Monthly Subscription Starting at AED 99 + VAT
- Level Foundation
- Duration 20 hours
- Course by University of Lausanne
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Offered by
About
This course 'Unethical decision making in organizations : A seminar on the dark side of the force' will teach you how strong organizational contexts push good people towards unethical decisions. You will also learn how to protect yourself and your organization against such forces lurking in the dark. About the Course This course teaches how narrow frames and strong contexts can push good people towards unethical decisions and how they can protect themselves and their organization against ethical blindness. The goal of this course is to empower the participants to analyze the risks of unethical or illegal behavior that might be triggered by powerful contexts. It draws from various disciplines such as management, psychology, sociology, philosophy, and literature, in order to learn what these disciplines contribute to a better understanding of unethical behavior. The course also analyzes some of the most prominent organizational scandals of the recent decades through the lenses of these disciplines. Whenever we hear about ethical scandals, we tend to believe that unethical or illegal behaviour in organizations is driven by character deficiencies of individual actors. Put differently, we simply assume that bad things are done by bad people. However, numerous corporate scandals have demonstrated that even people with a high level of integrity can break the rules if they are put into a strong context. A better understanding of why and under what conditions good people make bad ethical decisions will enable us to better protect individuals as well as their respective organizations against the potentially overwhelming power of the context. It will also enable us to cure societies from problems like corruption. At the end of the course, you are able to: 1. Explain the impact of social context on individual decision making using various theories (from Management, Sociology, Psychology, and Philosophy) 2. Apply these theories to the analysis of some of the most eminent organizational scandals of the recent decades 3. Assess risks of ethical blindness in your own organizational context 4. Design interventions to reduce such risks for yourself and your organization Recommended Background No background expertise is required. The course is open for interested layperson as well as experts who work on related topics, be it as researchers or practitioners (e.g., compliance managers in corporations). Why is this course important for me? Currently, the understanding of why good people make unethical decisions is rather limited, related research is rather fragmented, and the management of such problems in organizations is overly simplistic, legalistic, and inadequate. Understanding contexts, including the dangers of routines, the mindlessness of our daily decisions, and the healing power of mindful decision-making routines is of increasing importance. In this course, you will learn the latest knowledge and the appropriate tool box for dealing with ethical challenges that you will face throughout your life! What do I need to follow this course? We build bridges between various scientific disciplines and will familiarize you with those disciplines smoothly. You need no expertise, just come and share your own real-world experiences about unethical decisions. After all, we are all experts in making decisions—some more ethically, some less ethically—aren’t we?Modules
Course guidelines
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3
Readings
3
Readings
- Syllabus and Grading policies
- Discussion forum guidelines
- Our stance on Plagiarism
About us
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2
Readings
2
Readings
- Instructors
- Development team
Week 1
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3
Videos
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5
Readings
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2
Assignment
2
Assignment
- Quiz 1
- Ethical dilemma assignment
3
Videos
- 1.1 - Introduction to the course
- 1.2 - A little history of Evil
- 1.3 - Dilemma - How to make ethical decisions
5
Readings
- Getting started : Meet and Greet !
- Learning Outcomes and Assignments
- Suggested discussions
- Additional readings
- To read before starting Ethical Dilemma assignment
Presentation
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5
Videos
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2
Readings
5
Videos
- 2.1 - The Emperor's new clothes I
- 2.2 - The Emperor's new clothes II
- 2.3 - The story of the Ford Pinto
- 2.4 - The concept of ethical blindness I
- 2.5 - The concept of ethical blindness II
2
Readings
- Learning Outcomes
- Additional readings
Presentation
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4
Videos
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3
Readings
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1
Assignment
1
Assignment
- Quiz Week 3
4
Videos
- 3.1 - How People Make Sense of Their World
- 3.2 - The Enron Story
- 3.3 - Lehman Brothers and the Power of Language
- 3.4 - The Power of Langage
3
Readings
- Learning Outcomes and assignment
- Suggested discussions
- Additional readings
Presentation
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5
Videos
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3
Readings
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1
Assignment
1
Assignment
- Quiz Week 4
5
Videos
- 4.1 - Simple Heuristics
- 4.1.bis - Simple Heuristics Part II
- 4.2 - Organizing for Ethical Blindness Part I
- 4.3 - Organizing for Ethical Blindness Part II
- 4.4 - Gunfire at Sea - When Habits are Stronger Than Reason
3
Readings
- Learning Outcomes and Assignment
- Suggested discussions
- Additional readings
Presentation
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3
Videos
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2
Readings
3
Videos
- 5.1 - The Power of Strong Situations
- 5.2 - The Challenger Case
- 5.3 - Fear and Unethical Decision Making
2
Readings
- Learning Outcomes
- Additional readings and videos
Presentation
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5
Videos
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3
Readings
5
Videos
- 6.1 - Shifting Baselines – The Impact of Time on Decisions
- 6.2 - The Power of Institutions
- 6.3 - The Ideological Power of Capitalism
- Types of Unethical Behavior Part I
- Types of Unethical Behavior Part II
3
Readings
- Learning Outcomes
- Suggested discussions
- Additional readings and videos
Presentation
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4
Videos
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3
Readings
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1
Assignment
1
Assignment
- Quiz Week 7
4
Videos
- 7 - Nudging
- 7.1 - Mindfulness and Moral Stretching Part I
- 7.2 - Mindfulness and Moral Stretching Part II
- 7.3 - How to Protect Organizations against Ethical Blindness
3
Readings
- Learning Outcomes and Assignments
- Suggested discussions
- Additional readings and videos
Final assignment
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2
Readings
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1
PeerReview
1
Peer Review
- Final assignment
2
Readings
- To read before starting your final assignment
- Example of essays
Auto Summary
"Unethical Decision Making in Organizations" offers a unique journey into understanding how strong organizational contexts can lead well-intentioned individuals to make unethical decisions. This course is designed for anyone interested in personal development and is particularly relevant for professionals such as compliance managers, researchers, and practitioners in related fields. Guided by expert insights from Coursera, this foundational course spans 1200 minutes of engaging content. It draws on interdisciplinary perspectives from management, psychology, sociology, philosophy, and literature to provide a comprehensive understanding of unethical behavior within organizations. Learners will explore the social contexts that influence decision-making, analyze major organizational scandals, and develop strategies to mitigate ethical risks in their own environments. The course is accessible to all, requiring no prior expertise, and encourages participants to share their real-world experiences. By the end, you will be equipped to explain the impact of social contexts on decisions, apply theoretical insights to real cases, assess ethical risks, and design interventions to foster ethical decision-making within your organization. With a Starter subscription option, this course empowers you to understand and manage the complexities of ethical challenges, making it an invaluable resource for anyone looking to navigate and improve ethical standards in their professional and personal lives. Join now to protect yourself and your organization from the dark forces of unethical decision-making.
Guido Palazzo
Ulrich Hoffrage