Program Overview

Communication and Marketing Ethics

Description

The Communication and Marketing Ethics course aims to equip students with a comprehensive understanding of ethical theories and their applications in communication and marketing contexts. By the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Describe and differentiate between the major schools of ethics
• Distinguish between 'moral' and 'ethics'
• Define key concepts of communication ethics and discuss central ethical issues in the communication process
• Apply ethical theories and theoretical foundations to communication and marketing ethics contexts
• Describe and discuss current challenges in communication and marketing ethics

Course Objectives

The course starts with an introduction to ethics, covering the distinction between 'moral' and 'ethics', and the most important ethical approaches: Virtue Ethics, Deontology, Utilitarianism, and Discourse Ethics. It then discusses ethical issues in the communication process, such as freedom of expression, conflict of interest, and gatekeeping. The course also introduces communication ethics on the levels of agents, message, medium, and receivers and situations.

Learning Methods

The course builds on ethical theory and case studies, with a focus on classroom debates. It discusses individual, organizational, and societal-macro implications, and encourages attendance.

Examination Information

The course is assessed through a 100% exam.

Required Material

• Cheney, G.; May, S; Munshi, D. (2011): The Handbook of Communication Ethics. Routledge.
• McKinley, M. (2011): Ethics in Marketing and Communications: Towards a Global Perspective. Palgrave.
• Eagle, L. (2015): Marketing Ethics & Society. Sage.

Further Readings

• Dahl and Eagle: Marketing to Young and Vulnerable Consumer Groups. In: Marketing Ethics and Society: Eagle and Dahl 2015, 141-158.
• Drumwright, M. (2014): Ethical Issues in communication Processes. University of Texas, Austin.
• Eagle, Dahl, Low: Criticism of Marketing. In: Marketing Ethics and Society: Eagle and Dahl 2015, 29-54.
• Eagle, Desrochers, Dahl. Mahony and Low: Promotion of Harmful Products. In: Marketing Ethics and Society: Eagle and Dahl 2015, 159-188.
• Hyde, M. (2011): Ethics, Rhetoric, and Discourse. HB of ComE. 31-45.
• Jensen, J. (1997): Ethical Issues in the Communication Process: General Aspects: 36-48.
• L'Etang, J. (2011): Ethical Issues of Public Relations and Marketing. HB of ComE. 221-241.
• Seele P., Lock I. (2015) Instrumental and/or Deliberative? A Typology of CSR Communication Tools. Journal of Business Ethics: DOI

Education

The Communication and Marketing Ethics course is offered as an elective course in the following programs:

• Master of Science in Communication and Economics in Corporate Communication, Thematic Area: Corporate Social Responsibility and the Common Good, 2nd year
• Master of Science in Communication and Economics in Marketing and Transformative Economy, Thematic Area: Corporate Social Responsibility and the Common Good, 2nd year
• Master of Science in Communication in Media Management, Thematic Area: Corporate Social Responsibility and the Common Good, 2nd year

Additional Information

• Semester: Fall
• Academic year:
• ECTS: 3.0
• Language: English