1. THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE and SCHOOL ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS Whose Perspectives? and other Problems of Knowledge

2. The Theory of Knowledge Diagram Where is Business and Management?

3. WAYS OF KNOWING Perception Emotion Reason Language HOW DO THEY PLAY A ROLE IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ECONOMIC AND BUSINESS KNOWLEDGE?

4. PROBLEMS OF KNOWLEDGE Sources - bias and subjectivity Evidence - reliability Degree of Certainty Methods and standards of Justification Whose knowledge? History of knowledge

5. PERCEPTION What we PERCEIVE of the real world is a product of a FILTERING PROCESS involving: a BIOLOGICAL filter a COGNITIVE filter which includes a PSYCHOLOGICAL and LINGUISTIC filter a CULTURAL and VALUES filter

6. PERCEPTIONS AND KNOWLEDGE CONSTRUCTION The COGNITIVE FILTER can itself be broken down further into a rational filter (“head”) – psychological, linguistic an axiological filter (“heart”) – cultural, moral, aesthetic These filters may take the forms of models, theories, paradigms and value judgements.

7. Knowledge, paradigms, and the world Knowledge The world Biological Filter “Head” and “heart” filters ** Knowledge re-shaping the world through human action **”Head” - LANGUAGE, THOUGHT PROCESSES, “Heart” - CULTURE, VALUES, PARADIGMS and IDEOLOGIES

8. NATURE OF BUSINESS KNOWLEDGE What is the role of intuitions and tacit knowledge in business decisions? Can management be taught from a book? Do successful managers know more than they can tell? Whose perspective does B&M adopt? Is the management of organizations an art or a science? What roles do emotions and creativity play in business, and how are they manifested? Changing assumptions about human beings and culture in business.

9. SPECIFIC ISSUES IN B&M THAT CONNECT WITH TOK Measuring what we value vs. valuing what we measure. Can quality be reliably captured in quantitative measures? Cost-benefit reasoning vs. ethical reasoning in business decisions and strategy The reliability of business accounts Sources of bias in business knowledge Whose knowledge – management’s or employee’s? Others?

10. ETHICAL ISSUES IN BUSINESS AND ORGANIZATIONAL LIFE Can ethical judgments be applied to the behaviour of corporations (as distinct from its managers or other agents)? Is it ethical for businesses to develop ethical objectives as a marketing strategy? Is it possible to be humane and successful in business at the same time?

11. WHAT WE CAN DO AS TEACHERS Pay special attention to the distinction between technical and non-technical uses of words Encourage students to look for the limitations of economic and strategic analysis Encourage focus on institutional, behavioural, moral and political assumptions of any analysis Encourage students to identify, wherever possible, the gainers and losers from policies.