PHL 313 ZP AND ZS - BUSINESS ETHICS
E-LEARNING [Home Study]
SUMMER, 2002
Lawrence P. Ulrich, Ph.D.
Lawrence.Ulrich@notes.udayton.edu
THREADED DISCUSSIONS

General
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Syllabus
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Procedures
(and Contract)
Reading
Assignments
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Assignment
Deadlines
Readings
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Exam 1
Exam 2
Exam 3
Case Study
Outline
Threaded
Discussions
Chat Rooms
Q & A

THE NATURE OF A THREADED DISCUSSION.

This task will involve a threaded discussion on a case assigned to your group. A threaded discussion is a computer registered discussion which allows students to make contributions to the task assigned to the group. It is somewhat like a "chat room" except that the participants do not have to be on line at the same time. You can either make a comment which starts a new thread or you can reply to a previous comment that continues the thread. The purpose of a threaded discussion is to keep the issues discussed in class before the minds of the students and to develop new insights and skills of reflective analysis related to the isues discussed in class.



GENERAL EXPECTATIONS OF THE THREADED DISCUSSION.

1. Students will be automatically identified when a contribution to the discussion is made.
2. Comments need not be lengthy but they should be substantive. "I agree with X." is not a very helpful comment unless some explanation of the reason for the agreement is given.
3. Students will contribute only to the group to which they are assigned. See below for group assignments.
4. Please note that the discussions are time-limited; this means that you may contribute to the discussion only during the time period designated for the discussion.
5. Students will be expected to make five comments to each threaded discussion. Each comment will be worth 2 points.These points will be added to the points you have received on the examinations --- examinations are worth 90 points each. So the total for each examination is 100 points.
6. Remember that this assignment is not password protected so anyone can read what you say. This includes someone from Bangladesh, or the Vatican, or your parents, or your physician, or your boss, or your sixth grade teacher. Speak honestly but not offensively.
7. Contributions will be judged on the quality of the comments and the way they help to move the discussion forward.
8. In working with your case you will want to incorprate the topics which we are discussing in the course readings into the discussion of the case on an on-going basis.
9. Be challenging to everyone in the group --- as well as to me!

REMEMBER THAT THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A DISCUSSION SO YOU SHOULD NOT JUST SIT AT YOUR COMPUTER AND MAKE A SERIES OF COMMENTS AT THE SAME TIME. SPACE YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS OVER THE PERIOD OF THE DISCUSSIONS.

Let me know immediately if you have any problems making contributions to the threaded discussions.



GUIDELINES FOR MAKING A CONTRIBUTION TO THE THREADED DISCUSSION.

IF YOU USE A MAC COMPUTER OR A BROWSER OTHER THAN INTERNET EXPLORER, YOU WILL PROBABLY NOT BE ABLE TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE DISCUSSIONS.

Use Microsoft Internet Explorer.
CLICK HERE <learn.udayton.edu>, but before you do, read the rest of this set of guidelines.
Click on "Student Login."
Enter Logon Name (your last name).
Enter Password (your student ID number - the first seven digits).
Click on "Log On."

At this point [after clicking on <learn.udayton.edu>] you can double click on "EIT 109".
Double click on "Participating in Threaded Discussions".
A brief streaming video will come on, which will give you guidance on making contributions to the Threaded Discussions.
When the brief video is over click "close".
Double click on "Phl 313 - Business Ethics."
Double click on "Threaded Discussions for the appropriately designated topic or period."
Follow the directions you were given in the streaming video or you can read the directions in the box below.
Double click on your group/case assignment.
Now you can CLICK HERE <learn.udayton.edu> and be on your way.
 
 
1) Below the case or group assignment posted on the right side of the screen, click on "Join Discussion."
2) Enter your user name and password and click "OK."
3) You may have to scroll through some of the discussion and/or click on the "next page button (with the arrow pointing downward)" to find your group.
4) Click on your group assignment to start a new thread.
5) Click on "New Response."
6) Enter the topic of your comment in the "Document Title" box.
7) Post your comment(s) in the "Message Content" box.
8) Click on "Submit."
9) Exit by clicking on the "X" or click on  "Back" to make another comment.
10) If you wish to respond to another student's comment, click on the title of the comment on the screen where the groups and comments are listed.
11) Click on "New Response" and follow the above directions (##4-7).



GROUP ASSIGNMENTS.

There will be three threaded discussions throughout the summer. Each threaded discussion will be worth ten (10) points. Each of the ten (10) blocks will be added to one of the examinations. Thus, Exam 1 (90 points) + Threaded Discussion 1 (10 points) = 100 points for that examining period. To contribute to your group's threaded discussion, click on your group designated below after you have read the guidelines for accessing the appropriate group's page and making your contribution.

All cases are to be found in Newton and Schmidt, Wake Up Calls: Classic Cases in Business Ethics.

Please note that the composition of the groups changes with each round of threaded discussions. [Membership in the groups is the result of random selection.]
Links to the discussion groups will be connected (and disconnected) at the appropriate times.
 
 

Group 1
"Which Hat? Individual Responsibility and Organizational Decision Making: The Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster."
(Page 29)

[Discussion runs from
 through ]

Group 2
"How Foresighted? Feeding the Babies: Infant Formula in the Developing Countries."
(Page 61)
 

[Discussion runs from
though ]

Group 3
"How Safe? Safety, Risk, and Responsibility: The Case of the Ford Pinto."
(Page 47)
 

[Discussion runs from
 though ]

Group 4
"How Aggressive? Wall Street in Jail: A Challenge to the Insiders."
(Page 83)
 

[Discussion runs from
through ]

Group 5
"How Clean? Obligations to a Great Lake: Reserve Mining at Silver Bay."
(Page 133)
 

[Discussion runs from
 through ]

Group 6
"How to Deal with Hostility? The Right to Equal Respect: Sexual Harassment in the Workplace."
(Page 119)
 
 

[Discussion runs from
 through ]

Group 7"How Tough? Like a Rock: Tobacco's Last Stand."
(Page 153)
 

[Discussion runs from
 through ]

Group 8
"How Vigilant? Someone Should be Watching: The S&L Crisis and the Accounting Profession."
(Page 103)

[Discussion runs from
 through ]

Group 9
"How Ethical? A Commitment of Faith: Responsible Care."
(Page 177)
 

[Discussion runs from
 through ]

REMEMBER THAT THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A DISCUSSION SO YOU SHOULD NOT JUST SIT AT YOUR COMPUTER AND MAKE A SERIES OF COMMENTS AT THE SAME TIME. SPACE YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS OVER THE PERIOD OF THE DISCUSSIONS.