Business, Government, and Society: BGS

Lower-Division Courses

Upper-Division Courses

BGS 325. Social and Ethical Responsibility of Business.

Restricted to students in a business major. Examines ethical aspects of the decision-making processes of managers and employees. Also explores responsibility of firms to society and other constituencies. Three lecture hours a week for one semester.

BGS 140S, 240S, 340S, 440S, 540S, 640S, 740S, 840S, 940S. Topics in Business, Government, and Society.

This course is used to record credit the student earns while enrolled at another institution in a program administered by the University's Study Abroad Office, or the school's BBA Exchange Programs. Credit is recorded as assigned by the study abroad adviser in the Department of Business, Government, and Society. University credit is awarded for work in an exchange program; it may be counted as coursework taken in residence. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary.

BGS 170, 270, 370. Topics in Business, Government, and Society.

For each semester hour of credit earned, one lecture hour a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Varies with the topic.

Topic 1: Energy Technology and Policy. Designed to give students an understanding of the broad context of energy production and consumption in the U.S. and the world. Discusses past energy trends and fundamentals of energy and power, including fossil fuels and renewable energy sources and technologies. Explores different energy resources, environmental impacts, and societal uses of energy, and concludes with an evaluation of future energy technology options. Additional prerequisite: Upper-division standing.
Topic 2: Ethics, CSR, and Service Learning. Examines reasons that seemingly good people sometimes make unethical choices. Explores real-life ethical dilemmas, our decision-making processes, and ideal behavior for the future. An Academic Service Learning course, partnering with corporations (like Google, Inc.), the City of Austin, local non-profits, and other local universities to engage in service projects. For each semester hour of credit earned, one lecture hour a week for one semester. Business, Government, and Society 370.2 and 370 (Topic: Ethics, CSR, & Service Learning) may not both be counted. Additional prerequisite: Upper-division standing.
Topic 3: Business Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility. Focuses on the development of ethical leadership and responsibility. Learn about basic concepts relevant to business ethics, develop ethical principles in a variety of business domains, and practice discussing ethical issues with people from a variety of viewpoints and backgrounds. Business, Government, and Society 370 (Topic: Busn Ethics & Socl Responsblty) and 370 (Topic 3) may not both be counted.
Topic 4: International Business and Politics. Business, Government, and Society 370 (Topic: Internatl Busn/Politics) and 370 (Topic 4) may not both be counted.
Topic 5: Global Business Sustainability. Restricted to students pursuing the Leadership in Global Sustainability minor. Explore the role of sustainability in the corporate sector; how businesses partner with others for sustainability goals; how to value sustainable business practices; and reporting on corporate sustainability. Only one of the following may be counted: Accounting 378 (Topic: Global Busn Sustainability), 378 (Topic 7), Finance 337 (Topic 3), Business, Government, and Society 370 (Topic 5).
Topic 6: Business and Society. Explore the relationship between business firms and society. Only one of the following may be counted: Business, Government, Society 370 (Topic: Business and Society), 370 (Topic 6), Government 355M (Topic: Business and Society), 360N (Topic: Business and Society), 360O.
Topic 10: Nontechnical Exploration and Production. Restricted enrollment; contact the Energy Management and Innovation Center for permission to register. Introduction to the oil and gas exploration and production business for nontechnical personnel. Subjects include prospect generation and leasing, drilling, production, processing, transportation, and closing out a project. Business Government and Society 370 (Topic: Oil and Gas Exploration for Nontechnical Personnel) and 170 (Topic 10), 270 (Topic 10), 370 (Topic 10) may not both be counted. Additional prerequisite: Sophomore standing.

BGS 170S, 270S, 370S. Social and Cultural Entrepreneurship.

Restricted to students participating in a May Term Education Abroad program. Create a business to address social problems, using social and creative means to design market-based approaches to aid a specific cultural group. For each semester hour of credit earned, the equivalent of one lecture hour a week for one semester. Business, Government, and Society 370 (Topic: Socl/Cultrl Entrprnrshp) and 370S may not both be counted. Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.

BGS 371. Corporate Political Strategy.

A study of how the political and regulatory environment enables and constrains business activity and how individual firms and groups of firms can ethically yet effectively lobby legislatures, negotiate with regulators, create industry associations, make campaign contributions, and engage in other political activity to gain competitive advantage. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Only one of the following may be counted: Business, Government, and Society 371, Marketing 372 (Topic: Corporate Political Strategy), 172, 272, 372 (Topic 15). Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

BGS 372. Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility.

A study of how corporations can engage in corporate social responsibility and sustainable activities to improve the world with strategic considerations kept in mind. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

BGS 373. Strategic Corporate Communication.

