Ethics

The ethics code is in every syllabus. On the bathroom stalls in the business building, there are ethics posters. We are required to take BA 242 (Ethics). Management majors are further required to take MGMT 451W (More Ethics). Why is is that this college focuses so much time and energy on ensuring that they have drilled this concept into our heads? I know that many people feel these required classes are not necessary because they already have strong ethics. Furthermore, this subject does not have right or wrong answers that can be evaluated in a test format.

However, with historical cases such as Enron and the Pinto Ford fires, the focus on ethics at the college level is at an all time high. These cases all started with individuals, just like you and me, making decisions that may have seemed harmless, but snowballed into disaster. In our work-life experiences, it is likely that we will be faced with with ethical concerns where the solution is not cut and dry. For example, do we take a gift from a customer and if not, how do you decline? Or, if your boss asks you to lie for him/her, should you do so or risk your job by saying no? We need to be made aware of real-life situations and analyze the various choices that we have, so that when we are faced with these dilemmas, we are better prepared to deal with them. Penn State really does know what it is doing in requiring such courses, despite the fact that they may seem redundant.