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Global Impact: Business Ethics

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Global Impact: Business Ethics

Instructor: Patricia Werhane

27,132 already enrolled

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4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

545 reviews

Beginner level

No prior experience required

Flexible schedule

1 week at 10 hours a week

Learn at your own pace

96%

Most learners liked this course

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

545 reviews

Beginner level

No prior experience required

Flexible schedule

1 week at 10 hours a week

Learn at your own pace

96%

Most learners liked this course

What you'll learn

Identify ethical issues in global business.
Address issues from more than one point of view.
Evaluate good and weak arguments.
Be more morally sensitive to ethical dilemmas in global commerce.

Skills you'll gain

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

5 assignments¹

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Taught in English

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There are 4 modules in this course

Global business ethics is the study and analysis of how ethics and global business are connected. Because commerce is about markets, and markets entail exchanges between people and groups of people, commerce is about human relationships..

One of the important challenges in global business is working out the extent of these obligations in the interrelationships between businesses and the particular local cultures in which that business operates. The ethical issues arising from these engagements, the kinds of values-based considerations out of which an organization negotiates with local concerns, and how an organization can be both an enabler of economic value while respecting cultural differences are important topics of this course. You will be able to: • Become morally sensitive to ethical dilemmas in global commerce • Identify ethical issues in global business • Master stakeholder analysis • Use a well-reasoned process by which to arrive at ethically defensible decisions • Differentiate between good and weak ethical arguments and defend conclusions This course is part of Gies College of Business’ suite of online programs, including the iMBA and iMSM. Learn more about admission into these programs and explore how your Coursera work can be leveraged if accepted into a degree program at https://degrees.giesbusiness.illinois.edu/idegrees/.

You will become familiar with the course, your classmates, and our learning environment. The orientation will also help you obtain the technical skills required for the course. Identify what we mean by ethics and moral reasoning. Learn about the “do the right thing” approach, utilitarianism, and theories of justice. Understand why these theories are important for moral reasoning and for commerce. Be familiar with the framework for moral reasoning. Apply this framework in a case analysis.

What's included

6 videos8 readings2 assignments1 peer review1 discussion prompt

6 videosTotal 37 minutes

Welcome to Global Impact: Business Ethics6 minutes
Learn on Your Terms1 minute
1-1.1: Case Study: Merck and River Blindness8 minutes
1-1.2: Ethical Theories and Their Contributions to Decision-Making16 minutes
1-1.3: Merck and Moral Reasoning4 minutes
1-1.4: Merck's Decision2 minutes

8 readingsTotal 80 minutes

Syllabus10 minutes
About the Discussion Forums10 minutes
Glossary10 minutes
Brand Descriptions10 minutes
Online Education at Gies College of Business10 minutes
Updating Your Profile10 minutes
Module 1 Overview10 minutes
Module 1 Readings10 minutes

2 assignmentsTotal 60 minutes

Orientation Quiz30 minutes
Is Ethics Part of Business?: Quiz30 minutes

1 peer reviewTotal 60 minutes

Is Ethics Part of Business?: Peer Assessment60 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 10 minutes

Getting to Know Your Classmates10 minutes

Distinguish stakeholder theory from managerial shareholder theory. Be able to use stakeholder theory in the framework for moral reasoning. Apply the model to one case, e.g., Merck, BHP or the Oil Rig.

What's included

5 videos2 readings1 assignment

5 videosTotal 35 minutes

2-1.1: Stakeholder Theory Introduction6 minutes
2-1.2: Bayer Crop Science and the Issue of Child Labor4 minutes
2-1.3: Stakeholder Theory12 minutes
2-1.4: Rights and Justice in Stakeholder Theory5 minutes
2-1.5: Bayer Crop Science and a Framework for Moral Reasoning8 minutes

2 readingsTotal 20 minutes

Module 2 Overview10 minutes
Module 2 Readings10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Stakeholder Theory: Bayer CropScience in India: Quiz30 minutes

Be able to distinguish egoism, role relativism, cultural relativism, ethical relativism and some forms of universalism. Apply these distinctions to the “Greed is Good” speech on the attached video. Apply these distinctions using the framework introduced in Module 1.

What's included

6 videos2 readings1 assignment

6 videosTotal 34 minutes

3-1.1: Resolving the Bayer CropScience Dilemma4 minutes
3-1.2: What Price Safety?5 minutes
3-1.3a: The Issue(s) of Relativism Part. 17 minutes
3-1.3b: The Issue(s) of Relativism Part. 210 minutes
3-1.4: A Social Contracts Approach to Relativism in Global Commerce6 minutes
3-1.5: A Social Contract's Approach to Relativism in Global Commerce Review2 minutes

2 readingsTotal 20 minutes

Module 3 Overview10 minutes
Module 3 Readings10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

In Rome should we do as the Romans do?: Quiz30 minutes

Understand the challenges of globalization in emerging markets. Change dependent mindsets about “the poor.” Distinguish the difference between “responsibility to” and “partnerships with.” Grasp how poverty can be alleviated even by students.

What's included

5 videos4 readings1 assignment1 peer review

5 videosTotal 34 minutes

4-1.1: Why do good people and good organizations do bad things?6 minutes
4-1.2: The Volkswagen Problem5 minutes
4-1.3: How Can We Explain the Volkswagen Issue?7 minutes
4-1.4: Obedience to Authority8 minutes
4-1.5: Developing Moral Courage and Moral Imagination9 minutes

4 readingsTotal 40 minutes

Module 4 Overview10 minutes
Module 4 Readings10 minutes
Congratulations on Completing the Course!10 minutes
Get Your Course Certificate10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Why Do Good People and Good Organizations do Bad Things?: Quiz30 minutes

1 peer reviewTotal 60 minutes

Why Do Good People and Good Organizations do Bad Things?: Peer Assessment60 minutes

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Instructor

Instructor ratings

(154 ratings)

Patricia Werhane

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

1 Course27,132 learners

Offered by

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

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Showing 3 of 545

Reviewed on Jul 23, 2020

Great course, outlines ethical concepts and frameworks crisply.

Reviewed on Nov 30, 2020

Like these typical questions and problem solving ideas or very useful to us ..... May be we can use this in our future

Reviewed on Mar 11, 2026

Highly Educative and recommendable for others to participate

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