Teaching a Business Ethics Course Using Team Debates: A Preliminary Study

Nhung T. Hendy; M. Tom Basuray; William P. Smith

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Teaching a Business Ethics Course Using Team Debates: A Preliminary Study

Nhung T. Hendy, M. Tom Basuray, and William P. Smith

Towson University, USA

Volume 14: 2017, pp. 5-22: ABSTRACT

In this study, we explored student team debates as a tool in teaching a business ethics course using a sample of upper level undergraduate business students enrolled in two sections of a business ethics course in the U.S. Eight teams each consisting of 4-5 students debated four topics throughout the spring semester of 2016. Their oral arguments were evaluated in the classroom by their non-debating peers. Results showed that after watching the debates, non-debating students changed their position on three out of four debate issues. Further, we found that non-debating students discounted their political orientation in judging which team won the debate. We offer a discussion and implications on teaching business ethics using team debates.