Ethics of Innovation
Overview
This unit aims to explore the disruptive nature of emerging technology for businesses - technology that has the power to simultaneously create incredible opportunities for advancement and to unleash potentially catastrophic consequences. In particular, this unit covers the ethical considerations of innovative business solutions and emerging technological developments. Students will be introduced to key ethical frameworks used in the analysis of managerial issues, as well as strategies for overcoming cognitive biases that may lead to suboptimal decision-making. This unit helps students develop proactive reasoning abilities, so that they are better positioned to make, and persuasively present, informed judgements about contemporary and future managerial issues.
Requisites
50 credit points
09-February-2025
05-October-2025
02-November-2025
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Understand and explain competing perspectives concerning the relationship between business, technological, and societal development
- Apply ethical frameworks to analyse and offer solutions to dilemmas in local and international business contexts
- Recognise and explain how cognitive biases influence decision-making for issues involving emerging technology
- Effectively communicate with a range of audiences within workplace, industry, and cultural contexts
Teaching methods
Swinburne Online
| Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online Directed Online Learning and Independent Learning | 12.50 | 12 weeks | 150 |
| TOTAL | 150 |
Hawthorn
| Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| On-campus Class |
2.00 | 12 weeks | 24 |
| Online Lecture (asynchronous) |
1.00 | 12 weeks | 12 |
| Unspecified Activities Independent Learning |
9.50 | 12 weeks | 114 |
| TOTAL | 150 |
Assessment
| Type | Task | Weighting | ULO's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Analysis | Individual | 30 - 40% | 1,2 |
| Major Assignment | Individual | 30 - 50% | 1,2,3 |
| Presentation | Individual | 20 - 30% | 1,2,3,4 |
Content
Applying various approaches (Indigenous, historical) to the study of current and future organisational decision-making
Forming and evaluating the strength of arguments
Using moral principles to inform decision-making
Ethical considerations and consequences of decisions
A focus on character and virtue-based decision-making
The role of cognitive biases in management decision-making
Voice and values building the courage to call out biased and unethical decisions
Psychological safety, organisational culture, and employee voice
Critical and reflective skills for evaluating the learning experience
Critical thinking skills for solving contemporary and future management issues
Study resources
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.