Business Law and Ethics
Purpose of Course showclose
Law, in its simplest form, is used to protect one party from another. For instance, laws protect customers from being exploited by companies. Laws protect companies from other companies. Laws even protect citizens and corporations from the government. However, law is neither perfect nor all encompassing. Sometimes, societal ethics fill the voids that laws leave behind; other times, usually when societal ethics have been systematically violated by a group of the population, we write laws that are designed to require individuals to live up to certain ethical standards. In the backlash of the Enron scandal (where Enron executives used accounting tricks to hide losses) for example, new accounting laws were passed. Similarly, as a result of the financial crisis of 2008, legislators proposed new regulations designed to enforce a certain standard of ethical behavior within the financial services industry.
This course will introduce you to the laws and ethical standards that managers must abide by in the course of conducting business. Laws and ethics almost always shape a company’s decision-making process: a bank cannot charge any interest rate it wants to charge—that rate must be appropriate. Car manufacturers must install hardware and develop new technologies to keep up with regulations designed to reduce pollution. By the end of this course, you will have a clear understanding of the legal and ethical environment in which businesses operate.
This course provides students the opportunity to earn actual college credit. It has been reviewed and recommended for 3 credit hours by The National College Credit Recommendation Service (NCCRS). While credit is not guaranteed at all schools, we have partnered with a number of schools who have expressed their willingness to accept transfer of credits earned through Saylor. You can read more about our NCCRS program here.
Course Information showclose
Course Designer: Kevin Moquin
Primary Resources: This course is comprised of a range of different free online materials. However, the course makes primary use of the following materials:
Requirements for Completion: In order to complete this course, you will need to work through each unit and its assigned materials. In order to pass this course, you will need to earn a 70% or higher on the final exam. Your score on the exam will be tabulated as soon as you complete it. If you do not pass the exam, you may take it again.
Note that you will only receive an official grade on your final exam. However, in order to adequately prepare for this exam, you will need to work through the resources and assignments for each unit.
Time Commitment: This course should take you a total of 132.75 hours to complete. Each unit includes a time advisory that lists the amount of time you are expected to spend on each subunit. These should help you plan your time accordingly. It may be useful to take a look at these time advisories and to determine how much time you have over the next few weeks to complete each unit, and then to set goals for yourself.
Tips/Suggestions: Be sure to do the assignment associated with each chapter and section of the text. These are an important part of meeting the learning objectives of the course. Also, it may be helpful to write down notes on important points, as they will help you review for the final exam.
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Learning Outcomes showclose
- Identify sources of law in the United States.
- Describe the function and role of courts in the US legal system.
- Differentiate litigation from methods of alternative dispute resolution, and discuss the process of each.
- List the elements of the major torts.
- List the essential elements of a valid contract.
- Describe how a contract can fail.
- Summarize the remedies available for breach of contract.
- Distinguish between real and personal property.
- Identify the various interests in real property and how they pass.
- Identify the requirements to hold various rights under intellectual property laws.
- Analyze the impact of the digital era on intellectual property rights.
- Distinguish between at-will employment and contractual employment.
- Identify laws that generally regulate the employer-employee relationship.
- Identify criminal acts related to the business world.
- Define and identify examples of white collar crime.
- Describe the various forms of business organization.
- Identify the major laws regulating business in the United States.
- Identify major ethical concerns in business today.
- Distinguish between Aristotle’s ethical theory, utilitarianism, and Kant’s ethical theory.
- Distinguish Aristotle and Kant’s ethical theories, and utilitarianism, from cultural relativism and nihilism.
- Analyze case studies that illustrate ethical dilemmas in business ethics.
Course Requirements showclose
√ Have access to a computer.
√ Have continuous broadband Internet access.
√ Have the ability/permission to install plug-ins or software (Adobe Reader, Flash, etc.).
√ Have the ability to download and save files and documents to a computer.
√ Have the ability to open Microsoft files and documents (.doc, .ppt, .xls, etc.).
√ Have competency in the English language.
√ Have read the Saylor Student Handbook.
Preliminary Information
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Course Textbooks
The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business
You will be prompted to read sections of this book throughout the course. You can download the text in full now and skip to the appropriate section as prompted by the instructions in the resource boxes below.
Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business (PDF)
Terms of Use: The text was adapted by The Saylor Foundation under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License without attribution as requested by the work's original creator or licensee.
The text was adapted by The Saylor Foundation under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License without attribution as requested by the work's original creator or licensee. - See more at: http://www.saylor.org/courses/bus203/#sthash.aIoBTIYx.dpufTerms of Use: The text was adapted by The Saylor Foundation under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License without attribution as requested by the work's original creator or licensee. - See more at: http://www.saylor.org/courses/bus203/#sthash.aIoBTIYx.dpuf
Business Law and the Legal Environment
You will be prompted to read sections of this book throughout the course. You can download the text in full now and skip to the appropriate section as prompted by the instructions in the resource boxes below.
Reading: Business Law and the Legal Environment (PDF)
Terms of Use: The text was adapted by The Saylor Foundation under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License without attribution as requested by the work's original creator or licensee. -
Unit 1: Nature and Sources of Law
This unit will ask a series of broad questions about the law. How does a law come into being? (Legislators pass them, of course, but how do regulating bodies and judicial precedent contribute to the process as well?) In a broader sense, why do we have laws at all? Is it possible for us to govern ourselves?
Time Advisory show close
In this introductory unit, we will explore the historical events that have shaped business law in the United States. We will also review U.S. court systems, discussing the roles they play in shaping the business law of the country and learning how they enforce those laws.
Learning Outcomes show close
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1.1 Introduction to Law
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 1: “Introduction to Law”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 1: “Introduction to Law” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read the introductory section to Chapter 1. Note the impact that the legal issues surrounding business law had during the US financial crisis of 2008 on the entire economy. Be sure to click on the link in the text box “Hyperlink: Credit Crisis” to view a short video explaining the credit crisis. Finally, be sure to note the overall goals of studying business law as part of an education in business administration.
Terms of Use: The text was adapted by The Saylor Foundation under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License without attribution as requested by the work's original creator or licensee.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 1: “Introduction to Law”
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1.1.1 What is Law?
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 1: Section 1: "What Is Law?"
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 1: Section 1: “What Is Law?” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read Section 1. The reading addresses the answers to the complex questions of what is law and how do we derive it? Section 1 of the text will introduce you to jurisprudence, or the philosophy of law, and various theories of jurisprudence. Think about which theory or theories seem most true to you. Be sure to do the exercises at the end of the selection.
Terms of Use: The text was adapted by The Saylor Foundation under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License without attribution as requested by the work's original creator or licensee.
See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: The Saylor Foundation: Welcome to the Law's History of US Law and What Is Law?
Link: The Saylor Foundation: Welcome to the Law's History of US Law and What Is Law? (YouTube)
Instructions: View this 6-minute video for an overview of the history of law in the United States and what law means in the United States. Ask yourself what provides the framework for law in the United States and the role of the three branches of government in making the law.
Terms of Use: This work has been reposted by the kind permission of Welcometothelaw.com, and can be viewed in its original form here (YouTube). Please note that this material is under copyright and cannot be reproduced in any capacity without explicit permission from the copyright holder.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 1: Section 1: "What Is Law?"
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1.1.2 The Role of Law in Business in the United States
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 1: Section 4: “Importance of the Rule of Law to Business”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 1: Section 4: “Importance of the Rule of Law to Business” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read Section 4. For this subunit, focus on the discussion of how the rule of law provides guidance in all areas of businesses. Be sure to do the exercises at the end of the selection.
Terms of Use: The text was adapted by The Saylor Foundation under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License without attribution as requested by the work's original creator or licensee.
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- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 1: Section 5: “How Law Affects Business Disciplines”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 1: Section 5: “How Law Affects Business Disciplines” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read Section 5. To operate in the business world in any capacity without a sound familiarity with the application of law would be foolish. The law impacts every area of business—from accounting and finance to management and marketing. This section will help you understand how the law impacts various business disciplines. Be sure to do the exercises at the end of the section.
Terms of Use: The text was adapted by The Saylor Foundation under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License without attribution as requested by the work's original creator or licensee.
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- Assignment: The Saylor Foundation’s Assessment 1: “Essay – Three Ways Law Affects Business”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s Assessment 1: “Essay – Three Ways Law Affects Business” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and construct your essay, using the “Guides to Responding” to help you assess your responses. This assessment focuses on the impact of law on business. When you are done, please check your work against The Saylor Foundation's “Assessment 1: Guide to Responding.”
Please dedicate approximately 3 to 4 hours to complete this essay assessment.
Terms of Use: This resource is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License (HTML).See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 1.1.2 Quiz”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 1.1.2 Quiz” (HTML)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the quiz. You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this quiz. If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link. These short quizzes are designed to reinforce key terms and concepts that you will practice in the course project components. The correct answers will appear when you click “Submit.”See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 1: Section 4: “Importance of the Rule of Law to Business”
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1.2 Sources of Law
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 1: Section 2: “Sources of Law”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 1: Section 2: “Sources of Law” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read Section 2. Note that this reading will cover the material you need to know for subunits 1.2.1 through 1.2.3. What are the differences between social norms and customs on the one hand and law on the other? What law is public and what law is private? What is the importance of the distinction between substantive law and procedural law? Be sure to do the exercises at the end of the selection.
Terms of Use: The text was adapted by The Saylor Foundation under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License without attribution as requested by the work's original creator or licensee.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 1: Section 2: “Sources of Law”
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1.2.1 Legislative Law
Note: This topic is covered by Section 2 of Chapter 1, which you previously read in subunit 1.2. Focus on the role of Congress and state legislatures in the United States in making law.
- Lecture: C-SPAN’s “How a Bill Becomes a Law”
Link: C-SPAN’s "How a Bill Becomes a Law" (Adobe Flash)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and view this video (9:11) to get a sense of the legislative process. In tandem with the information you read in Section 2 of The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business, this video will give you a more detailed understanding of just how a bill makes it through Congress to become a law. Note the important role played by the executive in making law in the United States.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: C-SPAN’s “How a Bill Becomes a Law”
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1.2.2 Regulatory Law
Note: This topic is covered by Section 2 of Chapter 1, which you previously read in subunit 1.2. Toward the end of the section is a brief discussion of the role of administrative agencies in lawmaking. Why would a legislator would give an administrative agency the authority to engage in limited lawmaking?
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1.2.3 Common Law
Note: This topic is covered by Section 2 of Chapter 1, which you previously read in subunit 1.2. The British legal system and legal systems in former British colonies—such as the United States, Canada, Australia, Pakistan, India, and South Africa—are characterized as common law legal systems. As you read the part of this section dealing with common law, ask yourself how common law systems are different from civil law systems.
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1.2.4 Civil Law
- Reading: Civics Library of the Missouri Bar: “What is Civil Law?”
Link: Civics Library of the Missouri Bar: "What Is Civil Law?" (HTML)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read the entire webpage.
Terms of Use: Please respect the copyright and terms of use displayed on the webpage.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Civics Library of the Missouri Bar: “What is Civil Law?”
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1.3 The Judicial System
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 2: “The Court System”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 2: “The Court System” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read the introductory material to Chapter 2. This will highlight some of the important information to consider in the following sections.
Terms of Use: The text was adapted by The Saylor Foundation under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License without attribution as requested by the work's original creator or licensee.
