Why Teach Business Ethics?

AACSB International believes that the themes of business ethics can and should be part of business program curricula for many reasons.

First, society clearly expects management education to develop students’ ability to deal effectively with ethical dilemmas, provide ethical leadership, understand the responsibility of business in society, and know the principles and practices of sound corporate governance. Business programs provide the most appropriate, and perhaps only, opportunity to help students to understand the complexities of ethical decision within organizations and assist them to develop more effective organizational ethics and compliance programs.

Second, other academic subjects such as philosophy and religions are not as well-equipped to assist student to handle the ethical issues in business and management. Relegating ethics to separate these academic areas fosters an unhealthy separation from the practical issues associated with business and management. Although courses in philosophy and religion may be useful to business students, nothing prepares business students more succinctly for their professions than courses which address ethics in the business context.

Third, businesses who hire business school graduates rely on business education to complement their own ethics and compliance programs. Ethics and compliance programs in corporate environments are most effective when management understands why such programs are essential and are prepared to provide leadership in implementation.

Finally, an overarching goal of business degree programs is career success among graduates. Career success in today’s business environment depends more than ever on a comprehensive understanding of legal and ethical dimensions of business, ethical leadership and decision-making, and reputations that are beyond reproach.

The articles below explore further the question of “why teach business ethics.”

Can Business Ethics Be Taught? by Archie B. Carroll

Interview: Tom Rowley, Junior Achievement’s Vice President of Education in USA Weekend

Can Business Ethics Be Taught? By David L. Perry, Ph.D.

Can Business Ethics Be Taught? One University’s Experience by Beheruz N. Sethna

Where Can Execs Learn Ethics: Not necessarily in B-school, where too many focus too little on doing the right thing -- despite the rash of corporate scandals by Brian Hindo          

CSR: The New Role of Business in Society  Universitat Bocconi