Isenberg Business Ethics Academy
What does it mean to be ethical? Why is ethics important in the business context? What obligations do businesses have to be ethical? If you think these questions are interesting, then this class is for you!
The Isenberg Ethics Academy is designed to be highly interactive, using the case competition model to help you to learn about important aspects of business ethics. This two-week course will look at the role of law and ethics in business decision making. Students will learn about significant aspects of business law, as well as important ethical frameworks. Additionally, students will explore ethical challenges faced by businesses, looking at the business decisions made by companies like Boeing, Amazon, and Wells Fargo.
Students will then get a chance to apply what they have learned to an actual business case, coming up with a solution that is ethical, legal, and financially viable. They will work in teams to put together a power point presentation, which they will present to a panel of judges as the culminating project for the class.
This course is led by Prof. Jennifer Merton, faculty advisor for the undergraduate Isenberg Ethics Team at UMass Amherst, which competes in case competitions both nationally and internationally.
This course is offered at the UMass Amherst campus as a residential program. Local students may apply to attend as a commuter.
This class will consist of two essential parts: knowing and doing. The “knowing” part involves reflecting, synthesizing and integrating your experiences gained during synchronous engagement online. The “doing” part involves your participation with other team members, in the successful completion of the final project presentation (discussed above) where you will be able to apply the concepts that you have learned. The ultimate goal: To have fun, learn, and develop a broad understanding of business and the role of ethics in the business environment.
Final Project: The final project will involve students working with teammates to put together a presentation outlining a solution to a case problem they will be given that is both ethical, legal, and financially viable.
Pre-Requisites
There are no pre-requisites for this program.
Materials
All necessary course materials will be provided.
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
- Describe and explain the primary ethical frameworks, along with important business law concepts
- Apply principles of ethics and law to help in business decision-making
- Understand how modern businesses function and the role of ethics and law in business today
- Develop and practice slide design and presentation skills
Class time is Monday-Friday from 9 am - 4 pm.
|
Time |
Activity |
|
9:00–10:00 AM |
Daily topic: The Role of Law and Compliance Group work |
| 10:00 AM-12:00 PM |
Join international students in the GSL SUSI program for The Regulatory / Legal Environment: Barriers or Incentives? |
|
12:00–1:00 PM |
Lunch Break |
|
1:00–2:30 PM |
Lecture and Team Activity |
| 2:30-4:00 PM |
Team Activity 2 |
In the evenings and on weekends resident counselors will run a series of social activities. Students are encouraged to join in, relax and have fun with new friends! With social events on campus and in the surrounding Amherst area, and access to the UMass Recreation & Wellness Center, there's something for everyone to enjoy.
Learn more about student life at UMass Amherst Summer Pre-College
Meet the Faculty
Dr. Jennifer Merton, Senior Lecturer II, Department of Management
Associate Chair and Director of the Business Law Program
My name is Jennifer Merton. I am an attorney with a private practice in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, focusing on estate planning and probate, with an emphasis on business succession and transfer issues. I also have handled environmental law cases, along with various other criminal and civil matters. My undergraduate degree is from Mount Holyoke College, and I received my juris doctor degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law. My research interests include ethics and compliance; environmental law and corporate sustainability; corporate governance, executive compensation, and board composition; and negotiation. Technology ethics has been a recent focus of my research agenda, particularly the legal and ethical concerns surrounding the increasing adoption of AI. I am the Director of the Business Law Program and a Senior Lecturer II who is also serving as the Associate Chair of the Management Department. I have been here at Isenberg since 1999, and I have taught in a full-time capacity since 2011. I am the director of the Isenberg Ethics Competition, and I serve as the advisor to the Isenberg Ethics Team, helping students to prepare for business case competitions with an ethical focus.
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