Ethics, Leadership, and Personal Integrity

LSHP 4312/HONR 4303 - Spring, 2005

Professor:

James Campbell (Jim)

Quick
E. F.
Faust/Goolsby Marilyn
Macik-Frey
Doctoral Fellow:

John and Judy Goolsby

Distinguished Professor
Offices:

304

305
T, 7:15 - 8:00
a.m.;Th, noon to 1 p.m.;
by appointment.
By appointment
only
Office: (817) 272-3869

Hours:

Phones:

(817)
272-3870
Home:

(817) 496-0567

E-mail:

jquick@uta.edu

macikfrey@uta.edu
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
This course is designed on a broad platform of rule-based, consequential, and virtue-ethics. Critical
thinking and moral reasoning about ethical dilemmas is central to the course process. A key thread of the
course is the careful examination of the intent-action-consequence sequence, aiming the help students
develop a spirit of personal integrity through which they align their actions and anticipated consequences of
their actions with positive intentions. The course emphasizes the development of character and personal
integrity. The organizational behavior theories of leadership are discussed as a contextual framework.
1.

To examine common ethical problems faced in life and at work by individuals,

managers, and organizations.

2.

To learn about the duties and consequences of ethical behavior as well as

the rule-based, consequential, and virtue ethical theories.

3.

To explore critical thinking and moral reasoning to resolve ethical dilemmas

faced in personal and professional life.

4.

To continue to develop both written and oral communication skills,

including the positive use of constructive and critical feedback.

5.

To continue to deeper self-awareness, in particular of values and virtues,

as well as cultivate personal integrity.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
Ethics Topic Essay
Ethical Dilemmas
Interview on Ethics
Who I am, What I believe
Partners= Presentations

100 points
100 points
100 points
100 points
100 points

(20%)
(20%)
(20%)
(20%)
(20%)

Total Possible Points

500
points
(100%)

LSHP 4312/HONR 4303/ 3

REQUIRED MATERIALS:
Texts:

Linda K. Trevio and Katherine A. Nelson. (2004).

Managing Business Ethics: Straight Talk About How To Do It Right, Third Edition.
Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Debra L. Nelson and James Campbell Quick. (2006).
Organizational Behavior: Foundations, Realities, & Challenges, 5/E.
Mason, OH: Thomson South-Western.

References:

George R. Goethals and Georgia J. Sorenson, General Editors

James MacGregor Burns, Senior Editor
Encyclopedia of Leadership.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Volume 1 - A-E
Volume 2 - F-L
Volume 3 - M-R
Volume 4 - S-Z, Index

DETAILED EXPLANATION OF COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

Ethics Topic Essay
This is a 5-page, double spaced essay on a single topic using three to seven (3 - 7) articles or references,
preferably in the past five years. In addition to the Encyclopedia of Leadership, possible sources include:
Academy of Management Executive
Business Ethics Quarterly
Encyclopedia of Bioethics

Harvard Business Review

Journal of Business Ethics
Organizational Dynamics

(Popular press articles are not acceptable; no newspapers, magazines, etc.)

The intent of this assignment is to become familiar with a particular topic in the ethics literature which is of
interest to you. After reading the material you select, you must bring that together with your personal
experience or critical thinking. An essay is more than a summary of material or a regurgitation of what
you have read. An essay must demonstrate synthesis, integration, and original thought.
Ethical Dilemmas
It is easy to moralize, it is hard to reason morally. Moral reasoning is at the heart of good, ethical decision
making. Moral reasoning only develops as it is exercised, and you exercise moral reasoning when you face
ethical dilemmas. Nelson & Quick (NQ) include Ethical Dilemmas in their textbook, each dilemma having
been crafted by Dr. Joanne Gavin who=s dissertation research was on character and transcendent decision
making. We will discuss seven of these Ethical Dilemmas in class. In addition, you are to prepare written
responses to be turned in before class discussion for five of these dilemmas. Each write-up is worth up to
20 points and the set of 5 grades count for that part of your class grade.
Interview on Ethics

