Introduction

Theoretical framework

Designing and conducting the research

Insights from the stories

What do the stories tell us?

Conclusion

References

Abstract

Applied Business Ethics is a core module for business undergraduate students in an internationalised university business degree programme from the United Kingdom (UK) taught at a Private Higher Education Institution (PHEI) in Singapore. Students, who are working adults undertaking this part-time degree, are assessed purely on the application of theoretical knowledge through essays that show evidence of their ability to apply theory in workplace ethical dilemmas. This pilot study explores the utility of the module in terms of use and exchange value. It was conducted in two phases as an empirical qualitative research. First, an email survey was sent to students, who had already graduated, to gather impressions of the module using open-ended questions. Based on the responses, semi-structured interviews of a purposive sample of four students were carried out to unearth insights on use and exchange value of the module through their stories. The study suggests that a key determinant of use value is workplace utility of the knowledge that has been gained. Over time, consistent derivation of use value translates to exchange value as long-term behaviour changes in the individual create positive workplace outcomes. The study also recognised the powerful influence of organisational culture in determining whether ethical thinking translates into ethical action, which also has a direct bearing on perceptions of use and exchange value. The findings of this study provide an insight to the understanding of the motivations of working adults attending the Applied Business Ethics module on a part-time basis. Having this understanding, it will be possible to further structure the module, in terms of positioning, delivery and assessment, to enable these students to become better managers when dealing with real-world workplace ethical issues.

Introduction

Applied Business Ethics is a core module for business undergraduate students in an internationalised university business degree programme from the United Kingdom (UK) taught at a Private Higher Education Institution (PHEI) in Singapore. The module, which carries ten module points, is a field of ethical theory that deals with the application of moral principles in real-life workplace situations (Buckley 2013, p. 695). Students are assessed purely on the application of theoretical knowledge through essays that show evidence of their ability to apply theory in workplace ethical dilemmas. Several practitioner tutors (Macfarlane 2011; Whitchurch 2009) teach the module, and while they use the same core text and content slides, they vary their lectures and seminars by sharing their unique experiences. A key challenge of this module is translating Babstract theory into a workable tool for business practitioners^ (Hasnas 1998, pp. 19–۲۰), and this sometimes makes rationalising its usefulness in the real world a challenge. The continued occurrence of corporate ethical misconduct, from the Enron accounting fraud in 2001, the Volkswagen emission scandal in 2015, to the more recent creation of 1.5 million fake accounts by Wells Fargo employees in 2017, was largely because business decisions were carried out without clear ethical considerations (Arce and Gentile 2015, p. 535). These events and occurrences seem to suggest that business ethics should be a key feature in the higher education curricula of potential business leaders (Crane 2004, p. 149; Godsey 2007, p. 55). The real concern is whether ethics education actually makes a difference in the way individuals make ethical decisions in the workplace. Some scholars argue that ethical values (or the lack thereof) have already been shaped prior to entry into higher education (Saat et al. 2010, p. 40). However, evidence from a study of Malaysian accountants, though not definitive, seems to suggest that the completion of an ethics course does make students more ethically sensitive (Saat et al. 2010, p. 53). This notion of a positive correlation between ethics education and ethical sensitivity is also supported by Gautschi III and Jones (1998), as well as Parks (1993), in their empirical assessments of the effectiveness of business ethics education.