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Is Greed Good

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Is Greed Good?
Whistle Blowers in Modern Business

PHL-212

Dr. Jean Suplizio

Scott MacKenzie

Word Count :1320

Introduction

Throughout history, there have been those who feel that the law is beneath them. This is highly unethical. Many companies have been destroyed because of poor ethical decisions. In turn, the person or people who called out their employers for violating the law end up losing their jobs, and in some instances, getting black-balled in their line of work.

There are those who profit from blowing the whistle, aside from that is the risk really worth it? The answer is yes. In spite of the negative employment aspect, whistle blowing shows that a person has enough integrity to risk themselves in order to correct a bad situation.

Three whistle blowers come to mind when the topic of ethical integrity arises; Sherron Watkins (Enron), Harry Markopolos (Bernie Madoff), and myself in my current place of employment. Each of us took the ethical high road and risked it all to try and make right what was/is blatantly wrong with the companies or people in question.

Watkins & Enron

Sherron Watkins worked at Enron for eight years. She sent a seven page letter to her employer mentioning the unethical accounting that was happening in the employee retirement sector. Sherron called it a Ponzi Scheme and worried that those who were making money off other people’s retirement would end up cashing and burning when this scam came to light.

Watkins called this unethical treatment of worker’s savings “funny accounting”. She feared that her time at Enron would be considered worthless on her resume. However, when the dealings of Enron finally hit the main stream media, Watkins was still working. Her letter reached the public five months after sending it to her boss, and she continued work at the company.

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