LSHP 4312/HONR 4303/ 4

Each student will conduct a face to face interview with an established organizational leader or corporate
ethics officer on the topic of ethics and personal integrity into today=s organizational climate. A written
summary will be completed. The summary should cover general information pertaining to the
interviewer=s perspective and experiences related to ethics and the student=s personal insights as to how
the information contributes to their development in this area. Additional instructions for the interview will
be provided in class.
Who I am, What I believe
At the heart of self-awareness and personal integrity is an understanding of your personal values and
beliefs. When he spoke about character at a luncheon for UTA alumnus Kent Grusendorf in the Fall 2004
term, former U.S. Representative Dick Armey spoke about the many things people said they would do for
him if he would help get their legislation passed. What Armey was more interested in was the question
AWhat won=t you do (that is, what are the limits beyond which you will not go) in the interests of getting
your legislation passed?@ He believed the answer to that question spoke to the person=s character.
We want you to think about your personal values and beliefs. We want you to think about the origins of
your character and your integrity. We want you to think about your defining characteristics that make you
uniquely Ayou@ in contrast to someone else. At your center, who are you? What are your core beliefs and
values? What within you is not for >sale= in barter or trade?
Your grade is not based on the content of your values and beliefs, nor upon your personal statement of who
you are. Rather, it is based on your ability to clearly articulate and communicate your personal statement
of philosophy, your values, and your beliefs in such a way that another can understand...
who you are and what you believe.
Partners= Presentations
To continue development of oral communication skills, teamwork, critical thinking, and conflict
management, students will present a 10 minute oral presentation with a partner. Each pair will choose an
ethical dilemma or personal integrity issue and present solutions in a point B counter point format.
Students will be graded on verbal skills, ability to present clear alternatives and reasoning and to present
differing viewpoints in a respectful and courteous manner. Additional guidelines for the partner
presentations will be provided in class.

LSHP 4312/HONR 4303 / 5

TOPICAL COURSE OUTLINE
Week

Assignment For

Topic
of
Reading
Assignment
Guests/Exercises/Instru
ments
Evaluation
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
INTRODUCTION TO ETHICS...
Right and Wrong (?)

Jan. 18
world and you
Ethical dilemmas - what to do?

Straight talk...

The real

Jan. 25
Chapter 1 (T)
Business ethics (?) Leadership (?)

Why be ethical?

Feb. 1
Chapter 2 (T)
Ethical
Dilemma (p. 28, NQ)
ED #1

ETHICS AND THE INDIVIDUAL

Common ethical problems
Duties and consequences

Feb. 8

Chapter 3 (T)
Feb. 15
4 (T)

Chapter

LSHP 4312/HONR 4303 / 6

Ethical
Dilemma (p. 108, NQ)
ED #2
Moral judgment

Feb. 22
Chapter 5 (T)

Ethics
Topic Essay
LEADERSHIP, ETHICS AND THE MANAGER
Managerial challenges

Mar. 1
ED #3

Chapter 2 (Q)

Ethical Dilemma (pp. 67-68, NQ)

Leadership

Mar. 8
Chapter
12 (Q)

SPRING BREAK

Mar. 15

TOPICAL COURSE OUTLINE (Continued)

Week

LSHP 4312/HONR 4303 / 7

Assignment for
of
Reading
Assignment

Topic

Guests/Exercises/Instru
ments
Evaluation
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
LEADERSHIP, ETHICS AND THE MANAGER (Continued)
Managers= ethical problems

Mar. 22

Chapter 6 (T)

Ethical Dilemma (p. 413, NQ)

Duties and consequences

Mar. 29
7 (T)

ED #4
Chapter

Who I
am,
What I believe
ETHICS AND THE ORGANIZATION
Org.s= ethical problems

Apr. 5
8 (T)

Chapter

Ethical
Dilemma (p. 554-555,
NQ)
ED #5
Goolsby DVP Lina Trevio
Organizational culture

Apr. 12 Chapter 9 (T)

LSHP 4312/HONR 4303 / 8

Interview on
Ethics
Improving relationships

Apr. 19
10 (T)

Chapter

Ethical
Dilemma (p. 276-277,
NQ)
ED #6
ETHICS AND THE WORLD
A global world

Apr. 26
Chapter 11 (T)
Ethical
Dilemma (p. 239-240,
NQ)
ED #7

CONCLUSION
Self-awareness,
personal integrity

May 3

Partners=
Presentations

LSHP 4312/HONR 4303 / 9

May 10

Partner=s
Presentations