Movies:
As mentioned above, in order to bring to life the subject of ethical issues in business and the professions, I require that you view a number of movies for the course. The movies chosen are intended to expose you to specific issues concerning business and society, from labor unions to extreme sexual harassment to fraud. These movies are usually readily available via Netflix, Blockbuster or at your local libraries. The films are listed below. This seems like a lot of viewing, but it is spread over many weeks and should be fun as well as useful to the objectives of the course. Most students find the movies very useful in thinking through the issues presented in the course. Everyone will have to provide a written commentary on at least 10 movies. Commentaries are to be posted as indicated at the course site. The commentaries should be no more than one page in length, single spaced.
The instructor expects that all written work submitted will be of high quality and free of grammatical and factual errors. Please utilize the writing resources of the university if you need to improve your writing skills. Plagiarism will not be tolerated and will be handled appropriately. Do not submit sparse commentaries that only references the movie plot, with two or three sentences of analysis. Such submissions will not be counted as received.
Required format for movie commentaries:
1. Discussion of Plot
(EXAMPLE) Erin Brockovich is a young, single mother, struggling to make ends meet. In her efforts to find suitable income, she winds up in a job as a legal assistant, working for the attorney who represented her in a case involving an automobile collision in which she was injured. During her work at the law firm, she discovers . . . . etc.
2. Discussion of Ethical Issues
(EXAMPLE) This movie highlights corporate greed. We see, in the treatment of the various residents, that there is more concern with profit than with human lives. . . . etc.
3. Connection of Ethical Issues to Lectures and Readings
(EXAMPLE) Kantian ethics forbids treating people as “mere means” to another’s end. Further, a utilitarian calculation would conclude that the harm caused exceeds the benefits. . . In Boatright, page xx, there is a discussion of . . . . etc.
ONE PAGE SINGLE SPACED. PLEASE ADD MORE INFO FROM THE TEXT INTO THE PAPER.