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- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 2: “The Court System”
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1.3.1 US Court System
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 2: Section 1: “The Third Branch”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 2: Section 1: “The Third Branch” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read Section 1. This section will give you an understanding of how the judicial branch fits into the United States' three-branch system of government. Ask yourself what authority the courts have in the United States. Are the courts completely independent? How can the other branches of the government limit the judicial branch? Be sure to do the exercises at the end of the selection.
Terms of Use: The text was adapted by The Saylor Foundation under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License without attribution as requested by the work's original creator or licensee.
See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 1.3.1 Quiz”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 1.3.1 Quiz” (HTML)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the quiz. You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this quiz. If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link. These short quizzes are designed to reinforce key terms and concepts that you will practice in the course project components. The correct answers will appear when you click “Submit.”See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 2: Section 1: “The Third Branch”
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1.3.2 Jurisdictions
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 2: Section 3: “Trial and Appellate Courts”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 2: Section 3: “Trial and Appellate Courts” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read Section 3. In this section, you will learn some basic information about the jurisdiction of various courts in the United States. The judicial system of the United States involves complex webs of jurisdiction. For example, some courts can hold trials while other courts only hear appeals from trial court decisions. In some situations, a case must be brought in state court and in others it can be brought in a federal court. Some courts have broad jurisdiction and some courts are given only limited jurisdiction. These issues will be clarified in this section.
Terms of Use: The text was adapted by The Saylor Foundation under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License without attribution as requested by the work's original creator or licensee.
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- Assignment: The Saylor Foundation’s Assessment 2: “Questions for Reflection – Nature, Sources, and Judicial Application of the Law”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s Assessment 2: “Questions for Reflection – Nature, Sources, and Judicial Application of the Law” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the assignment, using the “Guide to Responding” to help you formulate your answers to the questions. This assignment deals with the nature of the law, where the law comes from, and the value of an independent judiciary. When you are done, please check your work against The Saylor Foundation's “Assessment 2: Guide to Responding.”
Please dedicate approximately 30 minutes to answering these reflection questions.
Terms of Use: This resource is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License (HTML). It is attributed to The Saylor Foundation.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s Assessment “Unit 1 Multiple Choice Quiz”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s Assessment: “Unit 1 Multiple Choice Quiz” (HTML)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the quiz. You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this quiz. If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link. These end-of-unit quizzes are designed to reinforce key terms and concepts that you will practice in the course project components. Completing these quizzes will also reinforce your learning and prepare you for the course final exam. Each unit quiz focuses on the material presented specifically in this individual unit of study. The correct answers will appear when you click “Submit.”
Terms of Use: The resource above is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License (HTML). It is attributed to The Saylor Foundation.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 2: Section 3: “Trial and Appellate Courts”
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Unit 2: Litigation vs. Alternative Dispute Resolution
In general, legal problems between private parties can be addressed in two basic ways—through the courts or through less formal alternatives. In this unit, we will look at both the court process of litigation and alternative methods of handling conflicts, known as Alternative Dispute Resolution, or ADR. Going to court is usually an expensive and time-consuming prospect. Businesses, which are always looking for ways to more effectively manage costs and other resources, can conserve both by first considering other ways to resolve disputes. For example, before going to court over the failure of a business to properly install equipment, a business might first consider entering into informal negotiations with the installer to reach a conclusion that is satisfactory to both sides. If this fails, the business might propose the use of a mediator to reach a mutually beneficial result. Often, contracts contain a provision requiring issues be submitted to arbitration with a non-governmental official or organization that acts, in essence, as judge and jury in the matter. If these efforts fail or it is apparent that ADR would be unworkable from the beginning, then businesses need to consider whether a dispute is best resolved in court, with all of its formal requirements and protections. This unit will begin by looking at the process by which businesses litigate disputes and ask who is involved in litigation and what procedural requirements must be met in order to successfully litigate a dispute. You will then study the various methods of ADR available to businesses and consider how these can be effectively used to deal with disputes.
Time Advisory show close
Learning Outcomes show close
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2.1 Litigation
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 3: “Litigation”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: “Chapter 3: “Litigation” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read the introductory material for Chapter 3. This will provide an introduction to the concept of litigation and its role in the business world.
Terms of Use: The text was adapted by The Saylor Foundation under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License without attribution as requested by the work's original creator or licensee.
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- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 3: “Litigation”
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2.1.1 The Parties
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 3: Section 1: “The Parties”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 3: Section 1: “The Parties” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read Section 1. Litigation involves the bringing of a legal claim in court by a party or parties against another party or parties. Please note that several actors are key to the process of litigation. Be sure you understand the role of the litigants, attorneys, and others involved in the trial process. In addition, don't forget to do the exercises at the end of the selection.
Terms of Use: The text was adapted by The Saylor Foundation under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License without attribution as requested by the work's original creator or licensee.
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- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 3: Section 1: “The Parties”
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2.1.2 Standing and Jurisdiction
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 3: Section 2: “Standing and Personal Jurisdiction”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 3: Section 2: “Standing and Personal Jurisdiction” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read Section 2. In subunit 1.3.2, you explored the jurisdiction of various courts within the American system. But before a party to a lawsuit can even get into court, it must meet certain requirements. As you read, ask yourself who has the authority to bring a claim in court. How does a court determine this? In addition, consider that in the United States there are 51 court systems. How does a court decide how much contact with the jurisdiction is required to bring a claim? These important considerations must be addressed before litigation begins.
Terms of Use: The text was adapted by The Saylor Foundation under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License without attribution as requested by the work's original creator or licensee.
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- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 3: Section 2: “Standing and Personal Jurisdiction”
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2.1.3 Pretrial Procedures
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 3: Section 3: “Pretrial Procedures”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 3: Section 3: “Pretrial Procedures” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read Section 3. Litigation is a complex and time-consuming activity. Before the parties even get to trial, there is a great deal of preparation that must take place in order to have one's day in court. In this section, you learn about the preparation of documents and exchange of information that must take place in order bring a lawsuit. You will also learn about class-action lawsuits and the process of discovery.
Terms of Use: The text was adapted by The Saylor Foundation under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License without attribution as requested by the work's original creator or licensee.
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- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 2.1.3 Quiz”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 2.1.3 Quiz” (HTML)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the quiz. You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this quiz. If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link. These short quizzes are designed to reinforce key terms and concepts that you will practice in the course project components. The correct answers will appear when you click “Submit.”See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 3: Section 3: “Pretrial Procedures”
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2.1.4 Trials and Appeals
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 3: Section 4: “The Trial and Appeal”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 3: Section 4: “The Trial and Appeal” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read Section 4. When the parties reach the trial stage in a lawsuit, important decisions must be made about the selection of a jury, opening and closing statements, and the examination of witnesses. In this section, you will gain an understanding of these processes, learn about the burden of proof in civil litigation, and explore the process of appeal when a party challenges a decision of the trial court.
Terms of Use: The text was adapted by The Saylor Foundation under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License without attribution as requested by the work's original creator or licensee.
See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 2.1.4 Quiz”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 2.1.4 Quiz” (HTML)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the quiz. You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this quiz. If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link. These short quizzes are designed to reinforce key terms and concepts that you will practice in the course project components. The correct answers will appear when you click “Submit.”See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 3: Section 4: “The Trial and Appeal”
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2.2 Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 4: “Alternative Dispute Resolution”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 4: “Alternative Dispute Resolution” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click the link above and read the introductory material to Chapter 4. Note that ADR involves a range of methods that do not involve formal litigation. Study Figure 4.1 to attain an initial understanding of the formality and consensual nature of each method.
Terms of Use: The text was adapted by The Saylor Foundation under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License without attribution as requested by the work's original creator or licensee.
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- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 4: “Alternative Dispute Resolution”
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2.2.1 Negotiation
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 4: Section 1: “Negotiation”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 4: Section 1: “Negotiation” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read Section 1. You will have noticed from Figure 4.1 in the introduction to Chapter 4 that negotiation is the most informal and full consensual of the main ADR methods. Note that while negotiation helps avoid the costs of litigation, it also has certain drawbacks. This will be apparent when you review the material and click in “Hyperlink: Rubbermaid's Unequal Bargaining Power.” Pay attention to the concepts of BATNA and WATNA and how they fit into the “bargaining zone.” Finally, remember to do the exercises at the end of the selection.
Terms of Use: The text was adapted by The Saylor Foundation under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License without attribution as requested by the work's original creator or licensee.
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- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 4: Section 1: “Negotiation”
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2.2.2 Mediation
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 4: Section 2: “Mediation”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 4: Section 2: “Mediation” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read Section 2. You should have seen from Figure 4.1 that mediation is further along the continuum from negotiation to litigation in terms of being somewhat more adjudicative and formal. Note that with mediation, we introduce a neutral third party; litigation also has a neutral third party: the judge. However, a mediator's authority is much more limited. The parties still need to agree on a resolution. Keep in mind that the voluntary nature of mediation can be both a strength and a weakness. After reading this selection, remember to do the exercises at the end.
Terms of Use: The text was adapted by The Saylor Foundation under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License without attribution as requested by the work's original creator or licensee.
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- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 4: Section 2: “Mediation”
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2.2.3 Arbitration
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 4: Section 3: “Arbitration”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 4: Section 3: “Arbitration” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read Section 3. Arbitration is the method of ADR that looks most like litigation. While initial submission to arbitration may be voluntary, parties are generally bound by the decision of the arbitrator or arbitrators. Note the preference that federal and state governments in the United States often have for arbitration, particularly as a way of resolving contract disputes. Again, as you read, try to identify the relative strengths and weaknesses of arbitration. Lastly, complete the exercises at the end of the selection.
Terms of Use: The text was adapted by The Saylor Foundation under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License without attribution as requested by the work's original creator or licensee.
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- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 2.2.3 Quiz”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 2.2.3 Quiz” (HTML)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the quiz. You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this quiz. If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link. These short quizzes are designed to reinforce key terms and concepts that you will practice in the course project components. The correct answers will appear when you click “Submit.”See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Assignment: The Saylor Foundation’s Assessment 3: “Questions for Reflection – ADR v. Litigation”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s Assessment 3: “Questions for Reflection – ADR v. Litigation” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and answer the questions, using the “Guide to Responding” to help you formulate and assess your responses. This assignment focuses on which situations call for litigation and which call for ADR. When you are done, please check your work against The Saylor Foundation's “Assessment 3: Guide to Responding” (PDF).
Please dedicate approximately 30-45 minutes to answering these reflection questions.
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- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s Assessment: “Unit 2 Multiple Choice Quiz”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s Assessment: “Unit 2 Multiple Choice Quiz” (HTML)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the quiz. You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this quiz. If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link. These end-of-unit quizzes are designed to reinforce key terms and concepts that you will practice in the course project components. Completing these quizzes will also reinforce your learning and will prepare you for the course final exam. Each unit quiz focuses on the material presented specifically in this individual unit of study. The correct answers will appear when you click “Submit.”
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- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 4: Section 3: “Arbitration”
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Unit 3: Torts
Tort is a branch of law that involves the enforcement of civil wrongs in the absence of contracts. For example, if you are hit by another vehicle and want to sue for medical costs, there is no contract between you and the driver. This lawsuit it carried out within the tort system. (When the terms of an existing contract are violated, enforcement must be carried out outside the tort system.) Tort law allows individuals and businesses that have been wronged to receive compensation for that wrongdoing. Tort law is frequently used in situations involving medical negligence. If your doctor accidentally removed the wrong arm and you wish to sue, you would sue based on tort law. There are a number of different types of torts, but the most common is negligence, which involves a breach of the “duty of care.” In other words, in order to sue on negligence, you must be able to prove that somebody that was responsible for something violated that responsibility.
