International Business Ethics – Ein exemplarischer Lehrauftrag

Business Ethics in Cooperation with Georg-Simon-Ohm Management Institute, Nürnberg

The Georg-Simon-Ohm Management Institute’s Corporate Master Program is an internationally orientated additional academic qualification leading to an MBA certificate in general management. It aims at ambitious applicants who have completed a higher education degree in economics and/or management. Within a time frame of approximately 21 months, the participants acquire essential knowledge on central management topics within an international context. When dealing with questions of leadership, communication and intercultural social competence in a global context, issues of business ethics must not be ignored.

Thus, a block seminar in business ethics is part of the Corporate Master Program. In case studies and stakeholder analyses, we exemplify the necessity of business ethics for the longterm success of an enterprise. We take also into account the participants’ first hand experiences with ethical conflicts, e.g. value-disagreements in corporations, confrontations with NGOs, conflicting goals between the economic, the social and the ecological realm. We further profile personal patterns of ethical orientations, perceptions and practices. What is it that gives individuals and companies guidance in ethical decisions? As a roadmap for ethical decisionmaking in corporate contexts, we present Model e, a hermeneutical method to disclose ethical opinions and to develop strategies for establishing and strengthening synergies between ethics and success in enterprises. Last but not least, we reflect on the significance of personal ethical behaviour in international business and ask how to implement and manage ethics in organizations.

Management-Institut der Georg-Simon-Ohm Fachhochschule Nürnberg