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BU552G: ISSUES IN CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND ETHICS (2023-2024)

Last modified: 23 Jul 2024 10:43


Course Overview

Corporate governance has become one of the most significant challenges for organisations and for the managers who work within them. The reasons for this include high-profile corporate scandals, conflict of interests, manipulations of financial statements, ethical dilemmas, crises like  the global financial crisis credit crunch or even pandemic, and a growing need to demonstrate corporate accountability, transparency and ethical practices. The “Issues in Corporate Governance and Ethics” course will deepen students understanding and stimulate critical thinking in these areas. Students will study and critique theory and practices of corporate governance models and ethics guidelines  as well as its relation to boards, professional bodies (accounting/audit firms), investors and wider stakeholder groups. 

Course Details

Study Type Postgraduate Level 5
Term Second Term Credit Points 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits)
Campus Aberdeen Sustained Study No
Co-ordinators
  • Professor Azizul Islam

What courses & programmes must have been taken before this course?

  • Any Postgraduate Programme (Studied)

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

None.

Are there a limited number of places available?

No

Course Description

This course introduces students to the foundation of corporate governance systems, ethical guidelines, accountability mechanisms and the related theories and practices  in the context of international business.  The course will include an overview of corporate governance systems worldwide, major reforms, and a critical analysis of how corporations would (and should) deal with the ethical dilemmas associated with  corporate scandals, conflict of interests, manipulations of financial statements,  crises like  the global financial crisiscredit crunch or even pandemic and so on. This course also involves engagement with relevant theoretical frameworks which have been popular in analysing different corporate governance systems and ethics guidelines worldwide.  It develops students’ understanding of demonstrating accountability to boards, investors and wider stakeholder groups.  It also considers the influence of board of directors, professional bodies (such as accounting/audit firms) and the role of investors, risk management and internal control in corporate governance of international business. Students will be expected to provide theoretically informed critical analyses on corporate governance and ethical practices that affect the operations of contemporary business organisations. 


Contact Teaching Time

Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.

Teaching Breakdown

More Information about Week Numbers


Details, including assessments, may be subject to change until 30 August 2024 for 1st term courses and 20 December 2024 for 2nd term courses.

Summative Assessments

Essay

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 70
Assessment Weeks 39 Feedback Weeks 41

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Feedback

Students are required to submit an essay by critically evaluating the corporate governance practices of a company based on annual report.

Word Count 3000
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ReflectionAnalyseDemonstrate knowledge and understanding of the accountability to stakeholders and analyse how contemporary businesses demonstrate accountability to boards, investors and wider stakeholder groups.
ReflectionEvaluateDemonstrate the ability to evaluate the role of boards, professional bodies (accounting firms), investors in corporate governance and ethical practices.

Class Test - Multiple Choice Questions

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 30
Assessment Weeks 29,33,35 Feedback Weeks 29,33,35

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Feedback

There will be three online tests. The test is for examining students understanding of basic concepts and their ability to apply the knowledge to real world analysis. some MCQs may involve short calculations.

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ConceptualUnderstandDemonstrate the knowledge and understanding of the foundations and developments of the issue in corporate governance and ethical practices in the contemporary business context.
ReflectionEvaluateDemonstrate the understanding and knowledge of the theories and the ability to critically evaluate theories underpinning corporate governance and ethical practices.

Formative Assessment

There are no assessments for this course.

Resit Assessments

Essay

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 100
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

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Feedback Word Count 3000
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Course Learning Outcomes

Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ConceptualUnderstandDemonstrate the knowledge and understanding of the foundations and developments of the issue in corporate governance and ethical practices in the contemporary business context.
ReflectionAnalyseDemonstrate knowledge and understanding of the accountability to stakeholders and analyse how contemporary businesses demonstrate accountability to boards, investors and wider stakeholder groups.
ReflectionEvaluateDemonstrate the understanding and knowledge of the theories and the ability to critically evaluate theories underpinning corporate governance and ethical practices.
ReflectionEvaluateDemonstrate the ability to evaluate the role of boards, professional bodies (accounting firms), investors in corporate governance and ethical practices.

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