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Learning Outcomes show close
- Lecture: The Saylor Foundation’s “Business Law”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Business Law” (YouTube)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and watch the entire video (12:36).
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- Lecture: The Saylor Foundation’s “Business Law”
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3.1 Tort Law
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 7: “Torts”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 7: “Torts” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read the introductory material for Chapter 7. Note that this reading will cover the material you need to know for the unit introduction and subunit 3.2.
Terms of Use: The text was adapted by The Saylor Foundation under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License without attribution as requested by the work's original creator or licensee.
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- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 7: “Torts”
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3.2 Background of Torts
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 7: “Torts”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 7: “Torts” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read the introductory material for Chapter 7. This will provide you with a working definition of a tort and allow you to distinguish torts from contracts. Note the overlap between these two categories as well as the overlap of torts and criminal law. You will see from this introduction that torts are another way in which American society enforces certain basic societal norms.
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- Assignment: The Saylor Foundation’s Assessment 4: “Questions for Reflection – The Nature of Civil Wrongdoing”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s Assessment 4: “Questions for Reflection – The Nature of Civil Wrongdoing” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and answer the questions, using the “Guide to Responding” to help you formulate and assess your responses. This assignment focuses on why society punishes some wrongs criminally while other are handled civilly. Check your work against The Saylor Foundation's “Assessment 4: Guide to Responding” (PDF).
Please dedicate approximately 30-45 minutes to answering these reflection questions.
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- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 7: “Torts”
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3.3 Negligence
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 7: Section 2: “Negligence”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 7: Section 2: “Negligence” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read Section 2. Have you ever been around someone who is being careless and ends up breaking something? If you become angry with them, they might answer, “I didn't do it on purpose.” But the tort of negligence tells us that even when a person does not commit wrongs on purpose, he or she still may be held accountable if that person did not exercise proper care. Note that the standard used in judging this is to ask what any reasonable person would do in the same situation. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the elements of negligence. Remember, if all of the elements of negligence are met, then it becomes necessary to determine what the damages were. Also, note that there are defenses to a charge of negligence. Please remember to do the exercises at the end of the selection.
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- Assignment: The Saylor Foundation’s Assessment 5: “Questions for Reflection – The Nature of Negligence”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s Assessment 5: “Questions for Reflection – The Nature of Negligence” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and answer the question, which focuses on whether a mistake is a valid excuse when one person does damage to another’s person or property. When you are done, please check your work against The Saylor Foundation's “Assessment 5: Guide to Responding" (PDF).
Please dedicate approximately 15-30 minutes to answering these reflection questions.
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- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 3.3 Quiz”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 3.3 Quiz” (HTML)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the quiz. You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this quiz. If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link. These short quizzes are designed to reinforce key terms and concepts that you will practice in the course project components. The correct answers will appear when you click “Submit.”See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 7: Section 2: “Negligence”
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3.4 Intentional Torts
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 7: Section 1: “Intentional Torts”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 7: Section 1: “Intentional Torts” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read Section 1. Intentional torts involve the kind of wrongful action is most recognizably wrong. These are torts in which a person or persons has done an act purposefully. Note the wide variety of intentional torts that are recognized. Some of these even have the potential for criminal liability. It is also important to recognize that while many intentional torts are committed by one person against another, some involve damaged property. Finally, do the exercises at the end of the selection.
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- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 7: Section 1: “Intentional Torts”
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3.5 Strict Liability
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 7: Section 3: “Strict Liability”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 7: Section 3: “Strict Liability” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read Section 3. The law recognizes that some torts require holding persons liable for their acts, even when they have exercised reasonable care. How could this be? Note the various situations in which persons are held to strict liability. Do you agree that these situations require a stricter level of accountability? For businesses that engage in the manufacture or sale of goods, product liability has emerged as an important area of business law. Pay particular attention to this discussion. Finally, complete the exercises at the end of the selection.
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- Assignment: The Saylor Foundation’s Assessment 6: “Questions for Reflection – Strict Liability” and Assessment 7: “Suing Over Spilt Coffee”
Links: The Saylor Foundation’s Assessment 6: “Questions for Reflection – Strict Liability” (PDF) and Assessment 7: “Suing Over Spilt Coffee” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the links above and complete both assignments, using the “Guide to Responding” to help you formulate and assess your responses. These assignments focus on the appropriateness of extending strict liability to consumer products and the application of tort liability in general to a particular situation. When you are done, please check your work against The Saylor Foundation's “Assessment 6: Guide to Responding” (PDF) and “Assessment 7: Guide to Responding” (PDF).
Please dedicate approximately 30-45 minutes to answering the reflection questions in Assessment 6. Then, spend 5-6 hours on the essay activity in Assessment 7.
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- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s Assessment: “Unit 3 Multiple Choice Quiz”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s Assessment: “Unit 3 Multiple Choice Quiz” (HTML)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the quiz. You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this quiz. If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link. These end-of-unit quizzes are designed to reinforce key terms and concepts that you will practice in the course project components. Completing these quizzes will also reinforce your learning and will prepare you for the course final exam. Each unit quiz focuses on the material presented specifically in this individual unit of study. The correct answers will appear when you click “Submit.”
Terms of Use: The resource above is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License (HTML). It is attributed to The Saylor Foundation.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 7: Section 3: “Strict Liability”
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Unit 4: Contracts
Contracts come in all shapes and sizes. You enter into a contract with a broker and seller when you purchase a house. Businesses enter into contracts with other businesses to set prices and solidify relationships. And if you want reliable work done on your house, you will have a contract with your contractor (hence the name).
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Contracts are legally-binding relationships. In most circumstances, a contract involves an agreement to deliver a product or service at a specified time on a specified date. Violating a contract can result in a lawsuit or some kind of settlement. While courts can be involved in this process, these situations can also be settled outside of the judicial system. Laws regarding contracts vary from state to state, so it is always important to know the contract law in your area. This unit will discuss contracts in great detail, but it will not cover everything. By the end of this unit, you should have a general familiarity with how most contracts are written and enforced.
Learning Outcomes show close
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 6: “Contracts”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 6: “Contracts” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read the introductory material for Chapter 6. Note that the text defines a contract as “a legally enforceable promise.” In this unit, you will discover what it takes to make a promise legally enforceable. You will also find out what happens when such a promise is broken and what remedies are available to the damaged party.
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- Reading: Cornell University: Legal Information Institute's “Contract”
Link: Cornell University: Legal Information Institute's “Contract” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read this brief overview of contracts. This article provides highlights that are important to be aware of in your explorations of the role of contracts in business law.
Terms of Use: The article above is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License (HTML). It is attributed to Cornell University's Legal Information Institute.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 6: “Contracts”
- 4.1 Nature and Classification of Contracts
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4.1.1 Bilateral Contracts
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 6: Section 1: “Formation”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 6: Section 1: “Formation” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read Section 1. Note that this reading will cover subunits 4.1.1 through 4.1.3 and all sections below subunit 4.2. Note the definition of a bilateral contract and make sure you can distinguish it from a unilateral contract.
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- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 6: Section 1: “Formation”
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4.1.2 Unilateral Contracts
Note: This topic is covered by Section 1 of Chapter 6, which you previously read in subunit 4.1.1. Note the definition of a unilateral contract and make sure you can distinguish it from a bilateral contract. Note how an action, rather than words, constitute the acceptance of an offer in a unilateral contract.
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4.1.3 Contractual Terms
Note: This topic is covered by Section 1 of Chapter 6, which you previously read in subunit 4.1.1. In the United States, statutes known as the Uniform Commercial Code, or UCC, help prevent the unfair and inefficient results that can occur when terms are either too strictly interpreted or there is a deviation in the understanding of contract terms. Because the common law has strict rules related to contract formation, particularly when defining the terms of a contract, lawyers and lawmakers agreed to new laws which would prevent contract law from bogging down modern commerce.
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4.1.4 Negotiable Instruments
- Reading: Cornell University: Legal Information Institute's “Negotiable Instruments”
Link: Cornell University: Legal Information Institute's “Negotiable Instruments” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read this brief overview of negotiable instruments. Be sure to click on the link to Article 3 of the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) for an explanation of the law in the United States governing negotiable instruments.
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- Reading: Reference for Business: Encyclopedia of Business, 2nd ed.: David P. Bianco’s “Negotiable Instruments”
Link: Reference for Business: Encyclopedia of Business, 2nd ed.: David P. Bianco’s “Negotiable Instruments” (HTML)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read this concise overview of the law of negotiable instruments. Again, note that in the United States negotiable instruments are governed by the UCC, Article 3. Ask yourself why strong laws related to negotiable instruments are so important in the modern business world. In addition, consider the important ways in which negotiable instruments as defined by Article 3 of the UCC differ from traditional contracts.
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- Reading: Cornell University: Legal Information Institute's “Negotiable Instruments”
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4.2 Contract Formation
Note: This topic is covered by Section 1 of Chapter 6, which you previously read in subunit 4.1.1. Pay close attention to all of the “elements” that are required in order to make a promise legally enforceable.
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4.2.1 Offer and Acceptance
Note: This topic is covered by Section 1 of Chapter 6, which you previously read in subunit 4.1.1. Note the importance of timing in determining when and whether and offer has been accepted. When an offer is made, a promise is made. However, an offer cannot be enforced until it is accepted. Oftentimes, there is a delay between the offer by one party and the acceptance by another. Ask yourself what happens if during that delay the person making the offer changes his or her mind? Also, note that what appears to be an offer may only be an “invitation to bargain” rather than an offer that can be accepted.
- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 4.2.1 Quiz”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 4.2.1 Quiz” (HTML)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the quiz. You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this quiz. If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link. These short quizzes are designed to reinforce key terms and concepts that you will practice in the course project components. The correct answers will appear when you click “Submit.”See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 4.2.1 Quiz”
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4.2.2 Consideration
Note: This topic is covered by Section 1 of Chapter 6, which you previously read in subunit 4.1.1. Make sure you understand that consideration is not the same as money or payment. By saying that a contract requires consideration, the law is simply requiring that a party give up something to which it is otherwise entitled.
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4.2.3 Intention
Note: This topic is covered by Section 1 of Chapter 6, which you previously read in subunit 4.1.1. Simply put, in general the law of contracts requires that there be a meeting of the minds between parties to a contract. This relates closely to the discussion of offer and acceptance in 4.2.1. Keep in mind that for a contract to be valid, the mutual assent discussed in relation to offer and acceptance means that the parties must appear to be agreeing to the same thing.
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4.2.4 Legal Capacity
- Reading: Business Law and the Legal Environment: Chapter 10: Section 4: “Capacity”
Link: Business Law and the Legal Environment: Chapter 10: Section 4: “Capacity” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read Section 4 of Chapter 10 from Business Law and the Legal Environment. This will supplement the reading in the Legal and Ethical Environment of Business text that addresses the issue of legal capacity to contract.
Terms of Use: The text was adapted by The Saylor Foundation under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License without attribution as requested by the work's original creator or licensee.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Business Law and the Legal Environment: Chapter 10: Section 4: “Capacity”
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4.2.5 Formalities
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation's “Formalities of a Contract”
Link: The Saylor Foundation's “Formalities of a Contract” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read The Saylor Foundation's article on the formalities of a contract. Note that while the most basic contracts require few or no formalities, in certain situations formalities must be followed.
