Business & Digital Ethics

Department

Master's Program Management, Communication & IT

Course unit code

MCI-M-3-BDE-BDE-ILV

Number of ECTS credits allocated

5.0

Name of lecturer(s)

Mode of delivery

face-to-face

Recommended optional program components

none

Recommended or required reading

- Crane, A., & Matten, D. (2016). Business ethics: Managing corporate citizenship and sustainability in the age of globalization (Fourth edition). Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press.
- Lupton, D (2014). Digital Sociology. London: Taylor and Francis.
- Miller, V. (2011). Understanding digital culture. London: Sage.
- Morrison, J. (2015). Business ethics: New challenges in a globalized world. London, New York NY: Palgrave Macmillan.
- Winston, M. & Edelbach, R. (2014). Society, ethics, and technology. Boston, MA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

Level of course unit

Master

Year of study

Fall 2026

Semester when the course unit is delivered

3

Language of instruction

English

Learning outcomes of the course unit

Students will analyze the introduction of digital technologies in terms of an overall societal transformation process. They can apply interdisciplinary approaches to assess the changing dynamics at the micro, meso and macro levels from different perspectives. Taking into account the interdependent dynamics, they can identify social problems arising from the introduction of new technologies and apply ethical guidelines to systematically evaluate these problems. Students learn to reflect on cultural dimensions of different values and concepts of norms, especially with regard to technology use. They are able to apply this knowledge in an entrepreneurial context and to design alternative management concepts in terms of corporate social responsibility. Students will learn how digital business models can be used to solve social and ecological challenges. They will be enabled to take on active design tasks in the sense of a digital, inclusive and sustainable transformation process.

Course contents

• socio-political areas of tension and socio-cultural development trends in connection with new technologies
• socio-ethical questions of technology research and development
• sustainable digital transformation in line with global goals
• international ethical guidelines and regulatory approaches
• business-ethical management concepts
• basic principles of social and political entrepreneurship
• exemplary dilemma discussions in the entrepreneurial context

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

The course comprises an interactive mix of lectures, discussions and individual and group work.

Work placement(s)

none