Bus 3305 Business Law And Ethics

BUS 3305: BUSINESS LAW AND ETHICS

Course Description:

This course introduces the student to law and ethics as they apply in a business environment. The intent of this course is to develop in the student a general understanding of basic legal principles and how they affect the conduct of business on a practical level. While common law legal systems and that of the United States in particular are used to demonstrate the interaction of law and business, the principles introduced here assist in developing a general approach to business law and ethics. Topics include an introduction to law in general, litigation and alternatives to litigation, criminal law, torts and contracts, property law, employment law and business ethics. The interaction of law and business disciplines, such as management, finance, human resources, accounting, and sale and marketing is emphasized.

Required Textbook and Materials:

The main required textbooks for this course are listed below, and can be readily accessed using the provided links. There may be additional required/recommended readings, supplemental materials, or other resources and websites necessary for lessons; these will be provided for you in the course’s General Information and Forums area, and throughout the term via the weekly course Unit areas and the Learning Guides.

Lau, T. & Johnson, L. (2011). The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business (Vol. 1). Flat World Knowledge. This textbook can be downloaded here.
Software Requirements/Installation: If you have your own computer, it is recommended that you download and install the OpenOffice Suite. It may be accessed via http://www.openoffice.org. If you are accessing the Internet from a shared computer (for instance, a computer at a library or Internet cafe), please use Google Docs instead. You may sign up for a free Google account at http://docs.google.com. All written assignments may be completed using one of these two free resources.

Students are also encouraged to sign up for an account with Twitter (http://www.twitter.com) and to post micro-blogs that are interesting and relevant to the course using the hashtag #bu1201. To use hashtags, you will need to follow hashtags by going to this URL: http://www.twitter.com/hashtags. To follow postings by your classmates or instructors, search on #bu1201.

Learning Objectives and Outcomes:

By the end of this course students will be able to:

1. Apply the basic concepts and principles of the law as they apply to a business environment.
2. Describe how basic legal relationships with their associated duties and rights are formed and the potential consequences of those relationships.
3. Evaluate the legal significance of various situations that arise in business relationships and transactions.
4. Evaluate common ethical problems that arise in a business environment.

Course Schedule and Topics: This course will cover the following topics in eight learning sessions, with one Unit per week. The Final Exam will take place during Week/Unit 9.

Week 1: Unit 1 – Introduction to the Law

Week 2: Unit 2 – Litigation, ADR, and Criminal Law

Week 3: Unit 3 – Tort Law

Week 4: Unit 4 – Contracts

Week 5: Unit 5 – Property Law

Week 6: Unit 6 – Employment Law

Week 7: Unit 7 – Business Organizations

Week 8: Unit 8 – Business Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility

Week 9: Unit 9 – Course Review and Final Exam