Purchase Solution

Caveat Emptor means "Let the Buyer Beware."

Not what you're looking for?

Ask Custom Question

Blowing the whistle is a long, tough slog in which people sacrifice careers, friends, and job security to do what they believe is right. While we may very much admire people who have the courage to blow the whistle, some of my research strongly indicates that public whistle blowing can damage both organizational and family lives. For example, one can secretly blow the whistle inside or outside the organization rather than publicly blow the whistle and risk the direct or indirect retaliations against you. Another individual can write an unsigned letter to influential people inside the organization alerting them that unethical behavior is being practice in the hopes that ethical powerful people will do something about the unethical behavior. On the other hand, one can even clandestinely threaten the offender with exposure if they do not stop the unethical activities. Yet where legal protections have grown, the number of whistle-blowers has stayed flat or even fallen.

1. Set forth in detail what you believe to be the necessary, ethical steps an employee should take when contemplating publicly blowing the whistle regarding an employer's unethical actions.

Objectives
? Describe the value of ethical corporate governance.

? Explain the need for the business enterprise leadership structure to be highly ethical.

? Explain the importance of acting ethically in any given market.

Exercises
1. Set forth in detail what you believe to be the necessary, ethical steps an employee should take when contemplating publicly blowing the whistle regarding an employer's unethical actions.

2. With regard to Question 1, what does the employee owe the employer?
Fellow employees? The public?

Professional Development

1. If you were the Chief Ethics Officer of your organization, what kind of ethical training would you recommend for the organization's personnel? Explain in detail how such training would be exercised.

Issues to Consider
1. Caveat Emptor means "Let the Buyer Beware." In essence, this is an approach to doing business that exonerates sellers from any responsibility for selling defective items to unknowing customers. Why would such an approach to doing business in any market fail to demonstrate ethical leadership? What are a few of the ethical principles involved and how are they violated?

Credulous

Purchase this Solution

Solution Summary

This discusses the Caveat Emptor means "Let the Buyer Beware." and other ethical issues

Solution Preview

Blowing the whistle is a long, tough slog in which people sacrifice careers, friends, and job security to do what they believe is right. While we may very much admire people who have the courage to blow the whistle, some of my research strongly indicates that public whistle blowing can damage both organizational and family lives. For example, one can secretly blow the whistle inside or outside the organization rather than publicly blow the whistle and risk the direct or indirect retaliations against you. Another individual can write an unsigned letter to influential people inside the organization alerting them that unethical behavior is being practice in the hopes that ethical powerful people will do something about the unethical behavior. On the other hand, one can even clandestinely threaten the offender with exposure if they do not stop the unethical activities. Yet where legal protections have grown, the number of whistle-blowers has stayed flat or even fallen.

1. Set forth in detail what you believe to be the necessary, ethical steps an employee should take when contemplating publicly blowing the whistle regarding an employer's unethical actions.

Here are some important steps or question I would recommend someone use, if they were going to contemplate on whistle blowing:
 Feel free to approach your supervisor or manager with whatever ethical concern or question you might have. Your management might refer you to another resource, but under most circumstances, they should be your first point of contact.
 Ethics Advisors are available in most organizations who serve as independent counselors. They have access to top management and are well versed in ethical business conduct policy and related procedures. They are responsible for advising employees on matters of ethical concern and for helping them to resolve ethical dilemmas.
 Remember when talking to an ethics advisor always; tell the truth to the best of your recollection. Quite often, people forget to write down important details of the event in question. No one is expected to have a photographic memory of past events. If you do not understand a question that your ethics advisor is asking you, do not hesitate to say that you do not and ask that it be repeated or re-asked in a simpler way, so that you can understand it.

 What are the potential consequences of my solutions?
 Which of the options I have considered does the most to maximize benefits, to reduce harm, to respect rights, and to increase fairness.
 Are all parties treated fairly in my proposed decision?
 Who should be consulted and informed of the decision?
 What actions will ensure that my decision achieves its intended outcome?
 How do I put the decision into action?
 Was the decision correctly implemented?
 Did the decision, in fact, maximize benefits, reduce harm, acknowledge interests, and treat all fairly?
 Further questions to ask yourself
 Are my choices lawful and in compliance with company policies?
 Am I being fair and honest?
 Would I be uncomfortable describing my decision at an all-hands meeting?
 How will I feel about myself afterwards?
 How would it look if it made the headlines?
 Will I be able to sleep soundly?
 What would I tell my child, family, friend to do?

In Conclusion, as we know, the bad news is that there is a huge and even deafening silence when it comes to many organizational ethics situations. There are very influential forces that cause these phenomena. The good news is that these forces and obstacles can be understood and there are both micro and macro methods that can be learned and sometimes applied effectively. Understanding the obstacles and the methods for overcoming the obstacles can help enable individual, organizations, family, friends, and your employer understand your total ethical character.

What does the employee owe the employer?

 Act with honesty and integrity, avoiding actual or apparent conflicts of interest in personal and professional relationships.
? Provide your employer with information that is accurate, complete, objective, relevant, timely, and understandable.
? Comply with rules and regulations of federal, state, provincial, and local governments, and ...

Purchase this Solution


Free BrainMass Quizzes
Organizational Behavior (OB)

The organizational behavior (OB) quiz will help you better understand organizational behavior through the lens of managers including workforce diversity.

Organizational Leadership Quiz

This quiz prepares a person to do well when it comes to studying organizational leadership in their studies.

Paradigms and Frameworks of Management Research

This quiz evaluates your understanding of the paradigm-based and epistimological frameworks of research. It is intended for advanced students.

Introduction to Finance

This quiz test introductory finance topics.

Basics of corporate finance

These questions will test you on your knowledge of finance.