Programs in Business Ethics

The Markkula Center for Applied Ethics is a place where business ethics scholars, students, and businesspeople can address the ethical challenges facing today's business world. The focus is on preserving and building an organization's ethical culture. Through Center partnerships and conferences, practitioners bring real-world concerns to the attention of faculty and staff, and they, in turn, share the results of their research with people in the business world.

Business and Organizational Ethics Partnership
Companies in sectors from information technology to health care join with distinguished academics and subject matter experts to explore questions, challenges, and opportunities faced by organizations in managing their ethics programs.

Eleven companies are organizational partners: Advanced Micro Devices, Affymetrix, Agilent, Apple, Applied Materials, Blue Shield of California, Ernst & Young, Hewlett Packard, Morrison & Foerster, Novellus, Rambus and Wilson Sonsini. Faculty partners come from Santa Clara University, U.C.-Berkeley, U.M.-Kansas City, University of Denver, St. Mary's and Menlo College.

Biennial Global Business Ethics Conference
"Business Ethics in a Global World: China, India, and Beyond" was the theme of the Center's 2007 biennial conference, bringing together business ethics scholars and businesspeople from around the world.

Consulting and Public Speaking
Center Executive Director Kirk O. Hanson is a well-known commentator on business and organizational ethics. He regularly addresses groups in such industries as financial services, health care, and corporate affairs. Executive-in-Residence James Balassone consults with local firms on developing and implementing business ethics practices and programs.

Staff
Kirk O. Hanson, executive director, University Professor of Organizations and Society
Jim Balassone, executive-in-residence