BE439 Course Work 2 – Essay
Drawing on Rhodes' (2023) article "The Ethics of Organizational Ethics", write an essay exploring the tensions between formal organisational ethics programs and employees' lived ethical experiences in contemporary organisations. Your essay should critically examine how organisations attempt to shape ethical behaviour through formal codes and policies and analyse the ethical dilemmas and experiences that may arise for individuals within these organisations as a result.
Your essay must include:
1. A critical analysis of Rhodes' (2023) key arguments regarding the "ethics of ethics" and their implications for understanding organisational ethics.
2. A critical examination of two real organizations and their approaches to organisational ethics.
3. Integration of other 3 articles/chapters (of your choice) used in this Module. You should research and critically discuss:
a) The organizations' formal ethics programs, codes of conduct, and/or ethical policies
b) Specific incidents or cases that illustrate ethical challenges or dilemmas within these organisations
c) How these real-world examples relate to Rhodes' (2023) theoretical framework
4. A discussion of the tensions between formal organisational ethics and individual ethical experiences, drawing on Rhodes' (2023) concepts such as:
a) The "aporia" or contradiction between ethical aspirations and organisational imperatives
b) The passive and pre-subjective nature of ethical responsibility
c) The relationship between ethics and justice in organisational contexts.
5. A critical reflection on the implications of Rhodes' (2023) arguments for improving ethical practices in organisations. Consider how organisations might foster more authentic and empowering approaches to ethics.
Guidance:
· Your essay should demonstrate a clear understanding of Rhodes' (2023) and the 3 articles/chapters (of your choice) used in this Module's theoretical frameworks and apply it thoughtfully to your chosen 2 organizations.
· Use at least 10 additional reputable sources (academic journals, quality news outlets, organizational reports) to research your chosen organization and their ethical practices/challenges.
· Include proper citations and a reference list in Harvard style.
· Structure your essay with a clear introduction (including a thesis statement), well-organized body paragraphs (using headings), a conclusion summarizing your key arguments, and a reference list.
· Critically engage with the material, offering your own insights and analysis rather than merely describing concepts or events.
o Word Count: between 2,300 and 2,500 words (without the reference list).
o Use Arial or Times New Roman, 12pt font, double-spaced.
Assessment Criteria:
· Understanding and application of Rhodes' (2023) and the 3 other article/chapters theoretical frameworks (30 points)
· Quality of research and analysis of chosen organization examples (25 points)
· Critical thinking and originality of insights (20 points)
· Essay structure, clarity of expression, and academic writing style. (15 points)
· Proper referencing and adherence to word count (10 points)
Total: 100 (Weighting: 60% of the total module mark)
Important notes and instructions:
1. Use Microsoft Word document (.doc or .docx) for submission.
6. All coursework must be submitted via FASER by the published date. Details are available on Moodle and in your student handbook. More information concerning late submission of coursework or absence from in-class tests can be found here: Course: EBS Colchester Undergraduate Information, Card: Coursework Submission Information (essex.ac.uk) and https://www.essex.ac.uk/student/attendance-and-engagement/absence
2. The overall quality of your writing may affect your mark. You should, therefore, aim to present your ideas in an organized manner and demonstrate coherence in your argument.
3. The assessment will follow the criteria indicated in the EBS Marking Scheme (see Moodle), considering the coverage and analysis developed in the assignment.
4. More information regarding academic offences can be found here: https://www.essex.ac.uk/student/exams-and-coursework/about-academic-offences
5. Students requiring support may contact the EBS learning team: [email protected]
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BE439 Business Ethics Essay Marking Criteria
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Criteria
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Excellent (70%+)
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Very good (60-70%)
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Good (50-60%)
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Weak (40-50%)
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Weakest (below 40%)
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Understanding and application of Rhodes' (2023) and other theoretical frameworks
(30 points)
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Demonstrates exceptional understanding of Rhodes' (2023) key arguments and their implications. Critically applies the theoretical frameworks from Rhodes and 3 other chosen articles/chapters with originality and insight. Provides a nuanced analysis of the tensions between formal organizational ethics and individual ethical experiences.
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Very good understanding of Rhodes' (2023) arguments and other theoretical frameworks. Applies theories effectively to analyse organizational ethics. Shows good critical engagement with the material.
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Good understanding of Rhodes' (2023) and other theoretical frameworks. Applies theories to discuss organizational ethics but may lack depth in critical analysis.
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Basic understanding of Rhodes' (2023) and other theories but limited ability to apply them to organizational ethics. Analysis tends to be descriptive rather than critical.
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Minimal understanding of Rhodes' (2023) and other theoretical frameworks. Unable to apply theories effectively to organizational ethics.
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Quality of research and analysis of chosen company examples
(25 points)
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Provides in-depth, critical analysis of two real companies and their approaches to organizational ethics. Effectively integrates specific incidents or cases to illustrate ethical challenges. Demonstrates excellent research skills, using a wide range of relevant and credible sources.
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Very good analysis of two companies and their ethical approaches. Good use of specific incidents to illustrate challenges. Demonstrates good research skills with a range of relevant sources.
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Good analysis of companies and their ethical approaches may lack depth in some areas. Some use of specific incidents. Adequate research with mostly relevant sources.
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Limited analysis of companies and their ethical approaches. Few specific incidents were used. Limited research with some irrelevant or unreliable sources.
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Superficial or no analysis of companies. No specific incidents were used. Poor research with few or no relevant sources.
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Critical thinking and originality of insights
(20 points)
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Demonstrates exceptional critical thinking skills, offering original insights on the implications of Rhodes' (2023) arguments for improving ethical practices in organizations. Provides thoughtful reflection on fostering authentic and empowering approaches to ethics.
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Very good critical analysis of implications for ethical practices. Offers some original insights and well-supported arguments for improving organizational ethics.
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Good attempt at critically analysing implications but may lack depth or originality in some areas. Some suggestions for improving ethical practices.
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Limited critical analysis of implications. Few original insights. Weak or superficial suggestions for improving ethical practices.
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Minimal evidence of critical thinking. No original insights offered. Unable to suggest improvements for ethical practices.
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Essay structure, clarity of expression, and academic writing style.
(15 points)
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Excellent structure, a clear introduction (including a thesis statement), well-organized body paragraphs (using headings), and a strong conclusion. Exceptional clarity in writing, with sophisticated use of academic language. Demonstrates mastery of academic writing conventions.
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Very well-structured essay with clear sections. Very good clarity in writing and appropriate use of academic language. Minor issues in academic writing conventions.
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Good overall structure, but some sections may lack clear organization. Generally clear writing style. with mostly appropriate use of academic language. Some issues with academic writing conventions.
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Basic structure present but lacks clear organization in some areas. Writing style. is sometimes unclear or informal. Inconsistent use of academic language and conventions.
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Poor structure with little logical flow of ideas. Writing is unclear and informal. Inappropriate use of language for academic writing. Many errors in academic conventions.
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Proper referencing and adherence to the guidelines
(10 points)
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Impeccable use of Harvard referencing style. throughout. Adheres precisely to all the guidelines.
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Very good use of Harvard referencing with minor errors. It follows most guidelines.
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Good use of Harvard referencing with some inconsistencies. It follows the main guidelines with some minor oversights.
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Inconsistent use of Harvard referencing with several errors. Several guidelines were not followed.
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Poor or no use of Harvard referencing. Most of the guidelines were not followed.
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