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- Reading: The Saylor Foundation's “Formalities of a Contract”
- 4.3 End of Contract and Enforcement
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4.3.1 Breach of Contract
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 6: Section 2: “Performance and Discharge, Breach, Defenses, Equitable Remedies”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 6: Section 2: “Performance and Discharge, Breach, Defenses, Equitable Remedies” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read Section 2. Note that this reading will cover the material you need to know for subunits 4.3.1 and 4.3.4 through 4.3.5. Once a contract is formed and the parties are bound by the contract, they generally have a legal obligation to perform according to the terms of the contract. Be sure you understand when the performance required is only substantial versus strict performance. Also, note the distinction between the prevalent “reasonable person” standard and the less common contractual standard of personal satisfaction. While one party's breach of a contract may result in damages, the party may have defenses against the claim. You should be aware of these defenses. Lastly, it is important to be aware of the remedies available for a party that is the victim of a breach.
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- Lecture: The Saylor Foundation's “Breach of Contract”
Link: The Saylor Foundation's “Breach of Contract” (YouTube)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and watch the entire video (15:32)
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- Assignment: The Saylor Foundation’s Assessment 8: “Essay - A Mistake About a Cow”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s Assessment 8: “Essay - Mistake About a Cow” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the assignment, using the “Guides to Responding” to help you assess your response. This assignment focuses on what happens when one or both parties are mistaken about the essential facts related to the subject of a contract. When you are done, please check your work against The Saylor Foundation's “Assessment 8: Guide to Responding.”
Please dedicate approximately 3-4 hours to writing your essay.
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- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 4.3.1 Quiz”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 4.3.1 Quiz” (HTML)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the quiz. You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this quiz. If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link. These short quizzes are designed to reinforce key terms and concepts that you will practice in the course project components. The correct answers will appear when you click “Submit.”See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 6: Section 2: “Performance and Discharge, Breach, Defenses, Equitable Remedies”
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4.3.2 Unenforceable Contracts
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation's “Unenforceable Contracts”
Link: The Saylor Foundation's “Unenforceable Contracts” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read The Saylor Foundation's article on unenforceable contracts. Unlike void or voidable contracts, unenforceable contracts are valid on their face but will not be enforced by a court.
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- Reading: The Saylor Foundation's “Unenforceable Contracts”
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4.3.3 Third-Party Rights
Note: This topic is covered by the YouTube lecture you viewed in subunit 4.3.1. While one party's breach of a contract may result in damages, it may have defenses against the claim. You should be aware of these defenses. Lastly, it is important to be aware of the remedies available for a party that is the victim of a breach of contract.
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4.3.4 Remedies and Damages
Note: This topic is covered by Section 2 of Chapter 6, which you previously read in subunit 4.3.1. While one party's breach of a contract may result in damages, it may have defenses against the claim. You should be aware of these defenses. Lastly, it is important to be aware of the remedies available for a party that is the victim of a breach of contract.
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4.3.5 Discharge of Contracts
Note: This topic is covered by Section 2 of Chapter 6, which you previously read in subunit 4.3.1. While one party's breach of a contract may result in damages, it may have defenses against the claim. You should be aware of these defenses. Lastly, it is important to be aware of the remedies available for a party that is the victim of a breach of contract. As noted in subunit 4.3.1, once a contract is formed and the parties are bound by the contract, the parties generally have a legal obligation to perform according to the terms of the contract. This is why it is so important to determine when and if performance has occurred. For this subunit, focus on the material describing how performance is determined. Be sure to do the exercises at the end of the selection.
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4.3.6 Oral Contracts
- Lecture: The Saylor Foundation's “Oral Contracts”
Link: The Saylor Foundation's “Oral Contracts” (YouTube)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and watch the entire video (9:32).
Terms of Use: The video above is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License (HTML). It is attributed to The Saylor Foundation.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: The Saylor Foundation's “Oral Contracts”
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4.4 Assignment and Delegation
Note: This topic is covered by Section 2 of Chapter 6, which you previously read in subunit 4.3.1. Valid contracts give the parties rights and impose obligations. For example, a business may have the right to receive payment for the delivery of products. Conversely, the business has a duty to deliver the products. Under some circumstances, the parties to a contract can assign its rights under the contract (such as receipt of payment) to a third party. Alternatively, a party may be able to delegate its duties under the contract (such as delivery of products) to a third party. But what if one party to a contract wants only the other party to perform under the contract, instead of a third party? Ask yourself what a party can do if it objects to an assignment or delegation. Also, be aware of the other common clauses found in contracts. Lastly, make sure you do the exercises at the end of the selection.
- Assignment: The Saylor Foundation's Assessment 9: “Questions for Reflection – The Nature and Enforcement of Contracts”
Link: The Saylor Foundation's Assessment 9: “Questions for Reflection – The Nature and Enforcement of Contracts” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the assignment, using the “Guide to Responding” to help you assess your responses. This assignment focuses on fundamental questions on the nature and enforcement of contracts. When you are done, please check your work against The Saylor Foundation's “Assessment 9: Guide to Responding.”
Please dedicate approximately 45 minutes to one hour answering these reflection questions.
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- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s Assessment: “Unit 4 Multiple Choice Quiz”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Assessment: Unit 4 Multiple Choice Quiz” (HTML)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the quiz. You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this quiz. If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link. These end-of-unit quizzes are designed to reinforce key terms and concepts that you will practice in the course project components. Completing these quizzes will also reinforce your learning and will prepare you for the course final exam. Each unit quiz focuses on the material presented specifically in this individual unit of study. The correct answers will appear when you click “Submit.”
Terms of Use: The resource above is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License (HTML). It is attributed to The Saylor Foundation.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Assignment: The Saylor Foundation's Assessment 9: “Questions for Reflection – The Nature and Enforcement of Contracts”
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Unit 5: Property Law
The idea of property usually strikes people as a fairly simple concept. However, the law recognizes that the interests in various types of property are often anything but simple and can sometimes result in highly complex problems. For example, if you sell your house to someone, what stays as part of the house and what can you take with you when you leave? Certainly you would have an automatic right to take your clothes, your furniture, and hanging photographs and artwork. But what about a favorite chandelier? How about a built-in island in the kitchen? Can you take the windows? The law recognizes two categories of property. There is real property, which is land and anything attached to it, such as a house and items attached to it. Alternatively, there is personal property, which is everything else. As you work through this unit, ask yourself when is it one item can be personal property in one situation and real property in another.
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Learning Outcomes show close
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5.1 Personal Property
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 8: Section 1: “Personal Property”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 8: Section 1: “Personal Property” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read Section 1. Books, cars, shares of stock, and accounts receivable are all personal property. Ask yourself how these things are the same. How are they different? Note also that some items that are personal property can be considered real property under certain circumstances. What are these circumstances? We all know that property can be transferred. Make sure you understand the various ways that ownership of personal property can be transferred. The text box entitled “Hyperlink: Finders Keepers?” and the associated links will help you understand these concepts. It is also important to know what legal rights and obligations are at stake when possession rather than ownership in personal property is transferred. The exercises at the end of the section should help confirm your understanding of this section.
Terms of Use: The text was adapted by The Saylor Foundation under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License without attribution as requested by the work's original creator or licensee.
See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 5.1 Quiz”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 5.1 Quiz” (HTML)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the quiz. You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this quiz. If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link. These short quizzes are designed to reinforce key terms and concepts that you will practice in the course project components. The correct answers will appear when you click “Submit.”See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 8: Section 1: “Personal Property”
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5.2 Real Property
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 8: Section 2: “Real Property”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 8: Section 2: “Real Property” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read Section 2. You have just learned about personal property. Recall from subunit 5.1 what distinguishes real property from personal property. Real property includes land and everything “attached” to the land. This concept is critical to whether we apply concepts related to personal property or to real property. Note also the unique requirements involved in the transfer of ownership of real property and the various ways in which such a transfer can be evidenced. Become familiar with the concept of “adverse possession.” Does adverse possession seem fair to you? When might it be fair, and when might it be unfair? Familiarize yourself with the various interests and duties that may go with the ownership of real property. Also, be aware of the scope of interests in real property. Lastly, as with personal property, possession of real property may be transferred without transferring ownership. Make sure you are informed about the various possessory interests in real estate. Finish the section by doing the concluding exercises.
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- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 5.2 Quiz”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 5.2 Quiz” (HTML)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the quiz. You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this quiz. If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link. These short quizzes are designed to reinforce key terms and concepts that you will practice in the course project components. The correct answers will appear when you click “Submit.”See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Assignment: The Saylor Foundation’s Assessment 10: “Questions for Reflection – Protection of Property Rights”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s Assessment 10: “Questions for Reflection – Protection of Property Rights” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the assignment, using the “Guide to Responding” to help you assess your responses. This assignment focuses on the value of government protection of private property rights and whether those rights may appropriately be restricted by government. When you are done, please check your work against The Saylor Foundation's “Assessment 10: Guide to Responding” (PDF).
Please dedicate approximately 30-45 minutes answering these reflection questions.
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- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s Assessment: “Unit 5 Multiple Choice Quiz”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s Assessment: “Assignment: Unit 5 Multiple Choice Quiz” (HTML)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the quiz. You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this quiz. If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link. These end-of-unit quizzes are designed to reinforce key terms and concepts that you will practice in the course project components. Completing these quizzes will also reinforce your learning and will prepare you for the course final exam. Each unit quiz focuses on the material presented specifically in this individual unit of study. The correct answers will appear when you click “Submit.”
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- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 8: Section 2: “Real Property”
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Unit 6: Intellectual Property
How many people have the recipe for Coca-Cola? Probably only a few high-level executives within the company. The recipe gives Coca-Cola a distinctive taste that is known the world over. If the recipe became public knowledge, Coca-Cola might lose its advantage; therefore, this recipe is one of the most closely guarded trade secrets in the US.
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Trade secrets are one type of intellectual property (property that is not tangible, but has an owner). Most forms of intellectual property are protected by the government. When a famous author publishes a book, you can’t go and copy the text and publish it under your name. The author and publisher have a copyright on the text of the book. If you did try to copy the book, you would be sued quickly. In this unit, we will look at the ways in which intellectual property is leveraged in business and study firms that rely solely on licensing their intellectual property for income.
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- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 9: “Intellectual Property”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 9: “Intellectual Property” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read the introductory materials for Chapter 9. As a review, ask yourself what kind of property interest discussed in Unit 5 an intellectual property right is. Is it tangible or intangible? Ask yourself what the importance of intellectual property rights is for contemporary business. Note that while patents or copyrights are the often the first examples to come to mind when discussing intellectual property, there are other important intellectual property rights. Lastly, pay attention to the discussion of reverse engineering of an Apple iPhone.
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- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 9: “Intellectual Property”
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6.1 Trademarks
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 9: Section 4: “Trademarks”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 9: Section 4: “Trademarks” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read Section 4. Trademark laws allow companies to secure a claim to a specific identifying item, such as a name or design. Think of trademarked items you might be familiar with: those used by international restaurant chains, software companies, and mobile phone manufacturers. Trademarks set a company apart from similar companies and allow consumers of the companies’ products and services to readily identify the company. The government of the United States has adopted a specific regimen of laws to protect trademarks. As you read, note the many identifying categories that can be trademarked, including even the shape of a bottle. Be aware, too, of what cannot be trademarked under US law. Lastly, be aware of what remedies are available for infringement or dilution of a trademark and the defenses against these claims. Please complete the exercises at the end of the section.
