Module Description

The course in Ethics in Business and in Finance deals with the study of ethical dilemmas arising in business people and financial players’ decision making and it aims at offering a professional-related approach to the analysis of those issues. It is divided into two parts: the first is concerned with non financial and the second with financial companies. The half related to the study of ethics in business will examine ethical management, accounting ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility issues. The half on ethics in finance would also investigate the laws related to the provision of financial services and management (as for example, duties to clients and whistle blowing) and those pursuing financial markets integrity, fair conduct and fair dealing (among the others, rules on market manipulation, takeovers, and bankruptcy). Case studies and self regulatory practices such as standards of conducts and codes of ethics will be presented and discussed with students through the whole course.

Module Topics

• Introduction; the corporate governance of firms;
• Ethical business management;
• Instruments of corporate social responsibility; self regulation; marketing ethics;
• Sector-specific corporate social responsibility;
• Accounting ethics;
• Social enterprise;
• Ethics in finance;
• Ethics in financial market;
• Ethics in the provision of financial services;
• Ethical investment and microfinance;
• The role of regulators and recent related regulatory initiatives.

Applicable Groupings

• A: Banking and Finance Law
• B: Commercial and Corporate Law
• J: International Business Law
• S: Insurance Law
• General LLM

Mode of Assessment

3 hour written paper