Studies corporate efforts to inform, motivate, and persuade various constituencies, including investors, employees, communities, and regulators. Subjects include public relations, investor relations, and government relations. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

BGS 374. Global Political Economy.

Exploration of how firms can successfully integrate their traditional strategies with non-market strategy in the global arena, including how to successfully engage with international non-market actors such as foreign governments, regulators, political parties, NGOs, and the media. Examines the necessary tools to craft successful, integrated firm strategies in diverse institutional and political environments. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

BGS 175, 275, 375. Business and Policy in the Age of Inequality.

Examine inequality and its implications as managers and as citizens, and explore how to deal proactively with the consequences of this pervasive phenomenon. For each semester hour of credit earned, one lecture hour a week for one semester. Business Government and Society 370 (Topic: Bus/Pol Age Of Inequality) and 375 may not both be counted. Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

BGS 179, 379. Independent Research in Business, Government, and Society.

Conference course. Only one of the following may be counted: Accounting 179C, 379C, Business, Government, and Society 179, 379, Finance 179C, 379C, International Business 179C, 379C, Legal Environment of Business 179, 379, Management 179C, 379C, Management Information Systems 179, 379, Marketing 179C, 379C, Operations Management 179, 379, Risk Management 179, 379. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing, consent of instructor, and written approval from the department chair's office, before the first meeting of the course, on forms available in the department office for that purpose.

Graduate Courses

BGS 180, 380. Topics in Business, Government, and Society.

For each semester hour of credit earned, one lecture hour a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Graduate standing; additional prerequisites vary with the topic.

BGS 180C, 280C, 380C. Strategic Corporate Communication.

Studies corporate efforts to inform, motivate, and persuade various constituencies, including investors, employees, communities, and regulators. Includes public relations, investor relations, and government relations. For each semester hour of credit earned, one lecture hour a week for one semester. Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

BGS 180D, 280D, 380D. Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility.

Overview of corporate social responsibility (CSR) given the constraints of the business environment, with an emphasis on the conditions under which CSR can provide strategic value to firms through class discussions and group projects. For each semester hour of credit earned, one lecture hour a week for one semester. Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: Graduate standing and consent of instructor.

BGS 180E, 280E, 380E. Global Political Economy.

Exploration of how firms can successfully integrate their traditional strategies with non-market strategy in the global arena, including how to successfully engage with international non-market actors such as foreign governments, regulators, political parties, NGOs, and the media. Examines the necessary tools to craft successful, integrated firm strategies in diverse institutional and political environments. For each semester hour of credit earned, one lecture hour a week for one semester. Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: Graduate standing and consent of instructor.

BGS 180G, 280G, 380G. Business and Policy in the Age of Inequality.

Examine inequality and its implications as managers and as citizens, and explore how to deal proactively with the consequences of this pervasive phenomenon. For each semester hour of credit earned, one lecture hour a week for one semester. Business Government and Society 380 (Topic: Bus/Pol Age Of Inequality) and 180G, 280G, 380G may not both be counted. Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

BGS 281, 381. Law, Ethics, and Corporate Social Responsibility.

Examines corporate responsibility issues and the tools necessary to manage relationships with external stakeholders such as governments, nongovernmental organizations, and communities in legal, political, and cultural contexts. Two or three lecture hours a week for one semester. Business, Government, and Society 381 and Legal Environment of Business 380 (Topic 36: Law, Ethics, and Corporate Social Responsibility) may not both be counted. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

BGS 381E. Law, Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility: Energy.

Examines the external relations challenges facing the energy industry. Focuses on the theory and practice of corporate social responsibility and government relations for the oil, natural gas, and electricity industries in the United States and the larger world. Explores the resource curse and its implications for oil and gas companies doing business overseas, the management of environmental health and safety risk in both the developed and developing world, energy facility siting, and NIMBY challenges in the United States. Some familiarity with energy law is helpful. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Graduate standing; additional prerequisites vary with the topic.

BGS 181M, 281M, 381M. Social and Ethical Responsibility of Business.

Restricted to students in the Master of Business Administration program. Examines ethical aspects of the managerial decision-making process and the application of fundamental ethical principles to business, legal, and social problems. Includes ethical implications of financial markets, race and gender discrimination, employee privacy, multinational business, and health, safety, environmental, and consumer issues. For each semester hour of credit earned, one lecture hour a week for one semester. Business, Government, and Society 181M, 281M, 381M and Legal Environment of Business 380 (Topic 1) may not both be counted. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

BGS 381N. Social and Ethical Responsibilities of Accountants.