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- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 9: Section 4: “Trademarks”
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6.2 Patents
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 9: Section 2: “Patents”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 9: Section 2: “Patents” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read Section 2. Patent law is an increasingly complex area of the law filled with conflict and controversy. It creates a property right of the design of useful new inventions for a certain period, after which the patent expires. Be sure to take note of the three types of patents. Note also the kinds of things that cannot be patented. The section includes an interesting exploration of the ability to patent a living thing. Note the remedies available to patent holders when patents are infringed and the emergence of patent holding companies, or patent trolls, which derive revenue solely from suing for patent infringement. Lastly, complete the exercises at the end of the section.
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- Assignment: The Saylor Foundation’s Assessment 11: “Essay – The Patentability of Modified Organisms”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s Assessment 11: “Essay – The Patentability of Modified Organisms” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the assignment, using the “Guides to Responding” to help you assess your response. This assignment focuses on whether modified living organisms should be able to be patented. When you are done, please check your work against The Saylor Foundation's “Assessment 11: Guide to Responding” (PDF).
Please dedicate approximately 5-6 hours to writing your essay.
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- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 6.2 Quiz”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 6.2 Quiz” (HTML)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the quiz. You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this quiz. If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link. These short quizzes are designed to reinforce key terms and concepts that you will practice in the course project components. The correct answers will appear when you click “Submit.”See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 9: Section 2: “Patents”
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6.3 Copyrights
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 9: Section 5: “Copyrights”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 9: Section 5: “Copyrights” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read Section 5. Copyright is another area of intellectual property law that has grown more controversial over the last twenty years, particularly with the rise of the World Wide Web. The Web has astronomically increased the availability of original written and creative material to the general public. For some, this easy access can cause confusion, creating the assumption that such material can be used by any person for any reason. Others have intentionally sought to bypass the protections available to such material. Some see the copyright protections available to creative work to be excessively restrictive; through various efforts, they attempt to promote the availability of creative works through open copyright licenses. In this section, familiarize yourself with the protections that US law provides to copyright holders. Note also how digital copyright licenses can further restrict the use of digital media. As always, pay attention to the remedies for copyright infringement and the defenses to such a claim. Finish with the exercises at the end of the section.
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- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 6.3 Quiz”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 6.3 Quiz” (HTML)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the quiz. You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this quiz. If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link. These short quizzes are designed to reinforce key terms and concepts that you will practice in the course project components. The correct answers will appear when you click “Submit.”See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 9: Section 5: “Copyrights”
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6.4 Trade Secrets
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 9: Section 3: “Trade Secrets”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 9: Section 3: “Trade Secrets” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read Section 3. Trade secret laws generally protect businesses that wish to maintain the confidentiality of such things as formulas, processes, or client lists because of the important economic value these things provide. Unlike trademark, patent, or copyright law, trade secret laws in the United States are dealt with in state, not federal, legislation. Be aware of both the civil and criminal penalties that go with stealing a trade secret, as well as potential defenses against such claims. Be sure to do the short exercise at the end of the section.
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- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 9: Section 3: “Trade Secrets”
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6.5 Intellectual Property in the Digital Age
- Reading: Wikipedia's “Intellectual Property and the Internet: DMCA”
Link: Wikipedia’s “Intellectual Property and the Internet: DMCA” (PDF)
Instructions: Click the link above and read the article, which discusses the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, a 1998 law that addresses copyright infringement and access controls to copyrighted materials given recent digital and other technological innovations.
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- Reading: Wikipedia’s “Intellectual Property and the Internet: PRO-IP Act”
Link: Wikipedia’s “Intellectual Property and the Internet: PRO-IP Act” (PDF)
Instructions: Click the link above and read the article, which discusses PRO-IP Act, a 2008 law that provided further civil and criminal penalties for trademark, patent, and copyright infringement. While it reflects government concerns regarding international enforcement of intellectual property laws, a significant part of the PRO-IP Act deals with issues related to file sharing. As a result, it was another step in government efforts to protect intellectual property rights subject to infringement through the Internet.
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- Reading: Wikibooks’ “Intellectual Property and the Internet: Online Copyright Infringement Liability Limitation Act”
Link: Wikibooks’ “Intellectual Property and the Internet: Online Copyright Infringement Liability Limitation Act” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read the article, which discusses the Online Copyright Infringement Liability Limitation Act, a portion of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998. This portion of the law deals specifically with providing limitation of liability for online service providers that immediately take down content if someone alleges a copyright infringement. It also reflects the challenges to intellectual property rights inherent in the dissemination of information over the Internet.
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- Assignment: The Saylor Foundation’s Assessment 12: “Questions for Reflection – The Nature of Intellectual Property and Its Protection”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s Assessment 12: “Questions for Reflection – The Nature of Intellectual Property and Its Protection” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the assignment, using the “Guide to Responding” to help you assess your responses. This assignment focuses on fundamental questions on the nature of intellectual property and the protection of intellectual property rights. When you are done, please check your work against The Saylor Foundation's “Assessment 12: Guide to Responding.”
Please dedicate approximately 30 minutes to answering these reflection questions.
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- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s Assessment: “Unit 6 Multiple Choice Quiz”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s Assessment: “Unit 6 Multiple Choice Quiz” (HTML)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the quiz. You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this quiz. If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link. These end-of-unit quizzes are designed to reinforce key terms and concepts that you will practice in the course project components. Completing these quizzes will also reinforce your learning and will prepare you for the course final exam. Each unit quiz focuses on the material presented specifically in this individual unit of study. The correct answers will appear when you click “Submit.”
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- Reading: Wikipedia's “Intellectual Property and the Internet: DMCA”
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Unit 7: Employment Law
This unit will introduce you to employment law, also known as labor law, regulations that are typically designed to protect the employee from the employer. For example, though a number of Constitutional amendments give equal rights to all races, religions, and genders, issues pertaining to diversity still plague the workforce. Employment law looks at these issues.
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7.1 Employment at Will
- Reading: Business Law and the Legal Environment: Chapter 50: Section 2: “Employment at Will”
Link: Business Law and the Legal Environment: Chapter 50: Section 2: “Employment at Will” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read Section 2, which deals with the predominant approach to employment in the United States – the employment at will doctrine. While this legal doctrine holds that an employee can be discharged for a good reason, a bad reason, or no reason at all, you will soon see that there are limits to the reasons for which an employer can terminate an employee.
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- Reading: Business Law and the Legal Environment: Chapter 50: Section 2: “Employment at Will”
- 7.2 Wage Law
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7.2.1 Minimum Wage Laws
- Reading: United States Department of Labor: Wage and Hour Division’s “Questions and Answers about the Minimum Wage”
Link: United States Department of Labor: Wage and Hour Division’s “Questions and Answers about the Minimum Wage” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read the Department of Labor's information on the minimum wage. In the United States, the federal government has set minimum wages which most all employers are required to pay to their employees. In addition, some states have minimum wage laws which require employers within the state to pay even higher minimum wages. This webpage from the United States Department of Labor, which enforces the federal minimum wage laws, provides answers to common questions about the laws.
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- Reading: United States Department of Labor: Wage and Hour Division’s “Questions and Answers about the Minimum Wage”
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7.2.2 Prevailing Wage Laws
- Reading: The Saylor Foundation's “Prevailing Wage Laws”
Link: The Saylor Foundation's “Prevailing Wage Laws” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read The Saylor Foundation's article. Prevailing wage laws require that certain government contracts can only be entered into if employees will paid a predetermined “prevailing wage” in the local area affected by the contract. Ask yourself what are the potential benefits and drawbacks to such a requirement.
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- Reading: The Saylor Foundation's “Prevailing Wage Laws”
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7.3 Discrimination
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 12: “Employment Discrimination”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 12: “Employment Discrimination” (PDF)
Instructions: Click on the link above and read the introductory materials for Chapter 12. The employment-at-will doctrine, which is prevalent in the United States, makes it relatively easy for an employer to fire an employee for most any reason. However, specific federal and state laws protect employees from being fired for reasons that government and society have determined to be wrongful discrimination. In the past sixty years or so, laws have been passed in the United States that protect against discrimination based on race, ethnicity, religious practice, and disability, to name some of the most prominent examples. Be aware that some forms of discrimination are not currently outlawed. Look at the Abercrombie & Fitch example to review the significant legal issues that accompany a claim of discrimination.
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- Assignment: The Saylor Foundation: Assessment 13: “Essay – Age Discrimination”
Link: The Saylor Foundation: Assessment 13: “Essay – Age Discrimination” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the assignment, using the “Guide to Responding” to help you assess your response. When you are done, please check your work against The Saylor Foundation's “Assessment 13: Guide to Responding.”
Please dedicate approximately 5-6 hours to writing your essay.
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- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 7.3 Quiz”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 7.3 Quiz” (HTML)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the quiz. You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this quiz. If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link. These short quizzes are designed to reinforce key terms and concepts that you will practice in the course project components. The correct answers will appear when you click “Submit.”See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 12: “Employment Discrimination”
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7.4 Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
- Lecture: United States Department of Labor’s “OSHA’s 40th Anniversary”
Link: United States Department of Labor’s “OSHA’s 40th Anniversary” (YouTube)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and view the video (4:40) for an overview of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, including its history and functions. Note in particular the issues that gave rise to the Occupational Safety and Health Act and the issues with which OSHA has dealt over its history.
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- Lecture: United States Department of Labor’s “OSHA’s 40th Anniversary”
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7.5 Collective Bargaining
- Reading: United States National Labor Relation Board’s “Frequently Asked Questions”
Link: United States National Labor Relation Board’s “Frequently Asked Questions” (PDF)
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Instructions: Please click the link above and read this list of FAQs, which provides a good introduction to the right of collective bargaining in the United States. With collective bargaining, employees in the United States have the right to organize into unions to represent themselves in negotiations with their employers. Note, in particular, how the National Labor Relations Act protects this right.
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- Reading: Cornell University: Legal Information Institute's “Collective Bargaining”
Link: Cornell University: Legal Information Institute's “Collective Bargaining” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read the article, which provides an overview on the subject of collective bargaining. Note the interplay of private negotiation and agreement with federal and state law. Public policy takes a strong interest in how companies interact with their workers. While union membership and impact has declined over the past few decades, federal and state law still play a strong role in regulating the relationships between labor and management.
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- Reading: University of Hawaii: Center for Labor Education and Research’s “Collective Bargaining FAQs”
Link: University of Hawaii: Center for Labor Education and Research’s “Collective Bargaining FAQs” (HTML)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and study this list of FAQs, which provides a comprehensive introduction to the right of collective bargaining in the United States. Note that this resource will cover sub-subunits 4.5.1 and 4.5.2.
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- Reading: United States National Labor Relation Board’s “Frequently Asked Questions”
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7.5.1 Unions
Note: This topic is covered by the Center for Labor Education and Research article, which you previously read in subunit 7.5. Work to understand the important role unions play in negotiating on behalf of employees and representing employees in disputes with employers.
- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 7.5.1 Quiz”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 7.5.1 Quiz” (HTML)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the quiz. You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this quiz. If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link. These short quizzes are designed to reinforce key terms and concepts that you will practice in the course project components. The correct answers will appear when you click “Submit.”See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 7.5.1 Quiz”
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7.5.2 Strikes
Note: This topic is covered by the Center for Labor Education and Research article, which you previously read in subunit 7.5. Work, in particular, to understand the right of members of labor organizations to engage in legitimate “collective action.”
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7.5.3 Whistleblower Protections
- Reading: United States Department of Labor's “Other Workplace Standards: Whistleblower and Retaliation Protections”
Link: United States Department of Labor's “Other Workplace Standards: Whistleblower and Retaliation Protection Civil Law?” (PDF)
Also available in:
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Instructions: Please click on the link above and read the material on whistleblower and retaliation procedures. Click on other in-text links and explore this resource as desired.
