Course Syllabus

Barry University

Adrian Dominican School of Education

OLL Ed.D.  Program – Miami Shores. FL

 

ADL 739 01 - Ethical Issues in Leadership            

 

CLASS TIME: Fridays (asynch)/Saturdays                professor: David M Kopp, PhD

CLASS LOCATION: Pembroke Pines                       OFFICE: Miami Shores Campus

COURSE DURATION: 2017 Fall Semester              PHONE: 305-899-3708                             

CREDITS: 3 Semester Hours – Doctoral Level          E-MAIL: dkopp@barry.edu

 

           

COURSE DATES:   8/25-26

9/8– 9/9

9/22-9/23

9/29-9/30

10/13-10/14

 

 

COURSE SYLLABUS

 

CATALOG DESCRIPTION

 

This course provides ethical frameworks and components in leadership experiences in organizational settings, including education systems and public service organizations. It provides opportunities to interpret, apply, and evaluate theoretical frameworks, resources for choices, and impacts of decisions.

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION

 

In this course, students will learn about leadership by studying ethics. The course will examine the ethics of what leaders are, what they do, and how they do it. Students will assess the public and private morality of leaders, the moral obligations of leaders and followers, the ways in which leaders shape the moral environment. This course will examine ethical issues related to leadership through case studies concerning leaders in a variety of contexts and cultures. Since this is an applied ethics course, students will discuss, analyze and write case studies where they will apply philosophic concepts of ethics to real problems in leadership.

 

COURSE RATIONALE

 

The course rests on the assumption that leadership is a subset of ethics rather than ethics being a subset of leadership studies. This course is therefore intended for students to examine leaders’ behaviors through an ethical lens.  The course will delve into the moral decision-making process and the role of ethics in leadership. Students can expect to focus on the importance of understanding ethics in leadership and education.

 

COURSE OBJECTIVES

 

1. Explore the ethical complexities of leadership.
2. Synthesize theories and models of leadership from an ethical/moral perspective.
3. Situate the practices of ethical behavior and leadership within both in contemporary organizational contexts and education systems.
4. Analyze, evaluate and synthesize practical applications of ethics in leadership.

COURSE OUTCOMES

 

At the conclusion of this course, students will be able to do the following:

• Integrate ethics into various leadership and management concepts and practices.
• Articulate the responsibilities of leaders to be ethical.
• Appreciate alternative opinions, values, beliefs and reasoning processes when resolving ethical dilemmas, demonstrating effective leadership or practicing social responsibility.

 

MISSION ALIGNMENT

 

This course aligns with the Barry University Core Commitment I, Knowledge and Truth, by providing a platform for students to dialogue, reflect, practice, and critique the ethical complexities of leadership while understanding how the concept of ethical leadership is concerned with the truth. It is imperative that leaders make decisions that support the common good in order to create equity within society.

 

  

TECHNICAL TEXT

 

APA (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association.

             Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

 

COURSE ASSIGNMENTS

 

*ETHICAL LEADERSHIP INTERVIEW (1)

 

For this assignment, students are to select a current or former administrator or manager to conduct an interview asking the following 10 questions:

 

Question #1 – During your lifetime, which people have had the most influence on the development of your ethical standards of behavior?  Please explain.

 

Question #2 – What ethical values do you look for when hiring new staff? Please explain.

 

Question #3 – Why is it important for a leader to be perceived as being ethical by his/her  followers? Please explain.

 

Question #4 – How have your ethical values changed, if at all, over your lifetime? What factors caused those changes to take place? Please explain.

 

Question #5 – In what ways can a leader promote ethical behavior among his/her followers? Please explain.

 

Question #6 – What ethical values would you never consider compromising upon regardless of the situation or circumstances? Please explain.

 

Question #7 – In what ways can a leader minimize or prevent unethical behavior among his/her followers? Please explain.

 

Question #8 – When people think of you, what ethical values do you think come to their minds? Please explain.

 

Question #9 – What should be the consequences for either a leader or follower who behaves in an unethical manner? Please explain.

 

Question #10 - What are some of the major ethical issues that face a leader, like you, in your type of organization? Please explain.

 

For the interview, prepare a cover page and include a short biographical introduction to the leader being interviewed. If the leader wishes confidentiality/anonymity and/or if he/she wishes not to answer a particular question, that is at his/her discretion.

 

Number their responses to each of the questions. Paraphrasing their responses is fine. There is no need to rewrite the actual questions in the paper since the number of their responses tells the instructor which questions are being addressed.

 

Finally and most importantly, at the end of this interview, the student is to summarize and analyze in a one or two paragraphs what are the most important things that he/she learned as a result of conducting this interview with this leader.