Restricted to students admitted to the Master in Professional Accounting program. Examines ethical aspects of the managerial decision-making process and the application of fundamental ethical principles to business, legal, and social problems. Includes ethical implications of financial markets, race and gender discrimination, employee privacy, multinational business, and health, safety, environmental, and consumer issues. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Business, Government, and Society 381L and 381N may not both be counted. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

BGS 182, 282, 382. Corporate Political Strategy.

A study of how the political and regulatory environment enables and constrains business activity and how individual firms and groups of firms can ethically, yet effectively, lobby legislatures, negotiate with regulators, create industry associations, make campaign contributions, and engage in other political activity to gain competitive advantage. For each semester hour of credit earned, one lecture hour a week for one semester. Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: Graduate standing and consent of instructor.

BGS 382D. Economics of Health Care.

Explores the production and provision of health care in the United States. Includes the study of basic economic concepts, differences between health care and other goods, impact of regulatory policies, and the importance of health for economic development. May include international and ethical aspects of health care. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

BGS 382E. Energy Economics.

Studies domestic and international policy issues of energy and the environment, with a focus on market solutions to various problems and market limitations in the allocation of environmental resources. Also examines the economics of fossil fuel alternatives. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

BGS 382L. Labor Economics.

Studies the functioning of the labor market and examines determinants of wage and employment levels in perfect and imperfect labor markets. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

BGS 382R. Economic Analysis of Law.

Uses economic analysis to study law and its impact on business activity. Includes the economics of contract law, tort law, property law, securities regulation, antitrust law, intellectual property, and environmental law. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

BGS 382S. Economics of Sustainable Business.

Examines the policy and practical implications of sustainability. Topics covered may include property rights, air and water pollution, solid-waste disposal, hazardous substances, and wilderness preservation and the protection of endangered species. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

BGS 383. Business Ethics in the Global Market.

Moral theory and its application to business issues in diverse cultures. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

BGS 384. Global Macroeconomic Policy.

Practical study of global macroeconomic policy, including monetary policy, financial market regulation, and economic growth and development policies. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

BGS 385. Business, Government, and Public Policy.

Studies the relationship between business and government throughout the policy process and examines the constitutional constraints that affect businesses across different political and legal systems. Explores ethical issues of the role of business in the policy process. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing and admission to the Master of Business Administration program.

BGS 385W. Business, Government, and Public Policy: Washington Campus.

Restricted to students in the executive Master of Business Administration program. Studies the relationship between business and government throughout the formation and implementation of public policy; includes examination from economic, political, legal, and behavioral perspectives. Focuses primarily on the political, regulatory, and legal system of the United States and addresses issues covered further in the Washington Campus event, a week-long seminar with policy makers in Washington DC that precedes the course. The equivalent of three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

BGS 386. Market Structure and Performance.

Studies industrial organization economics using game-theory to model strategic market behavior. Examines econometric methods used to test hypotheses regarding firm conduct and market performance. Explores profit-maximizing business strategies of firms with market power and strategic interactions among firms in imperfectly competitive markets. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

BGS 287. Business Integrity.

Examines how to make ethical decisions, take ethical actions, lead an ethical life, run ethical organizations, and fulfill corporate social responsibilities. Two lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

BGS 188, 288, 388. Behavioral Economics.

Explores and applies existing behavioral economics findings to all areas of business, and also instructs how to run studies to learn how to "nudge" people toward or away from particular behaviors. For each semester hour of credit earned, one lecture hour a week for one semester. Only one of the following may be counted: Business, Government, and Society 188, 288, 388; Marketing 382 (Topic: Behavioral Economics); 282, 382 (Topic 27). Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

BGS 389. Environmental Regulation of Business.

Examines federal and state regulation of business activities that affect the environment and the potential liability of business for environmental damage. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

BGS 390. Behavioral and Institutional Economics.

Uses aspects of the social sciences, including economics, psychology, and sociology to explore the evolution of economic organizations, the need for business regulation, bubbles and speculation, and economic herd behavior. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

BGS 390E. Business in the Global Political Environment.

Examines global business from a political science perspective. Includes the politics of international trade and investment and the regulatory expectations of national regulators and of international organizations such as the World Trade Organization and the World Bank. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

BGS 390F. Federal Regulatory Policy.

Studies the federal regulatory framework in the United States, including the processes through which regulations are promulgated and the stakeholders involved. Particular emphasis on cost-benefit analysis. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

BGS 390J. Modern Political Economy.

Studies economic theory from Adam Smith to the modern day, with a focus on the interrelationship between economic models and political behavior. Explores the development of American capitalism; includes works from Marx, Hayek, Polanyi, and Williamson. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

BGS 191, 291, 391, 691. Conference Course in Business, Government, and Society.

Individual instruction. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Graduate standing and consent of instructor.

Professional Courses