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- Reading: United States Department of Labor's “Other Workplace Standards: Whistleblower and Retaliation Protections”
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7.6 Wrongful Termination
Note: This topic is covered by Section 2 of Chapter 50 from Business Law and the Legal Environment, which you previously read in subunit 7.1. While this reading focuses on the employment at will doctrine, a large part of the section deals with specific bases for making a claim of wrongful termination, such as an employee’s refusal to violate a law and the exercise of a legal right by an employee.
- Assignment: The Saylor Foundation's Assignment 14: “Questions for Reflection – The Nature of Employment Law”
Link: The Saylor Foundation's Assessment 14: “Questions for Reflection – The Nature of Employment Law” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the assignment, using the “Guide to Responding” to help you assess your responses. This assignment focuses on fundamental questions on the nature of employment law. When you are done, please check your work against The Saylor Foundation's “Assessment 14: Guide to Responding.”
Please dedicate approximately 45 minutes to one hour to answering these reflection questions.
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- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation's Assessment “Unit 7 Multiple Choice Quiz”
Link: The Saylor Foundation's Assessment: “Unit 7 Multiple Choice Quiz” (HTML)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the quiz. You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this quiz. If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link. These end-of-unit quizzes are designed to reinforce key terms and concepts that you will practice in the course project components. Completing these quizzes will also reinforce your learning and will prepare you for the course final exam. Each unit quiz focuses on the material presented specifically in this individual unit of study. The correct answers will appear when you click “Submit.”
Terms of Use: The resource above is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License (HTML). It is attributed to The Saylor Foundation.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Assignment: The Saylor Foundation's Assignment 14: “Questions for Reflection – The Nature of Employment Law”
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Unit 8: Criminal Law and Business
Like torts, criminal law deals with what happens when an individual or group of individuals commits a wrong against another individual or group of individuals. However, criminal laws are enforceable through prosecution by the state. Criminal law pertains to the direct violation of an existing law. In criminal law cases, there is a prosecution, a defense, and, in many cases, a jury of peers. This unit will focus on criminal law in the business community.
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- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 10: “Criminal Law”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 10: “Criminal Law” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read the introductory materials for Chapter 10. Prior units dealing with civil law and informal alternatives have covered the most typical interactions a business person will have with the law. Unfortunately, some businesses and business people do end up becoming involved in the criminal justice system. The last decade in the United States has produced some very prominent examples, including the investment manager Bernie Madoff and Tyco International CEO Dennis Kozlowski. White collar and other business-related crime can have a major impact on the public’s perception of a business and its executives and employees. For ethical as well as economic reasons, it is very important for business leaders to be aware of the potential for crime in the business world and to take steps to guard themselves and their businesses against it. The introduction to Chapter 10 will provide an overview of the issues businesspeople face relating to crime.
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- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 10: “Criminal Law”
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8.1 Burden of Proof
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 10: Section 1: “The Nature of Criminal Law, Constitutional Rights, Defenses, and Punishment”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 10: Section 1: “The Nature of Criminal Law, Constitutional Rights, Defenses, and Punishment” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and Section 1. Chapter 10 provides an overview of criminal law in general, including constitutional protections for criminal defendants, defenses to criminal allegations, and the nature of punishment in criminal law. Pay particular attention to the discussion of the burden of proof in criminal cases. Compare this burden of proof to the burden in civil cases, noting the apparent contradictions that can arise from these differences. At the end of the section, do only Exercise 2.
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- Assignment: The Saylor Foundation's Assessment 15: “Questions for Reflection – The Nature of Criminal Law”
Link: The Saylor Foundation's Assessment 15: “Questions for Reflection – The Nature of Criminal Law” (PDF)
Instructions: Complete the assignment, using the “Guide to Responding” to help you assess your responses. This assignment focuses on the nature of criminal law. When you are done, please check your work against The Saylor Foundation's “Assessment 15: Guide to Responding.”
Please dedicate approximately 30-45 minutes to answering these reflection questions.
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- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 10: Section 1: “The Nature of Criminal Law, Constitutional Rights, Defenses, and Punishment”
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8.2 White Collar Crime and Other Business-Related Crimes
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 10: Section 2: “Crime”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 10: Section 2: “Crime” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read Section 2. This section covers the more notable “white collar” crimes in business. However, it is important to note that business-related crimes can extend beyond common white collar crimes. Property crimes can be committed by any employee. In addition, businesses sometimes violate regulatory statutes with criminal penalties, such as environmental laws. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the most common crimes, white collar and otherwise, seen in business settings. Complete all the exercises at the end of the section.
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- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 8.2 Quiz”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 8.2 Quiz” (HTML)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the quiz. You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this quiz. If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link. These short quizzes are designed to reinforce key terms and concepts that you will practice in the course project components. The correct answers will appear when you click “Submit.”See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Assignment: The Saylor Foundation's Assessment 16: “Questions for Reflection – The Effects of Criminal Law on Business”
Link: The Saylor Foundation's Assessment 16: “Questions for Reflection – The Effects of Criminal Law on Business” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the assignment, using the “Guide to Responding” to help you assess your responses. This assignment focuses how criminal law affects business. When you are done, please check your work against The Saylor Foundation's “Assessment 16: Unit 8 Guide to Responding” (PDF).
Please dedicate approximately 30 minutes to answering these reflection questions.
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- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation's Assessment “Unit 8 Multiple Choice Quiz”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s Assessment: “Unit 8 Multiple Choice Quiz” (HTML)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the quiz. You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this quiz. If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link. These end-of-unit quizzes are designed to reinforce key terms and concepts that you will practice in the course project components. Completing these quizzes will also reinforce your learning and will prepare you for the course final exam. Each unit quiz focuses on the material presented specifically in this individual unit of study. The correct answers will appear when you click “Submit.”
Terms of Use: This resource is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License (HTML). It is attributed to The Saylor Foundation.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 10: Section 2: “Crime”
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Unit 9: Business Organizations
Corporations are legal entities that protect shareholders from certain legal liabilities. For example, if you start a sole proprietorship and take out a small business loan to get started, you are personally liable for that loan. If you do not repay the loan, the bank can pursue your personal assets. If you are a shareholder in a corporation that fails to pay its loans, however, the bank cannot pursue your personal assets.
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Being a corporation has its own caveats. For example, corporations are subject to more regulations and fees. This unit will look into the various types of business entities in the United States and weigh the pros and cons of each. We will emphasize corporations because most of us will end up working for them.
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- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 11: “Business Organizations”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 11: “Business Organizations” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click the link above and read the introductory materials for Chapter 11. This unit begins with an overview of the various business entities found in the United States. Note the common characteristics of all businesses as well as the great diversity found in the business world. To deal with the diverse needs of businesses, a multitude of business organization forms have been recognized. Note also the importance of limited liability and tax consequences in choosing a business form. As noted in this section, understand how the law treats many business entities in several important ways as if they are real persons.
Terms of Use: The text was adapted by The Saylor Foundation under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License without attribution as requested by the work's original creator or licensee.
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- Lecture: The Saylor Foundation's “Forms of Business Ownership”
Link: The Saylor Foundation's “Forms of Business Ownership” (YouTube)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and watch the entire video (15:03).
Terms of Use: This lecture is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License (HTML). It is attributed to The Saylor Foundation.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 11: “Business Organizations”
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9.1 Sole Proprietor
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 11: Section 1: “Sole Proprietorships”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 11: Section 1: “Sole Proprietorships” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read Section 1. Sole proprietorships are the most common form of business organization, with good reason. There are no formal requirements to start a sole proprietorship. What other advantages are there to starting a business as a sole proprietorship? Note also the disadvantages that go with a sole proprietorship. The link in the textbox “Hyperlink: Small Businesses Squeezed as Banks Limit Lending” will give you insight into the challenges of borrowing money as a sole proprietor. Be sure you understand the issue of liability in sole proprietorships, as this will provide a foundation for discussions of limited liability forms of organizations in the following subunits.
Terms of Use: The text was adapted by The Saylor Foundation under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License without attribution as requested by the work's original creator or licensee.
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- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 11: Section 1: “Sole Proprietorships”
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9.2 Partnership
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 11: Section 2: “Partnerships”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 11: Section 2: “Partnerships” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read Section 2. For various reasons, individuals may decide that it is better to run a company with others than on their own. These individuals may decide to organize as a partnership in order to draw on the experience and expertise of others. Be aware that there are several forms of business partnership as discussed in the following subunits. This reading will cover the material you need to know for subunits 9.2.1 and 9.2.2.
Terms of Use: The text was adapted by The Saylor Foundation under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License without attribution as requested by the work's original creator or licensee.
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- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 11: Section 2: “Partnerships”
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9.2.1 General Partnerships
Note: This topic is covered by Section 2 of Chapter 11, which you previously read in subunit 9.2. General partnerships are the most common form of partnership. Be aware of the significant similarities between general partnerships and sole proprietorships. Also, note the significant differences between them, especially the formalities that generally go into forming and ending partnerships. Therefore, partnerships almost always require the involvement of business lawyers.
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9.2.2 Limited Partnerships
Note: This topic is covered by Section 2 of Chapter 11, which you previously read in subunit 9.2. Work to understand the key distinctions between limited partners and general partners in a limited partnership. Also, notice how the limited partnership takes a step in the direction of other limited liability organizational forms, such as requiring compliance with statutory requirements for forming a limited partnership.
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9.2.3 LLP
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 11: Section 4: “Limited Liability Entities”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 11: Section 4: “Limited Liability Entities” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read Section 4. Note the discussion of limited liability partnerships (LLPs) in the last paragraph of this section. LLPs are organizations that provide limited liability and tax advantages to professional partnerships, such as law firms and accounting firms. This reading covers material you need to know for sub-subunit 9.3.3.
Terms of Use: The text was adapted by The Saylor Foundation under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License without attribution as requested by the work's original creator or licensee.
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- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 11: Section 4: “Limited Liability Entities”
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9.3 Corporations
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 11: Section 3: “Corporations”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 11: Section 3: “Corporations” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read Section 3. Be aware of the reasons that the corporate structure is very attractive to businesses, particularly large and growing companies. That this reading covers the material you need to know for subunits 9.3.1 through 9.3.5.
Terms of Use: The text was adapted by The Saylor Foundation under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License without attribution as requested by the work's original creator or licensee.
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- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 11: Section 3: “Corporations”
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9.3.1 Public vs. Private
Note: This topic is covered by Section 3 of Chapter 11, which you previously read in subunit 9.3. Public corporations are listed on stock exchanges, offer their shares to the public, and are subject to the highest level of regulation. Private corporations are often owned by a small group of investors with a pre-existing relationship. These private corporations are also referred to as “closely held corporations.”
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9.3.2 Characteristics of Modern Corporations
Note: This topic is covered by Section 3 of Chapter 11, which you previously read in subunit 9.3. Look for the following terms, which describe the characteristics of corporations: separate legal entity, limited liability, board of directors, officers, and shareholders.
- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 9.3.2 Quiz”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 9.3.2 Quiz” (HTML)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the quiz. You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this quiz. If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link. These short quizzes are designed to reinforce key terms and concepts that you will practice in the course project components. The correct answers will appear when you click “Submit.”See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 9.3.2 Quiz”
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9.3.3 Formation
Note: This topic is covered by Sections 3 and 4 of Chapter 11, which you previously read in subunits 9.2.3 and 9.3, respectively. Because corporations get significant protections under the law, they must also be formed in strict accordance with the state statutes governing corporate formation in the United States. Because corporate law is a function of state government, corporations have choices about where to incorporate and what corporate formation requirements to which they wish to conform. The state of Delaware, in particular, plays a very important role in the formation of corporations.
