Communication and Marketing Ethics

The purpose of this course is to familiarize students with the main debates and theories in the fields of ethics and business ethics in order to enable them to think critically about these matters for their future profession in communication and marketing. Moreover, this course aims at supplying students with principles and tools to be used in dealing with ethical issues. The course takes a global perspective, which is deemed appropriate in today’s global economy, communication and marketing landscapes.

The purpose of this course is to familiarize students with the main debates and theories in the fields of ethics and business ethics in order to enable them to think critically about these matters for their future profession in communication and marketing. Moreover, this course aims at supplying students with principles and tools to be used in dealing with ethical issues. The course takes a global perspective, which is deemed appropriate in today’s global economy, communication and marketing landscapes.
The course is structured in two parts. In the first part students will be involved in a series of class discussions, simulations and case studies that will allow them to understand principles of utilitarian ethics and its application to communication, marketing and business.  In the second part, students will be involved in an in-depth class simulation that will allow them to understand daily working-related that imply reflections at two levels of ethics: the deontological ethics and virtue ethics 

Part I (Day 1 , Day 2)
By the end of part 1 students will be able to:
•    Understand what is utilitarian ethics and how it applies to communication and marketing 
•    Apply utilitarian ethics principles in order to map ethical initiatives of a business
•    Support ethical consumerism and circular economy by undertaking a utilitarian perspective

Part II (Day 3, Day 4)
•    Understand virtue ethics and deontological ethics and how they apply to communication and marketing.
•    Manage communication and marketing issues through a deontological and virtue ethics (e.g.  ethical approach to compliance, accountability, outsourcing, oversees bribery, CEO and board engagement, suppliers and supply chain social risks.
•    Build from zero a department that facilitates ethical decision making in communication and marketing.

• Good health and well-being
• Quality education
• Gender equality
• Decent work and economic growth
• Industry, innovation and infrastructure
• Reduced inequalities
• Responsible consumption and production
• Peace, justice and strong institutions

In presence

Theory driven lectures combined with LABS and class simulations .

80% of presence in the course is required.

•    Class Computer Simulation (team) 30% 
•    Take home Exam (individual) 70%

A bonus of 0.5 point for very high-quality level participation in class will be provided to those students. Only those students who reaches more than 35 points for participation overall the whole course will be considered for the bonus point.

Readings
•    Mintzberg, H. (1984). Who Should Control the Corporation? California Management Review, 27(1), 90–115. (uploaded in moodle)
•    Seeger, M. and Kuhn, T., (2011) Communication Ethics and Organizational Contexts: Divergent Values and Moral Puzzles. Handbook of Communication Ethics, Chapter 11. 166.189  (available at the library of USI)
•    Dahl and Waehning-Org (2015) Ethical Consumption: In Eagle L. and Dahl S. (Eds)  Marketing Ethics and Society, Sage, pp.117-140 (Chapter 6)  (available at the library of USI)
•    Esposito, M., Tse, T. and Soufani, K. (2018) "Introducing a circular economy: new thinking with new managerial and policy implications." California Management Review, 60(3): 5-19 (uploaded in moodle)
•    Smith, N. C., Drumwright, M. E., & Gentile, M. C. (2010). The New Marketing Myopia. Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 29(1), 4–11. (uploaded in moodle)
•    Chandler, D (2016). Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility: Sustainable Value Creation. Sage.   pp. 263 - 279  (uploaded in moodle
•    Jensen, J. (1997):  Ethical Issues in the Communication Process. pp. 36-48 (Chapter 3) and  pp 62-87(chapter 5)   (uploaded in moodle)
•    L’Etang, J. (2011): Ethical Issues of Public Relations and Marketing. Handbook of Communication Ethics, (Chapter 14) 221-241. (Available at USI library)
•    Chandler, D (2014). Accountability, Chapter 9, pp. 180 – 190 (Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility: Sustainable Value Creation) (uploaded in moodle)
Case studies
•    K-Tai Simulation 
•    Sustainability at IKEA Group (515033-PDF-ENG) 
•    Multimedia Computer simulation: The Lake Simulation (DG1-462-I-M)