Essential Business MOOCs In September

Unethical Decision-Making in Organizations

 

School: University of Lausanne

Platform: Coursera

Registration Link: Unethical Decision Making in Companies

Start Date: September 15, 2015 (7 Weeks)

Workload: 5-7 Hours Per Week

Instructor: Guido Palazzo and Ulrich Hoffrage

Credentials: Palazzo, who holds a Ph.D. in philosophy, teaches business ethics at the University of Lausanne (Switzerland). Along with ethical decision-making, his research centers on globalization and human rights. Hoffrage teaches decision theory at the University of Lausanne, where he also conducts research on “cognitive illusions, risk communication, and consumer decision-making.”

Graded: By completing the course, students can earn a signed Statement of Accomplishment from the instructor.

Description: “I could never do that.” Ever say that after reading about executive fraud in the business pages? Well, don’t be too sure. Anyone can break the rules. That’s the theme of this course, which examines the conditions under which good people will compromise their values. According to this course, the willingness to bend the rules is sometimes a long process, where leaders and front-line employees gradually become “ethically blind” to corrupt practices due to their cultural environment, peers, and routines. Pulling from disciplines like management, psychology, and philosophy, students will learn how institutional power and context can shape their decision-making, so they can avoid pitfalls that have ruined many careers. The course consists of video lectures, live discussions, and discussion forums, where students can share their own experiences with unethical business practices. Students will be evaluated on homework assignments, particularly essays.

Review: “Genuinely fascinating and enlightening. I really enjoyed the lectures and felt like I understood better how terrible decisions can be made by good people, and some ways to guard against it. Highly recommended!” For additional reviews, click here.

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