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9.3.4 Shareholder Rights
Note: This topic is covered by Section 3 of Chapter 11, which you previously read in subunit 9.3. This section contains a brief discussion of shareholder rights. Where do shareholder rights come from? Go back to Section 3 and view the video in the text box “Video Clip: Activists Shareholders at Wal-Mart” to see shareholders exercising their rights.
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9.3.5 Managers and Fiduciary Responsibility
Note: This topic is covered by Section 3 of Chapter 11, which you previously read in subunit 9.3. Pay close attention to the discussion of the role of boards of directors and their rights and responsibilities in acting on behalf of corporations. Finish by completing the exercises at the end of the section.
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9.3.6 Mergers and Acquisitions
- Reading: Business Law and the Legal Environment: Chapter 47: Section 1: “Corporate Expansion”
Link: Business Law and the Legal Environment: Chapter 47: Section 1: “Corporate Expansion” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read Section 1. This will give you a comprehensive introduction to the many aspects of mergers and acquisitions of corporations in the United States, including the purchase of assets, successor liability, purchase of stock, and state and federal laws governing mergers and acquisitions.
Terms of Use: The text was adapted by The Saylor Foundation under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License without attribution as requested by the work's original creator or licensee.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Business Law and the Legal Environment: Chapter 47: Section 1: “Corporate Expansion”
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9.3.7 Insolvency, Bankruptcy, and Liquidation
- Reading: United States Securities and Exchange Commission’s “What Every Investor Should Know: Corporate Bankruptcy”
Link: United States Securities and Exchange Commission’s “What Every Investor Should Know: Corporate Bankruptcy” (PDF)
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Instructions: Please click on the link above and read the Securities and Exchange Commission's material on corporate bankruptcy. When a corporation is unable to pay its debts, it is said to be insolvent. In the United States, bankruptcy laws help to protect creditors while allowing the debtor to start over. Note that corporations in the United States may reorganize and reach agreements with creditors as to how debts will be paid, if at all. Additionally, a corporation may just stop operating and liquidate all of its assets to satisfy a portion of its debts. Be aware of the distinctions between the two major types of bankruptcy.
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- Assignment: The Saylor Foundation's Assessment 17: “Questions for Reflection – Corporations, Stakeholders, and Taxes” and Assessment 18: “Essay – Comparison of Corporate Law in the U.S., India, and China”
Links: The Saylor Foundation's Assessment 17: “Questions for Reflection – Corporations, Stakeholders, and Taxes” (PDF) and Assessment 18: “Essay – Comparison of Corporate Law in the U.S., India, and China” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the links above and complete the assignments, using the “Guide to Responding” for each to help you assess your responses. These assignments focus on the appropriateness of the government's role in authorizing limited liability business entities. When you are done, please check your work against The Saylor Foundation’s “Assessment 17: Guide to Responding” and “Assessment 18: Guide to Responding.”
Please dedicate approximately 30-45 minutes to answering the reflection questions in Assessment 17. Then, dedicate approximately 5-6 hours to writing your essay for Assessment 18.
Terms of Use: These resources are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License (HTML). They are attributed to The Saylor Foundation.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: United States Securities and Exchange Commission’s “What Every Investor Should Know: Corporate Bankruptcy”
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9.4 Limited Liability Companies
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 11: Section 4: “Limited Liability Entities”
Link: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 11: Section 4: “Limited Liability Entities” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read Section 4. Limited liability companies (LLCs) are a relatively new form of business organization in the United States, but they have already been widely adopted, particularly by small businesses. With the many formalities and structural requirements required of corporations, LLCs offer a simpler alternative that is more suited to small businesses. Note, in particular, the similarities and differences of LLCs versus sole proprietorships and corporations. Why does the text refer to LLCs as a “hybrid form of business organization”? Be sure to familiarize yourself with the requirements needed to form and organize an LLC. Lastly, do the exercises at the end of the section.
Terms of Use: The text was adapted by The Saylor Foundation under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License without attribution as requested by the work's original creator or licensee.
See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 9.4 Quiz”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 9.4 Quiz” (HTML)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the quiz. You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this quiz. If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link. These short quizzes are designed to reinforce key terms and concepts that you will practice in the course project components. The correct answers will appear when you click “Submit.”See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Assignment: The Saylor Foundation's Assessment 19: “Government Interference in Limited Liability Business Entities”
Link: The Saylor Foundation's Assessment 19: “Government Interference in Limited Liability Business Entities” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the assignment, using the “Guide to Responding” to help you assess your response. This assignment focuses on the government’s role in dealing with limited liability business entities. When you are done, please check your work against The Saylor Foundation's “Assessment 19: Guide to Responding”
Please dedicate approximately 15-30 minutes to answering this reflection question.
Terms of Use: This resource is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License (HTML). It is attributed to The Saylor Foundation.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation's Assessment: “Unit 9 Multiple Choice Quiz”
Link: The Saylor Foundation's Assessment: “Unit 9 Multiple Choice Quiz” (HTML)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the quiz. You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this quiz. If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link. These end-of-unit quizzes are designed to reinforce key terms and concepts that you will practice in the course project components. Completing these quizzes will also reinforce your learning and will prepare you for the course final exam. Each unit quiz focuses on the material presented specifically in this individual unit of study. The correct answers will appear when you click “Submit.”
Terms of Use: This resource is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License (HTML). It is attributed to The Saylor Foundation.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business: Chapter 11: Section 4: “Limited Liability Entities”
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Unit 10: Business Regulation
Regulation is always a source of debate within the business community. In the wake of Enron’s massive fraud, for example, legislators passed the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) in an attempt to force corporations to be more diligent in their reporting and auditing. As a result, many corporations have gone private to avoid SOX regulations. Other corporations must devote so much of their resources to SOX, they can barely maintain profitability. Regulations are passed all the time; it is important that managers are aware of all regulations in development and all regulations proposed for removal that could affect their business.
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10.1 Securities Regulation
- Lecture: The Saylor Foundation's “Federal Securities Regulation in the United States”
Link: The Saylor Foundation's “Federal Securities Regulation in the United States” (YouTube)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and view this brief lecture (20:25), which provides an overview of securities law as administered by the United States federal government. Note that due to the federal structure of the United States, securities regulation takes place both at the federal and the state level. Pay particular attention to the discussion on the definition of a security and the requirements for companies to offer securities for sale publicly in the United States.
Terms of Use: The lecture above is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License (HTML). It is attributed to The Saylor Foundation.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: The Saylor Foundation's “State Securities Regulation in the United States”
Link: The Saylor Foundation's “State Securities Regulation in the United States” (YouTube)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and view this brief lecture (15:42) on the role of states in the regulation of securities in the United States. Note that states provided the first regulation of securities in the United States and continue to play a key role in securities regulation to this day. Pay particular attention to the states' approach to securities registration and the role of uniform acts in attempting to foster coordination among the states and the federal government with regard to securities regulation.
Terms of Use: The lecture above is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License (HTML). It is attributed to The Saylor Foundation.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 10.1 Quiz”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 10.1 Quiz” (HTML)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the quiz. You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this quiz. If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link. These short quizzes are designed to reinforce key terms and concepts that you will practice in the course project components. The correct answers will appear when you click “Submit.”See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: The Saylor Foundation's “Federal Securities Regulation in the United States”
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10.2 Sarbanes-Oxley
- Lecture: The Saylor Foundation's “The Sarbanes-Oxley Act”
Link: The Saylor Foundation's “The Sarbanes-Oxley Act” (YouTube)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and view this brief lecture (14:53), which deals with the adoption and details of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Note that the Act, often referred to as SOX, came about in the wake of several scandals involving large public corporations in the United States. Note also the role played by leading corporate executives, accountants, auditors, and legal counsel. Ask yourself what problems SOX attempted to address and what specific changes it made to address those problems.
Terms of Use: The lecture above is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License (HTML). It is attributed to The Saylor Foundation.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: The Saylor Foundation's “The Sarbanes-Oxley Act”
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10.3 Antitrust Law
- Reading: Business Law and the Legal Environment: Chapter 48: Section 1: “History and Basic Framework of Antitrust Laws in the United States”
Link: Business Law and the Legal Environment: Chapter 48, Section 1: “History and Basic Framework of Antitrust Laws in the United States” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read this introduction to the history and basics of antitrust law. Note that in many countries antitrust laws are referred to as competition laws. Be sure to pay special attention to the discussion of the Sherman Antitrust Act and its development.
Terms of Use: The text was adapted by The Saylor Foundation under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License without attribution as requested by the work's original creator or licensee.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 10.3 Quiz”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 10.3 Quiz” (HTML)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the quiz. You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this quiz. If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link. These short quizzes are designed to reinforce key terms and concepts that you will practice in the course project components. The correct answers will appear when you click “Submit.”See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Business Law and the Legal Environment: Chapter 48: Section 1: “History and Basic Framework of Antitrust Laws in the United States”
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10.4 Administrative Law
- Lecture: The Saylor Foundation's “Administrative Law and Business”
Link: The Saylor Foundation's “Administrative Law and Business” (YouTube)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and view this brief lecture (15:45), which deals with the interaction of administrative law with business in the United States. Note that administrative agencies usually have the authority to create rules which have the force of law. In essence, a legislative body gives an administrative agency a limited amount of the legislature’s power to make law. Pay attention to the reasons that this is done and note the roles that several agencies in the United States government play in regulating businesses and the environment in which they operate.
Terms of Use: The lecture above is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License (HTML). It is attributed to The Saylor Foundation.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Assignment: The Saylor Foundation's Assessment 20: “Questions for Reflection - What Is the Role of Regulation in the Business World?”
Link: The Saylor Foundation's Assessment 20: “Questions for Reflection - What Is the Role of Regulation in the Business World?” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the assignment, which focuses on role of regulation in the business world. When you are done, please check your work against The Saylor Foundation's “Assessment 20: Guide to Responding.”
Please dedicate approximately 30 minutes to answering these reflection questions.
Terms of Use: This resource is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License (HTML). It is attributed to The Saylor Foundation.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation's Assessment: “Unit 10 Multiple Choice Quiz”
Link: The Saylor Foundation's Assessment: “Unit 10 Multiple Choice Quiz” (HTML)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the quiz. You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this quiz. If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link. These end-of-unit quizzes are designed to reinforce key terms and concepts that you will practice in the course project components. Completing these quizzes will also reinforce your learning and will prepare you for the course final exam. Each unit quiz focuses on the material presented specifically in this individual unit of study. The correct answers will appear when you click “Submit.”
Terms of Use: This resource is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License (HTML). It is attributed to The Saylor Foundation.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Lecture: The Saylor Foundation's “Administrative Law and Business”
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Unit 11: Business Ethics
Running a successful business is not simply a matter of obeying the law. There are areas, some addressed by the law and others not, where we have to ask ourselves whether it would be right or wrong to do a particular thing. A life in business often presents us with different ethical challenges. For example, while it may be legal for executives at companies laying off employees to award themselves, at the same time, substantially higher salaries and bonuses, is it right? In this unit, we will present an overview of the many ethical challenges businesses and business-people face. We will look at how ethics applies to various areas within the modern business. This unit will also take a look at Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), which works from the premise that just because it is legal to do something, doesn’t mean it should be done. It may be legal for a corporation to dump a certain amount of waste, but if that impacts the community in a negative way, it could damage the reputation of the business. Corporate Social Responsibility and established business ethics seek to identify a balance between doing what’s right for the community and doing what’s best for a company’s shareholders.
