OLS 520: Comparative Perspectives on Business & Society

1. OLS 520: Comparative Perspectives on Business & Society Tonight • Personal Introductions • Course overview • Discussion of “Why Some MBAs are Reading Plato, Kant” • The environment of business • Four views of free market capitalism

2. OLS 520: Comparative Perspectives on Business & Society Course Description & Objectives • To develop a broad understanding of the role of business in American society • To understand the global free market economic system, how it developed, and what the alternatives are • To equip you to better serve the common good by sharpening your perspective on your individual career role • To develop skills in critical thinking and analysis through class discussion and written analysis of assigned readings

3. OLS 520: Comparative Perspectives on Business & Society Some key assumptions of the course • Business is the central organizing institution of the modern technological society • The purpose of an economic system and of business is to meet the material needs of society • The economic system that has historically been the greatest generator of aggregate wealth is free market capitalism, but . . . • A person’s view of the role of business in society - is critical to an effective democracy - does affect how we do our work

4. OLS 520: Comparative Perspectives on Business & Society Course Structure • The environment of business in the 21st century • The evolution of the global free market economic system • Assessing the global free market economic system • Trust: The core value of the free market system

5. OLS 520: Comparative Perspectives on Business & Society Course Projects & Assignments • Class preparation and participation • Participation in electronic discussion forums • Essays and other short writing assignments • Books and readings

6. OLS 520: Comparative Perspectives on Business & Society Reading maketh a full man; speaking a ready man; writing an exact man. Francis Bacon (1561-1626)

7. “Why Some MBAs are Reading Plato, Kant” What ideas in the article strike strike you the most?

8. “Why Some MBAs are Reading Plato, Kant” What are the purposes of the MBA courses described in the article and are these legitimate topics to consider in an MBA program?

9. “Why Some MBAs are Reading Plato, Kant” Can we tell from the article what the author’s viewpoint on inclusion of these topics in MBA programs is?

10. The Environment of Business • What forces in society have a major impact on business? • What type of impact do those forces have on business? • How has business responded to these forces? • How have these forces affected your job?

11. The Environment of Business

12. Four Views of Free-Market Capitalism • Karl Marx: Capitalism is an irredeemably corrupt and immoral economic system which cannot exist without enriching a few by exploiting the labor of the many.

13. Four Views of Free-Market Capitalism • Friedrich Hayek: Capitalism is the pinnacle of economic systems and includes all the principles by which society should be governed.

14. Four Views of Free-Market Capitalism • Daniel Yergin & Joseph Stanislaw: Capitalism is currently the only game in town, is the economic system that generates the greatest amount of wealth, but needs to prove that it benefits all members of society.

15. Four Views of Free-Market Capitalism • Sir Brian Griffiths: Affirms the morality of the market based on biblical teaching, but argues that the operation of the market should not be viewed as an autonomous process and must be hedged by biblical principles of love, economic justice, personal responsibility, and compassion.

16. Topic and Assignment for Next Class The Purpose of Business: Its Stakeholders and their Claims Reading due “What’s a Business For?” “The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase its Profits”