 

The due date for this assignment is 9/23/17. Please submit this assignment as a Word document in Canvas.

 

 

STUDENT-LEAD ETHICAL ISSUE CLASS DISCUSSIONS (3)

 

Students will be given the opportunity to lead on different class discussions, lasting a maximum of 15 minutes each, on ethical issues that arise which are either related to their particular work setting and/or are related to their particular profession or type of work.

 

Students should include within their discussions the nature of the ethical issue, the reason for it being an issue in the first place, what has been done to address the issue and to what degree of success, and how would they specifically handle the issue as a leader.

 

*REFLECTIVE & ANALYTICAL COURSE PAPER (4)

 

For this assignment, students are to write a 5-6 page paper of content (excluding cover page and reference section) on one or a combination of more than one of the following topics. The paper is to be written according to APA style and include at least five professional references, e.g., journal articles, conference papers (ERIC), and/or scholarly books. Students need to indicate by number which topic(s) is(are) being addressed.

 

#1 It is normally assumed both in practice and in the literature that effective leadership and effective organizations are based upon a foundation of ethical leadership. Discuss whether or not you agree or disagree with this point of view and the reasons for your position.

 

#2 In your opinion, what theory or theories of leadership are especially conducive to the operation of an organizations in an ethical manner? Please state your reasons for your position.

 

#3 Assume that you have been recently hired as a consultant to aide an organization in the establishment and maintenance of an ethical climate and culture. What specific recommendations would you convey to their leadership to help such an organization with accomplishing such goals?

 

 

The due date for this assignment is 10/14/17. Please submit this assignment as a Word document in Canvas.

 

 

 

 

 

GRADING

           

Assignments                                                 Potential  Points

 

Course Paper                                                   30 pts

Ethical Leadership Interview                            20 pts

Discussion Board for articles                            20 pts

Ethical Issue Presentation                                30 pts

Grand Total                                                      100 pts

         

Final Grading scale will be as follows:

 

Total Points	Grade
100-90	A
89-80	B
79-70	C
69 or below	F

 

                                                                                                   

 

 

 

ADDITIONAL COURSE REQUIREMENTS & EXPECTATIONS

 

INCOMPLETE GRADE

 

A student who is passing a course, but has not completed all the required work because of extenuating circumstances (e.g., accident, severe or long-term illness, and death in the immediate family) may, at the discretion of the instructor, receive a grade of incomplete (“I”).  The grade of incomplete is neither passing nor failing, and is not used in computing a student’s grade point average; it indicates a grade deferred.  Work must be submitted no later than two weeks before the end of the semester following the semester in which the course was taken.

 

The grade of “I” is not to be used to allow students to do extra work or subsequently to raise   

the grade earned during the regular semester the course was taken.  The student is responsible 

for making arrangements with the instructor for the timely completion of the work through   

the completion of the Incomplete Agreement form (available in P144).  The course

instructor will record in writing the work that must be completed for a final grade and the

time frame for completion as noted on the form.  Should the work not be submitted or

completed within the agreed upon timeframes, the “Incomplete” grade will automatically

be converted to an “F.”

     

CLASS ATTENDANCE & PUNCTUALITY

 

Habitual absenteeism may result in a lowering of a student's overall final evaluation for this course. Students are advised not to register for this course if the students know that they will be frequently absent from this course. As a professional courtesy, students should contact the instructor in the event of an unavoidable tardiness for or absence from class. Class attendance is taken every class session by the instructor. Students are still responsible for all content and materials covered in class and for any assignments that were due during their absence.

 

 

PROFESSIONAL ENGAGEMENT

 

Students are expected to engage in the various class activities. It is believed that each student has something valuable to share with others and that their participation enhances the academic environment and learning experience of everyone involved with this course. At the same time, the instructor is cognizant of the fact that each student has a distinctive style of class participation. It is expected that students will come to class prepared to contribute to the learning of others. This entails the timely completion of required readings and written assignments and participation in class discussions, activities, and presentations. Moreover, students are requested that their participation should be directed in a positive, constructive, non-monopolistic, and focused manner.

 

ACADEMIC HONESTY

 

It is expected that each student will review, understand, and comply with all aspects of the Barry University Academic Dishonesty Policy—specifically as it relates to cheating and plagiarism.  Any violation of this Policy will result in a grade of “F.” See Barry University Graduate Catalog for additional information.

 

           

APPOINTMENTS

 

During established office hours, students are free to meet with the instructor by means of   a scheduled appointment. Please remember to schedule your appointments in advance.

