David E. Desplaces

Teaching business ethics: the effectiveness of common pedagogical practices in developing students’ moral judgment competence

This study investigates the effectiveness of pedagogical practices used to teach business ethics. The business community has greatly increased its demands for better ethics education in business programs. Educators have generally agreed that the ethical principles of business people have declined. It is important, then, to examine how common methods of instruction used in business ethics could contribute to the development of higher levels of moral judgment competence for students. To determine the effectiveness of these methods, moral judgment competence levels for undergraduate and graduate students from three institutions were measured and compared based upon the pedagogical method used in a business class. Significant differences were found for moral reasoning and moral competence scores depending on the method used for ethics instruction. Students in classes with more highly integrated ethics coverage scored higher in moral reasoning and moral competence.

A Comparison of Retail Franchises, Independent Businesses, and Purchased Existing Independent Business Startups: Lessons From the Kauffman Firm Survey

Franchising is a major economic powerhouse. Though research has been conducted on franchising from multi-disciplinary viewpoints, no study has compared retail franchises, independent businesses, and purchased existing independent businesses in the startup phase. This study utilized data from the U.S.-based Kauffman Foundation Firm Survey and examined major variables that would more likely influence survival-business type, ownership, owner-operator combinations, total revenue, labor intensity, profit and loss, and prior ownership experience. Our findings indicate that franchises differ considerably from new, independent businesses in most respects but are similar to purchased existing independent businesses. The overall results confirm prior findings that franchises have impediments that may affect their survival in the first year of operation and that some of the advantages of choosing a franchise over another form of business that have been sighted by the industry may not be completely valid.

Expat pay and compensation: fair or not fair?

Synopsis The manager of engineering at Palm Oasis Engineering in Dubai expressed dissatisfaction with his compensation. The uncertainty of his continued participation at a key position came at a critical time for the company. This case provides an event for the analysis of HRM issues of a small company in a nontraditional, international context. Real and perceptual issues surrounding expatriate employee compensation, including wages and benefits relative to home country, cost indices, inflation, and currency fluctuations, are analyzed. Motivation and negotiation strategy are also examined. Research methodology This case has been disguised to protect the anonymity of the company and key individuals. The industry, name of the company, and names of personnel have been changed. The authors were granted access to key personnel at the company during a limited time frame. Relevant courses and levels This case is designed for upper level, undergraduate international management, international human resource management, and human resource management courses. The case is designed as a mid-semester decision-based case that allows students to apply concepts on motivation, human resource management, and negotiation.

A Manager's Actions? An Exercise for Exploring Sexual Harassment

This exercise is designed to enhance students’ understanding of sexual harassment issues in the workplace, as well as to extend these issues to customer interactions in retail settings. Through research and class discussion, participants explore their perceptions and assumptions about a managers potentially harassing behaviors. Furthermore, discussions of the managers actions provide additional opportunities to explore issues dealing with legal foundations of sexual harassment as well as gender differences in response to harassment. Multiple variations are presented making this scenario/exercise suitable to various courses and all types of participants in order to facilitate a healthy discussion about the issues associated with sexual harassment.

Competing for New York's Best Lobster Roll: Failed Trade Protection

This critical incident offers students the opportunity to develop an understanding of the issues associated with intellectual property (IP) law and the ways to protect a business from its employees and potential unfair competition. Using a restaurant setting students can learn to apply IP concepts, discuss the issues of trademark, as well as develop a legal IP check list.

Revisiting Doing Business in the Middle East

This case engages students on a number of issues common to doing business in other countries, specifically in the Middle East. It is intended to be a basis for class discussion rather than to illustrate either effective or ineffective handling of the situation. The case seeks to integrate issues of international management and cross-cultural conflict and negotiation. Students are challenged to diagnose a cross-culturally sensitive situation and develop solutions in a team environment under limiting time restraints. This case is also designed to help students understand the cultural aspects of a situation and how different solutions could have major consequences on the bottom line of a company.