LAW531
Discussion Questions
Week 1
Discussion Question 1
In this class, our primary focus will be on law as it relates to
business. Since we live in a free market country, it is important to understand
the relationship between law and free markets. Watch the following short video
(it has two 10 minute parts)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBCk1f52Wvg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tm_UkQYQy7c&feature=related
After watching the video, give one example of a teleological law
and one example of a non-teleological law. (Please give examples other than the
examples given in the video.)
Do you agree with the video? As a general rule does a free market
function best with non-teleological laws? Please explain why you agree of disagree with the video.
Discussion Question 2
Select a clause in the Constitution, which you
believe has an influence on business in the United States. Explain the clause
you selected and explain the impact that you believe is has on business.
Discussion Question 3
Select an example of a command economy (it can be
a current of past example) and an example of a free market economy. What is the
difference in the role that law plays in these two different systems?
Week 2
Discussion Question 1
Select a product you are familiar with or
interested in. Be sure the product has not already been discussed by other
students. What product liability issues arise for that product? What measures
can management take to prevent these product liability problems from arising?
How can they minimize legal risk involving the product?
Discussion Question 2
How do government
regulatory agencies and laws impact business organizations? Choose one or two
specific governmental regulatory requirements and explain what impact they have
on business organizations. How do these regulations differ domestically and
internationally?
Discussion Question 3
Select one type of tort. Explain the elements
that a court must find to impose liability based on that tort. Give an example
(real or imaginary) of a factual situation which meets all of the required
elements of the tort.
For a list of torts, look under the scale image
on the right hand side of this web page.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torts
Week 3
Discussion Questions 1
What are some special
issues that arise in Internet transactions? What should business managers do to
protect their organizations in Internet transactions? Avoid discussing an issue
already mentioned by other students.
Discussion Questions 2
What special issues arise in international business transactions? Identify one such issue
and discuss what managers can do to minimize exposure to legal risk and
uncertainty associated with this issue. Do not discuss an international
transaction already addressed by other students.
Discussion Question 3
When agreeing to a contract, a party should be
well prepared and know its situation. In the book "Getting to Yes,"
the authors recommend that a party know its "BATNA." What is meant by
"BATNA"? Give an example of a situation in which knowing your BATNA
can protect you from making a bad decision.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Getting_to_YES
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BATNA
Week 4
Discussion Question 1
In Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964,
Congress prohibited several types of discrimination by private employers (with
15 or more employees). Select one type of discrimination covered by Title VII
and share a real world example of such discrimination
with the class. Also, mention any suggestion that you might have that could
have helped the company avoid the problem in the first place.
Discussion Question 2
Discrimination (the lack of tolerance for people
who are different than you) is at the heart of many of the world's most
significant problems. Select a story that is in the news, which has been caused
by intolerance. For this DQ, select something outside the US. Explain how
discrimination or the lack of tolerance has caused the problem.
Discussion Question 3
From an ethical perspective, are there ever times
when discrimination is justified? Select one of the types of discrimination
listed in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and answer this question
concerning the type of discrimination which you have selected. Make sure that
you carefully explain the reasoning behind you answer.
Week 5
Discussion Question 1
During late 2001 and early 2002 several "accounting scandals" came to light in the United States. Select one of these scandals and explain one facet of what you believe went wrong.
Discussion Question 2
Select an industry in which intellectual property plays an important role. Explain one reason why intellectual property is important to this industry.
Discussion Question 3
What actions should a manager in
the selected industry take to identify and protect the organization from violating
the intellectual property rights of others? Add supplementary information to
your teammates’ posts as needed. Comment on the postings of your classmates by
comparing the industry you selected with theirs.
Week 6
Discussion Question 1
Imagine that you are a
friend have decided to open a restaurant. You both intend to hold a 50%
ownership interest. What type of business entity would you select for this
business (e.g., partnership, LLC, corporation)? Explain your choice.
Discussion Question 2
Select a legal requirement
of Sarbanes-Oxley, which your believe is relevant to the financial crisis.
Explain the requirement and why you think it is helpful to resolving the
crisis, or alternatively why you think it causes problems related to the
crisis.
Discussion Question 3
Do you believe that
Congress should place a limit on executive pay for financial institutions in
the United States? Explain your position.