 

           

COURSE MODIFICATION/FLEXIBILITY CLAUSE

 

The professor reserves the right to modify the course at any time based on situation and  

need. Students will receive notification of any such modification.

 

 Integrating Technology

 

The professor will communicate with students via Barry and/or personal email accounts, and students will be responsible for the contents of such emails. Therefore, students who do not check their Barry and/or personal email accounts on a regular basis may have mail from those accounts forwarded to another account of their choice. In general, your student Mymail address is your first name.last name plus @mymail.barry.edu (for example johnny.abrams@mymail.barry.edu).

 

In order to check your Mymail, first log onto the university through remote access. This is accomplished by entering webmail.barry.edu  into your browser URL address. You will need your username and password to access your email.  This is the same username and password you normally use to logon to the University’s system. 

 

In addition, Internet research may be required and instruction regarding accessing  

resources on-line will be integrated into the course.

 

Finally, Barry and/or personal email accounts will be used as the learning platform for this course, along with Canvas, in the sharing of instructional resources with the students, giving feedback and reporting grades on assignments, and the submission of assignments by students.

 

Late Assignments

 

All assignments must be completed in a professional and timely manner.  The grade on late written assignments may be lowered at the instructor’s discretion.  All assignments are due on the designated date and in the stated format. Exceptions will not be made unless there are extenuating circumstances, so deemed by the professor. All papers must be prepared according to APA style guidelines.

 

Methods of Instruction

 

The following instructional methodologies will be utilized in this course: lecture, small group/individual activities, student Power Point presentations, teamwork assignments, and class discussion.

 

Electronic Devices

 

Respect for the learning environment should include, but not be limited to, switching all cellular telephones to “vibrate” mode. Laptops are to be used for course-related work only.

 

Written Assignment Criteria

Written assignments for this course must be word-processed and formatted using APA guidelines [see Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association most current edition]. Be sure to use a 12 point font and to double-space the text per APA formatting guidelines. All assignments and course activities, including individual and group activities, will be evaluated relative to proper sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, and appearance.

CLASSROOM VISITORS

Students are expected to come to class prepared to participate fully in discussions, small group work, and other activities. To be an effective participant, honor the right of fellow students to a quality educational experience, and protect the safety of all. Students are not permitted to bring minor children or visitors to class sessions at the main Barry campus or off-site locations. 

 

 

 

 

RESOURCES:

 

Seminal works

 

Argyris, C. (1992). On organizational learning. Cambridge, MA: Blackwell Publishers.

 

Argyris, C. (2000). Flawed advice and the management trap: How managers can know when they’re getting good advice and when they’re not. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, Inc.

 

Argyris, C. (2010). Organizational traps: Leadership, culture, organizational design. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

 

Gilley, A. M., Callahan, J. L., & Bierema, L. L. (Eds.). (2003). Critical issues in HRD: A new agenda for the twenty-first century. Cambridge, MA: Perseus Books Group.

 

Hatcher, T. (2002). Ethics and HRD: A new approach to leading responsible organizations. New York, NY: Perseus Publishing Group.

 

Knowles, M. S., Holton, E. F., & Swanson, R. A. (2011). The adult learner (7^th ed.). Burlington, MA: Elsevier, Inc.

 

Kopp, D.M., Desiderio, K.P., McAtavey, J.M. (2010). When job aids attack: On the social history of dubious job aids. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 21(2): 209-221.

 

Kopp, D.M, Desiderio, K.P. (2009). Training's woeful countenance. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 20(1): 135-142.

 

Kopp, D.M. (2007). Rosie the riveter: A training perspective. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 18(4): 589-597.

 

Kopp, D.M. (2006). Trainer self-loathing? Human Resource Development Quarterly, 17 (3): 351-357.

 

McGuire, D., & Jorgensen, K. M. (2010). Human resource development: Theory and practice.

 

Rigg, C., Stewart, J., & Trehan, K. (Eds.). (2007). Critical human resource development: Beyond orthodoxy. Essex, England: Pearson Education Limited.

 

Rothwell, W. J. (2005). Beyond training and development: The groundbreaking classic on human performance enhancement (2^nd ed.). New York, NY: American Management Association.

 

Schein, E. H. (2010). Organizational culture and leadership (4^th ed.). San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

 

Senge, P. M. (1990). The fifth discipline: The art and practice of the learning organization. New York, NY: Doubleday.

 

Silberman, M. (2006). Active training: A handbook of techniques, designs, case examples, and tips (3^rd ed.). San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

 

Stolovitch, H. D., & Keeps, E. J. (2011). Telling ain’t training (2^nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: ASTD.

 

Swanson, R. A., & Holton, E. F. (2009). Foundations of human resource development (2^nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.

