COMM101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Whistleblower, The Whistleblower
IV. Ethics in Workplace – Whistleblowing
Definition:
- Whistleblowing refers to an employee's informing the public about the illegal or immoral behavior of an employer
or an organization.
- A practice in which employees who know that their company is engaged in activities that:
+ cause unnecessary harm
+ are in violation of human rights
+ are illegal
+ run counter to the defined purpose of the institution
+ are otherwise immoral inform the public or some governmental agency of those activities
- Whistleblowing is justified when (according to Professor Bowie):
a. It is done from an appropriate moral motive
- Means be motivated by a desire to expose unnecessary harm, illegal or immoral actions, or conduct counter to
the public good or the defined purpose of the organization.
b. The whistleblower, except in special circumstances, has exhausted all internal channels for dissent
before going public
- The duty of loyalty to the firm obliges workers to seek an internal remedy before informing the public of a
misdeed.
c. The whistleblower has compelling evidence that wrongful actions have been ordered or have occurred
- Employees can ask themselves whether the evidence is strong enough that any reasonable person in a similar
situation would be convinced that the activity is illegal or immoral.
d. The whistleblower has acted after careful analysis of the danger
- How serious the moral violation? How immediate is the problem?
- The greater the harm or the more serious of the wrongdoing, the more likely is the whistleblowing to be
justified.
- Employee should consider the time factor. The more immediate the violation, the more justified the
whistleblowing.
e. The whistleblowing has some chance of success
- The chances of remedying an immoral or illegal action are an important consideration.
- Reasons for whistleblowing:
a. Idealistic
- Honesty, Efficiency, correctness, support for victims
b. Defensive
- Against being associated with an illegal act
c. Negative
- Dislike of supervisor
- Paranola (whistleblower is the victim)
- Loud mouth
- To avoid censure
- Applying in ethical theories: Utilitarianism? Kant? Why is it a right thing to do?
Ethical action requires 4 steps: (for individual)
1. Awareness of an ethical problem
2. Ability to reason about ethical issues
3. Having the motivation to act ethically
4. Having the persistence (courage or fortitude) to implement the ethical action in the face of inevitable
obstacles.
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Whistleblowing refers to an employee"s informing the public about the illegal or immoral behavior of an employer or an organization. A practice in which employees who know that their company is engaged in activities that: + run counter to the defined purpose of the institution. + are otherwise immoral inform the public or some governmental agency of those activities. Whistleblowing is justified when (according to professor bowie): it is done from an appropriate moral motive. The duty of loyalty to the firm obliges workers to seek an internal remedy before informing the public of a misdeed: the whistleblower has compelling evidence that wrongful actions have been ordered or have occurred. The greater the harm or the more serious of the wrongdoing, the more likely is the whistleblowing to be justified. The more immediate the violation, the more justified the whistleblowing: the whistleblowing has some chance of success. The chances of remedying an immoral or illegal action are an important consideration.
