ILROB 4760 - Morality at Work

Spring. 3 credits. Letter grades only.

V. Bohns.

In this course, we will review fundamental principles of moral psychology and apply these principles to organizational contexts. Drawing from real-world cases, such as the Ford Pinto recall (1978), the “McLibel” case (1997), and the Enron scandal (2001), we will explore questions such as: How do organizations balance concerns with social responsibility and profit? What psychological biases contribute to organizational corruption? How do you create an ethical organizational culture? Course materials will consist of a mix of primary research papers, popular media articles, cases, and multimedia content.

Specific topics and broader conceptual questions include:

Evolutionary perspectives on morality (Are we hardwired for morality?)
Moral emotions (Why are we literally disgusted by immoral behavior?)
Moral conviction (Why is it so difficult for liberals and conservatives to see eye to eye?)
Taboo tradeoffs (Why isn’t there a free market for organs?)
Morality in marketing (What responsibility do advertisers have to the public?)
Moral licensing (How do we justify unethical behavior?)
Money, power, and morality (Do money and power corrupt?)