Ethics. Formalization of ethical proceedings (institutionalization of ethics) in liberal professions. Conditions for the competitiveness of liberal professions and ethical business. B/Thematic focus of case studies: Projects and case studies focused on matrix regulation, the institutionalization of ethics in liberal professions and models of ethical programmes according to the primary classification of liberal professions. 12. A successful ethical business model increasing the value of a company A/Thematic focus of the theory: The topic primarily focuses on the ethical dimension of the powers and responsibilities (obligations) of shareholders and investors. Socially responsible investments. Socially responsible investing. Ethical/sustainable business indices. The impact of responsible business indices on the value of the enterprise. ESG, TCFD and Impact Investing models. Innovation processes from the aspect of the subject to which resources (investments) are allocated. Synergistic effect of business determinants from the aspect of economy and management of innovation investments to promote ethical/sustainable business. Social innovation as a tool for ethical/sustainable business. B/Thematic focus of case studies: Addressing case studies and ethical dilemmas with the topics of socially responsible investment and socially responsible investing. Ethical/sustainable business indices. Impact of ethical/responsible business indices on the value of the enterprise. ESG, TCFD and Impact Investing models. Innovation processes and social innovations. 13. Controlling of ethical business A/Thematic focus of the theory: The topic focuses on the essence of the relationship of ethical conduct of the enterprise and the controlling of ethical business. Controlling tools and methods of ethical business. Managerial accounting in ethical business. Reporting opportunities in the field of ethical business and its holistic system. Differentiation of reporting in parent and subsidiary companies. General principles of ethical business reporting. Ethical business reporting standards. Attributes of the most widely used ethical business reporting systems: GRI standards, SASB and integrated reporting of annual reports. Legislative support (ethical minimum) of ethical business controlling in the Slovak Republic and the E.U. B/Thematic focus of case studies: Addressing case studies and ethical dilemmas with the topics of controlling tools and methods of ethical business. Managerial accounting in ethical business. Standards of reporting in ethical business. GRI standards, SASB and integrated reporting of annual reports.