About Us

Welcome to the Bauer Business Ethics Online Resources.

The C. T. Bauer College of Business believes in the importance of exposing its students to the study of business ethics throughout their educational careers. Students in the Bauer College are introduced to business ethics concepts and problems early in their studies, and are required to complete a capstone course on business law and ethics toward the end of their studies. Additionally, Bauer faculty members are encouraged to incorporate an ethics component into their courses so that students have continuous exposure to the study of business ethics throughout the curriculum.

Bauer Business Ethics

Online ethics resources for students include items such as suggested readings in business ethics; access to corporate/professional codes of conduct; and lists of common ethical dilemmas in business. It is intended that Bauer students use this web page as a starting point when completing any research or assignment on business ethics, or when ethical dilemmas may arise within their personal and professional lives.

Bauer's Approach to Teaching Business Ethics

Why Promote Business Ethics at Bauer?

A company’s most valuable asset is its reputation for quality products and service integrity. For the C.T. Bauer College of Business, our reputation depends not only on the excellence of our programs and faculty, and the academic performance of our students, but on our professional behavior and ethical conduct as a community.

It is the hope and expectation of Bauer faculty that the ethical values students learn from family and community will continue to guide their lives while a student at Bauer College and later as alumni representing the Bauer College in the corporate community. We are committed to the reinforcement and further development of those ethical values.

Incorporating Business Ethics Into the Bauer Curriculum

Incorporating the study of business ethics into the curriculum is a critical step in improving the quality of education for all Bauer students. To further these goals, Bauer has developed several ways to expose students to the study of business ethics – by offering courses that include the study of business ethics; requiring Bauer students to attest to our own code of ethics and professional conduct; and exposing students to industry leaders who are model corporate citizens via panel discussions and live presentations on business ethics, just to name a few examples.

Most ethics courses housed under the philosophy department typically focus on the study of traditional philosophers such as Aristotle, Kant, and Socrates, within the context of personal moral dilemmas. The study of business ethics at Bauer focuses more on teaching students to recognize potential ethical dilemmas within contemporary business cases; to analyze such dilemmas; and to understand the potential consequences of decisions. Further, because of the increasingly global nature of business, it is appropriate that the study of business ethics include consideration of the values, culture, and ethical standards of different countries.

The Bauer College also expects students to maintain a high level of ethics and professionalism. Plagiarism, cheating, and any other form academic dishonesty are taken very seriously, as these acts undermine the integrity of the Bauer College degree. Additionally, we believe that students should maintain a professional demeanor, be respectful of all persons, as well as maintain individual accountability and integrity.

In 2006, the Bauer College created the Bauer Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct (the Bauer Code) to formally acknowledge our expectations regarding student conduct.The Bauer Code is based on the principles set forth under the UH Student Handbook and covers issues such as academic honesty, respect, and individual accountability and integrity. Within the Bauer Code, students find many examples of expected behaviors regarding classroom conduct and interviewing etiquette, for example. Rationales for the expected behavior further reinforce Bauer’s values .Students are required to attest to their understanding of the Bauer Code as well as the UH Student Handbook, and to promise to adhere to the principles set forth under both.

We also expect ethical behavior in the classroom and on assignments and tests. Plagiarism, cheating, and any other form academic dishonesty is taken very seriously, as these acts undermine the integrity of the Bauer College degree. Additionally, we believe that students should maintain a professional demeanor and be respectful of all persons on campus.

We also strongly encourage participation in professional business student organizations because they provide students with exposure to different professional codes of ethics, as well as role models of leadership and ethical behavior. We believe that exposure to such influences helps students transition from a college to business environment. One of the first challenges a student may face after graduation may be to take a stand against unethical practices in the workplace, perhaps even risking the loss of his or her job. The strength to withstand such pressure comes from a student’s sense of right and wrong, as well as the invisible support of a community that shares his or her ethical values, such as the community at the Bauer College. Ultimately, we hope to foster ethical outcomes by means of the Bauer College culture.