Business and Professional Ethics (364-DL-20)
Instructors
John B Laing
847/491-2558
Kresge 3-230
John Laing has had careers as a both a university professor and as public affairs counselor with a special interests in politics, the environmental and national and international health issues. He served as Chicago head of Burson-Marsteller's Worldwide Environmental Practice Group for several years. In that capacity he acted as consultant to such leading international firms as Procter & Gamble, Kraft General Foods and S.C. Johnson Wax. John has helped manage relationships between several international corporations and such environmental groups as the World Wildlife Fund, the Environmental Defense Fund, and the National Resources Defense Counsel. John's philosophical interests include a specific and keen involvement with the area of social and policical philosophy. John is currently an adjunct lecturer in the Philosophy Department and the School of Professional Studies at Northwestern University.
Meeting Info
Online: TBA
Overview of class
This course examines, from a philosophical perspective, a variety of ethical issues relating to contemporary business. Types of questions asked in the course include: Should corporations be viewed solely as profit-making entities? What is the appropriate regulatory response to recent corporate scandals? What obligations do corporations have when they market their products? How should corporations be evaluated when it comes to broader issues of social and economic justice, such as CEO compensation, health care coverage, and income disparities? What is the impact of the increasing globalization of corporations on these topics? The course is conducted completely online. A technology fee will be added to tuition.
Note: This course is limited to School of Professional Studies students only. Undergraduate students in other schools at Northwestern are not permitted to enroll in this course
Class Materials (Required)
All weekly readings will be available in the Canvas course site either as web links or through course reserves.
Class Attributes
Asynchronous:Remote class-no scheduled mtg time