Reflective journal

The first journal entry is a self-reflection on what you have learned during the first part of the semester. (attached the files named “lecture 2,3,4,5slides” it is our class materials and file named “required readings”) The reflection needs to address the following questions:

How has your knowledge and understanding of moral reasoning in general and in international business in particular evolved over the past weeks?

Reflect on the readings, theories and/or cases discussed that have impacted you the most. How and why?

Do not to find other resources by googles.

Word limit: 1000 (+/- 10%), not include the reference list. The reading, and theory need to be referred.

• Reference as usual – plagiarism is plagiarism.

• How have YOU evolved? I.e. use “I”; make it personal; don’t describe the theories but reflect on them. Admitting you don’t understand something and why; admitting you are confused and why is a legitimate part of personal reflection (unless it shows you haven’t studied…).

• Demonstrate you have learned something… that your brain is processing what we discuss

• Use and reference class material & required reading/viewing for this unit.

Reflection

What it is:

• An examination of yourself -> ‘thinking about your thinking’

• An examination of your learning/experiences and the development of your ideas

• Written in the first person using the ’I’ form

– What it is not:

• A summary of what we learned in class

• Simply applying theories to show that you understand them

• A generic statement like ‘I feel more confident or I changed my mind’ -> Explain

why and how

Reflection

Examples of poor reflection

• ‘The sense of ethics can be defined culturally, socially, and religiously.’

• Problem: this is a definition without referencing. In addition, there is no reflection. It

avoids the “I-form” and therefore it is not clear if the student is speaking about a

personal experience, an insight that he/she picked up from the reading, or is

referencing a text.

• ‘There are three theories in the ethical Reasoning. I have learned these three different

theories based on making the ethical decisions in international business. From these

theories and different cases, I found that ethic exist everywhere in international business.’

• Problem: The first part repeats what was done in class. That can be a legitimate

introduction to a deeper reflection, but what follows is a very broad and general

statement without reflection.

Reflection

Examples of good reflection

• While I’m proud to work for Qantas, I’ve found myself questioning the ethics of working in

aviation generally, given the trade-off between wealth creation and environmental harm. Taking

the Utilitarian view, does giving millions of people the opportunity to travel the world make it

ethically sound to deplete fossil fuels for future generations. Taking the deontological view

• I found Kant’s deontology very confronting. As I was trying to apply it to my own life, I realized I do so many things that would not pass the universal law test or the principle of humanity.

• Reflecting on the question of who I really admire and why, I came to realize that…. Etc.

It helps to start with :

1. A SITUATION / EMOTIONAL RESPONSE / SURPRISE / SHOCK

2. IT MADE ME THINK… (start reflecting)

3. MY INSIGHT/ HOW IT WILL CHANGE ME / WHAT I LEARNED ETC.