Can Ethics Re Taught? A Simulation Tests a Traditional Ethics Pedagogy

"Schools of business are now examining the issue of teaching business ethics due to the following recent examples of unethical behavior; the insider trading scandals, the government defense contract abuses the “junk bond” sales, and the collapse of the savings bank industry. In addition a number of authoritative bodies have made recommendations to schools of business that the subject of ethics be part of the curriculum. The American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business requires that “ethical considerations” be part of the curriculum (Loeb 1988). A survey of recent psychological research found that dramatic and extensive changes occur in a young adult’s problem solving strategies when dealing with ethical dilemmas (Rest 1988). An ABSEL researcher (Smith 1979), attempted to measure which pedagogy would be more effective in impacting students’ ethical attitudes: simulation versus classroom lecture. He found that the change in students’ attitudes was greater when the students participated in a simulation. With this in mind, the present study combined both forms of pedagogy by examining the effect a classroom lecture on business ethics had upon students’ attitudes in a simulation, which posed an ethical dilemma. The results supported that of Smith; the pedagogy of classroom lecture had little effect in changing students’ attitudes. However, what is unknown, is the effect of having participated in this simulation will have the next time these students/future professionals are confronted with an ethical dilemma.