 

Truss, C., Delbridge, R., Alfes, K., Shantz, A., & Soane, E. (Eds.). (2014). Employee engagement in theory and practice. New York, NY: Routledge.

 

Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

 

 

Academic/Peer-Reviewed Journals:

 

Academy of Management Review

Academy of Management Journal

Advances in Developing Human Resources

Human Resource Development International

Human Resource Development Quarterly

Human Resource Development Review

Human Resource Management

Human Resource Management Journal

Human Resource Management Review

Journal of Management

Journal of Management Education

Journal of Management Studies

Journal of Organizational Behavior

Leadership Quarterly

Research and Practice in Human Resource Management

 

 

 

 Assessment Criteria

 

Graduate Writing Rubric

 

	Masterful 6 points A (26 – 30)	Competent 5 points B (21 – 25)	Adequate 4 points C (16 – 20)	Very Limited 3 points D (11 – 15)	Insufficient 2 points F (10 points/below)
Topic Development 25%	Masterful  development of content (focus, relevance, purpose, explanations); shows comprehensive knowledge of subject matter through full use/application of course concepts and terms.	Competent development of content (focus, relevance, purpose, explanations); appropriate use/application of course concepts & terms to show knowledge of subject matter.	Adequate development of content (focus, relevance, purpose, explanations); some use of course concepts and terms to show knowledge of subject matter.	Very limited development of content (focus, relevance, purpose, explanations); little use/application of course concepts and terms to show knowledge of subject matter.	Insufficient development of content (focus, relevance, purpose, explanations); no use/application of course concepts to show knowledge of subject matter.
Information Integration 25%	All of the ideas, opinions and perspectives of others were from credible sources and appropriate to the development of the paper. Sources were seamlessly integrated into the narrative.	Most of the ideas, opinions and perspectives of others were from credible sources and appropriate to the development of the paper. Few sources were questionable. The majority of sources were smoothly integrated into the narrative.	Some of the ideas, opinions and perspectives of others were from credible sources and appropriate to the development of the paper. Several sources were questionable. Some sources were smoothly integrated into the narrative.	Few of the ideas, opinions and perspectives of others were from credible sources and appropriate to the development of the paper. Multiple sources were questionable. Few sources were smoothly integrated into the narrative.	None of the ideas, opinions, and perspectives of others were from credible sources and appropriate to the development of the paper. All sources were questionable. None of the sources were smoothly integrated into the narrative.
Organization and Mechanics 25%	All paragraphs were organized around topic sentences and fully developed. All transitions were used effectively. All sentences were varied and well written. No major   grammatical errors throughout the paper, such as choppiness, lack of parallelism, sentence fragments, subject-verb agreement, etc. No spelling errors, comma errors, general punctuation errors, or pronoun errors.	Most paragraphs were organized around topic sentences and were well developed. Most transitions were adequate. Most sentences were varied and well written. No major   grammatical errors throughout the paper, such as choppiness, lack of parallelism, sentence fragments, subject-verb agreement, etc.). Few spelling errors, comma errors, general punctuation errors, or pronoun errors.	Some paragraphs were organized around topic sentences with some development. Some transitions were awkward. Sentences were only somewhat varied, and some sentences were awkward. One or two major grammatical errors throughout the paper, such as choppiness, lack of parallelism, sentence fragments, subject-verb agreement, etc. A number of spelling errors, comma errors, general punctuation errors, or pronoun errors.	Little paragraph organization. Transitions were poor. Most sentences followed the same pattern, and many were awkward and hard to understand. Few major   grammatical errors throughout the paper, such as choppiness, lack of parallelism, sentence fragments, subject-verb agreement, etc. A great number of spelling errors, comma errors, general punctuation errors, or pronoun errors.	Paragraphs had no organization or transitions and used no sentence variety. Several  major  grammatical errors throughout the paper, such as choppiness, lack of parallelism, sentence fragments, subject-verb agreement, etc. A great number of spelling errors, comma errors, general punctuation errors, or pronoun errors.
APA Style Formatting 10%	APA style used appropriately throughout the paper.	APA style used appropriately throughout most of the paper.	APA style used appropriately throughout some of the paper.	Limited evidence of APA style in paper.	APA style not evident in paper.
Overall Assessment of Writing Assignment 15%	Fully addresses all aspects of the writing assignment.	Addresses the writing assignment but does not fully develop all parts of the assignment. Some digression noted.	Addresses some parts of the assignment but often digresses throughout the assignment.	Writes within topic, but no evidence of addressing the core requirements of the assignment. Digression is a serious problem.	Does not address the writing assignment. Off topic throughout the paper.