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11.1 General Business Ethics
- Reading: Business Law and the Legal Environment: Chapter 2: Section 1: “What Is Ethics”
Link: Business Law and the Legal Environment: Chapter 2: Section 1: “What Is Ethics” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read Section 1. This reading gives a concise introduction to ethics and some of the important issues relating to business. You will consider how both individuals and institutions can be viewed as ethical. In addition, you will learn how ethics and the law differ and why an ethical reputation can be more important than compliance with the law.
Terms of Use: The text was adapted by The Saylor Foundation under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License without attribution as requested by the work's original creator or licensee.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: New World Encyclopedia's “Business Ethics”
Link: New World Encyclopedia's “Business Ethics” (PDF)
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Instructions: Please click on the link above and read the New World Encyclopedia's entry on business ethics. This reading provides an excellent overview on the way in which ethics applies to businesses, covering the content of business ethics courses, various categories of ethics challenges facing business, theoretical and practical approaches to business ethics, and professional ethics.
Terms of Use: This resouce is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike 3.0 License (HTML). It is attributed to New World Encyclopedia.The Saylor Foundation does not yet have materials for this portion of the course. If you are interested in contributing your content to fill this gap or aware of a resource that could be used here, please submit it here.
- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 11.1 Quiz”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 11.1 Quiz” (HTML)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the quiz. You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this quiz. If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link. These short quizzes are designed to reinforce key terms and concepts that you will practice in the course project components. The correct answers will appear when you click “Submit.”See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Business Law and the Legal Environment: Chapter 2: Section 1: “What Is Ethics”
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11.2 Metaethical Theories
Moral Universalism: The view that ethics applies to every person, irrespective of race, sex, religion, and so on. One very popular version of this view is that God exists and is the judge of right and wrong for everyone, for all time. However, see subunit 11.3 for more ethical theories, including those of Aristotle, Immanuel Kant, and John Stuart Mill.
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11.2.1 Ethical Relativism
- Reading: Mesa Community College: Dave Yount’s “Individual and Cultural Relativism”
Link: Mesa Communit College: Dave Yount’s “Individual and Cultural Relativism” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read the summary of individual and cultural relativism. Reflect on whether you can defend either of these versions of relativism. What is right or wrong is solely determined by either the individual (individual relativism) or one’s culture (cultural relativism).
Terms of Use: This resource has been reposted by the kind permission of Dave Yount. Please note that this material is under copyright and may not be reproduced in any capacity without the explicit permission of the copyright holder.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Mesa Community College: Dave Yount’s “Individual and Cultural Relativism”
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11.2.2 Nihilism
- Reading: Mesa Community College: Dave Yount’s “Nihilism, and Six Objections Against It”
Link: Mesa Community College: Dave Yount’s “Nihilism, and Six Objections Against It” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read this examination of nihilism, the view that there is no objective right or wrong and perhaps that life is therefore meaningless. Reflect on whether you can defend nihilism.
Terms of Use: This resource has been reposted by the kind permission of Dave Yount. Please note that this material is under copyright and may not be reproduced in any capacity without the explicit permission of the copyright holder.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Mesa Community College: Dave Yount’s “Nihilism, and Six Objections Against It”
- 11.3 Ethical Theories
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11.3.1 Aristotle’s Ethical Theory: Virtue Ethics
- Reading: Mesa Community College: Dave Yount’s “Aristotle’s Ethical Theory”
Link: Mesa Community College: Dave Yount’s “Aristotle’s Ethical Theory” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read this explanation of Aristotle's ethical theory. Reflect on whether you prefer Aristotle’s ethical theory.
Terms of Use: This resource has been reposted by the kind permission of Dave Yount. Please note that this material is under copyright and may not be reproduced in any capacity without the explicit permission of the copyright holder.The Saylor Foundation does not yet have materials for this portion of the course. If you are interested in contributing your content to fill this gap or aware of a resource that could be used here, please submit it here.
- Reading: Mesa Community College: Dave Yount’s “Aristotle’s Ethical Theory”
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11.3.2 Immanuel Kant’s Ethical Theory: Rights and Duties
- Reading: Mesa Community College: Dave Yount’s “Immanuel Kant’s Ethical Theory”
Link: Mesa Community College: Dave Yount’s “Immanuel Kant’s Ethical Theory” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read this explanation of Immanuel Kant's ethical theory. Reflect on whether you prefer Kant’s ethical theory.
Terms of Use: This resource has been reposted by the kind permission of Dave Yount. Please note that this material is under copyright and may not be reproduced in any capacity without the explicit permission of the copyright holder.The Saylor Foundation does not yet have materials for this portion of the course. If you are interested in contributing your content to fill this gap or aware of a resource that could be used here, please submit it here.
- Reading: Mesa Community College: Dave Yount’s “Immanuel Kant’s Ethical Theory”
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11.3.3 John Stuart Mill’s Ethical Theory: Utilitarianism
- Reading: Mesa Community College: Dave Yount’s “Utilitarianism”
Link: Mesa Community College: Dave Yount’s “Utilitarianism” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read this explanation of John Stewart Mill's utilitarianism. Reflect on whether you prefer Mill’s ethical theory.
Terms of Use: This resource has been reposted by the kind permission of Dave Yount. Please note that this material is under copyright and may not be reproduced in any capacity without the explicit permission of the copyright holder.The Saylor Foundation does not yet have materials for this portion of the course. If you are interested in contributing your content to fill this gap or aware of a resource that could be used here, please submit it here.
- Reading: Mesa Community College: Dave Yount’s “Utilitarianism”
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11.4 Practical Exercises in Business Ethics
- Reading: Business Law and the Legal Environment: Chapter 2: Section 5: “Corporate Social Responsibility and Business Ethics: Summary and Exercises”
Link: Business Law and the Legal Environment: Chapter 2: Section 5: “Corporate Social Responsibility and Business Ethics: Summary and Exercises” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read the summary of Chapter 2. Then complete the exercises at the end of the summary to apply what you have learned so far about business ethics.
Terms of Use: The text was adapted by The Saylor Foundation under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License without attribution as requested by the work's original creator or licensee.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Business Law and the Legal Environment: Chapter 2: Section 5: “Corporate Social Responsibility and Business Ethics: Summary and Exercises”
- 11.5 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
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11.5.1 Company and Community
- Reading: Business Law and the Legal Environment: Chapter 2: Section 4: “Corporations and Corporate Governance”
Link: Business Law and the Legal Environment: Chapter 2: Section 4: “Corporations and Corporate Governance” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read Section 4. This reading offers perspectives and examples related to corporate social responsibility. It looks at how corporations are structured and governed. It gives an overview of the shareholder profit-maximization approach to corporate governance and compares this to the stakeholder approach. It also examines ethical challenges within a corporate framework.
Terms of Use: The text was adapted by The Saylor Foundation under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License without attribution as requested by the work's original creator or licensee.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Business Law and the Legal Environment: Chapter 2: Section 4: “Corporations and Corporate Governance”
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11.5.2 Potential Business Benefits
- Reading: Triple Pundit: Alison Monahan's “Four Emerging Trends in Corporate Social Responsibility”
Link: The Saylor Foundation: Alison Monahan's “Four Emerging Trends in Corporate Social Responsibility” (PDF)
Also Available in:
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Instructions: Please read the entire article.
Terms of Use: The article above is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0(HTML). It is attributed to Alison Monahan and Triple Pundit; the original version can be found here (HTML).See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Triple Pundit: Alison Monahan's “Four Emerging Trends in Corporate Social Responsibility”
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11.5.3 Issues with CSR
- Reading: Connexions: William Frey and Jose A. Cruz-Cruz's “Three Views of CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility)”
Link: Connexions: William Frey and Jose A. Cruz-Cruz's “Three Views of CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility)” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and read this article. This module looks at corporate social responsibility from three different angles. Two of the approaches see corporate responsibility as involving groups and concerns external to the corporate ownership and governing structure. Also highlighted is the shareholder-centered approach to corporate responsibility famously advocated by Milton Friedman. As you read through this material, compare and contrast the various approaches.
Terms of Use: The article above is released under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License (HTML). It is attributed to William Frey and Jose A. Cruz-Cruz, and the original version can be found here (HTML).The Saylor Foundation does not yet have materials for this portion of the course. If you are interested in contributing your content to fill this gap or aware of a resource that could be used here, please submit it here.
- Assignment: The Saylor Foundation's Assessment 21: “Questions for Reflection - How Should Businesses Account for Ethical Concerns and Social Responsibility?”
Link: The Saylor Foundation's Assessment 21: “Questions for Reflection - How Should Businesses Account for Ethical Concerns and Social Responsibility?” (PDF)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the assignment, using the “Guide to Responding” to help you assess your responses. This assignment focuses on role of ethics and social responsibility in the business world. When you are done, please check your work against The Saylor Foundation's “Assessment 21: Guide to Responding.”
Please dedicate approximately 30 minutes to answering these reflections questions.
Terms of Use: This resource is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License (HTML). It is attributed to The Saylor Foundation.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 11.5.3 Quiz”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s “Subunit 11.5.3 Quiz” (HTML)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the quiz. You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this quiz. If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link. These short quizzes are designed to reinforce key terms and concepts that you will practice in the course project components. The correct answers will appear when you click “Submit.”See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Assessment: The Saylor Foundation’s Assessment: “Unit 11 Multiple Choice Quiz”
Link: The Saylor Foundation’s Assessment: “Unit 11 Multiple Choice Quiz” (HTML)
Instructions: Please click on the link above and complete the quiz. You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this quiz. If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link. These end-of-unit quizzes are designed to reinforce key terms and concepts that you will practice in the course project components. Completing these quizzes will also reinforce your learning and will prepare you for the course final exam. Each unit quiz focuses on the material presented specifically in this individual unit of study. The correct answers will appear when you click “Submit.”
Terms of Use: This resource resource is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License (HTML). It is attributed to The Saylor Foundation.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Reading: Connexions: William Frey and Jose A. Cruz-Cruz's “Three Views of CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility)”
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Final Exam
- Final Exam: The Saylor Foundation's BUS205 Final Exam
Link: The Saylor Foundation's "BUS205 Final Exam" (HTML)
Instructions: You must be logged into your Saylor Foundation School account in order to access this exam. If you do not yet have an account, you will be able to create one, free of charge, after clicking the link.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Final Exam: The Saylor Foundation's BUS205 Final Exam
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NCCRS Credit Recommended Exam
- Optional Final Exam: The Saylor Foundation's "BUS205 Final Exam"
Link: The Saylor Foundation's "BUS205 Final Exam" (HTML)
Instructions: The above linked exam has been specially created as part of our National College Credit Recommendation Service (NCCRS) review program. Successfully passing this exam will make students eligible to receive a transcript with 3 hours of recommended college credit.
Please note that because this exam has the possibility to be a credit-bearing exam, it must be administered in a proctored environment, and is therefore password protected. Further information about Saylor's NCCRS program and the options and requirements for proctoring, can be found here. Please make sure to read this page carefully before attempting this exam.
If you choose to take this exam, you may want to first take the regular, certificate-bearing BUS205 Final Exam as a practice test, which you can find above.See a broken link? Please let us know!
- Optional Final Exam: The Saylor Foundation's "BUS205 Final Exam"
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