Ethical Concerns towards the Whistleblowing - Case Study Example

Ethical Concerns Towards the Whistleblowing

Whistleblowing Issues

There are many corporate issues, which sometimes refer to the ethical issues, one should underline that such issues can produce certain problems to people, which are engaged in some unsocial behavior. This kind of behavior can be authorized by superiors and other persons, which are interested in such activities (Apaza & Chang, 2011). One group of such people belongs to whistleblowers. Such people are involved in the monitoring, studying the company’s activities to find some violations in the corporate code and to find the crimes within the company or some governmental structure (Apaza & Chang, 2011). Once the info is gathered, whistleblower is responsible for revealing the information for the employer to stop such unacceptable or sometimes criminal activities (Apaza & Chang, 2011). Due to whistleblowers many crimes within the higher structures of government were solved. However, thinking of the personal and social aspect of such work, many people are harassed by colleagues and superiors, sometimes there can be violence against them. According to recent surveys only few persons manage to live their normal lives after the fact of firing. Many people suffer from legal actions, physical or social violence, few people become homeless and bankrupted. It means that the consequences of such a job can be real disaster for person engaged in such a work. Businesses are made on the trust and such people sometimes add some chaotic features ,when people should hide some ideas to avoid being revealed. Government uses the policies to protect such people and find them the new job that will suit their skills. However, from the ethical concern there are many ideas towards this kind of activity.

Utilitarian Point of View

Utilitarian approach to this problem says that person can be involved in such things calculating the possible consequences and the results. If negative results are stronger than positive ones, one should refuse to do such things (Quinton, 1973). However, in many cases whistleblowing is quite paid job and the person gets the feeling of the revealing the crimes and other misconducts within the business. All persons have alternatives and other options and one should consider what to choose to make better choice from the utilitarian perspective. There are many acts, which are predetermined with the morally obligatory actions (Quinton, 1973). It means that there are certain issues, which should be done to stop the violence, crimes and other social problems. Whistleblowing is one of the solutions to such problem, therefore, utilitarian approach justifies the whistleblowing if the satisfaction from doing so is higher than negative results on the person’s life. Non-disclosure of this information should also be considered as it can lead to more corporate issues and being responsible for such things can produce even more morally predetermined issues. Therefore, whistleblowing sometimes can be treated as the duty of any person.

Kantian Point of View

Kantian ethics also have its thoughts on this problem. Right thing to do is to prevent such things, therefore, blow a whistle is quite good thing to do and all employees should do it. They are responsible for disclosure of such kind of information as only they know it and they can produce the impact on the business eliminating such misconducts(Moberg & Meyer, 1990). The motive for such action and the positive consequences, which lie in the stopping the wrongdoing is higher than the potential consequences, which whistleblower can get in a result. It is great courage to stand all odds and the problems this action can cause and therefore, it is quite good choice to undertake this action, from the Kantian point of view(Moberg & Meyer, 1990). Consumers rights should be respected and if someone knows that company violates them, one should immediately tell some people, which can prevent this. Therefore, the information should be disclosed if the whistleblower has enough information to prove the claim and can help to prevent these intentional wrongdoings.

From the point of justice, refusing to inform the special structures about the problem is wrongdoing and immoral act, therefore, all people, which had the information but refused to disclose it are guilty for all consequences, which these wrongdoings can cause. It is for the deontological approach that refers to the Kantian ethics.

Consequentionalism focuses on the possible consequences of doing something or refusing to do something. Deontological ethics is supporting the whistleblowing from the justice point of view and ethical duties adhering that is the basics of the person’s choice. Virtue ethics that has only point of view towards this issue is focused on being instead of the doing something.

Virtue Point of View

Virtue theory says that whistleblowing is a right thing to do, as people should inform the special structures about the problem and should tell truth, instead of the hiding it. It will promote the virtues, which are the most important in the world like courage, honesty and empathy. All employees that has such virtues is obliged to whistleblow as it can improve integrity and will result in development of virtues (Kupperman, 2009). However, at the same time, from the virtue approach, whistleblowing can be considered as bad activity as it produces risks for people, it predetermines the lies, when person is persuading others that information will not be disclosed, it also means low loyalty to the brand and managers, which pay for the good job and respect all employees. Whistleblowing means disrespect for people, which have intentionally made agent’s life better with salary, attitude, providing the work place. People, which are aware of the virtue approach cannot decide to fail the loyalty and to deceive people while whistleblowing or to stay loyal to company and refuse to do something with wrongdoings, which company produces and unethical behavior of managers and other administrative persons (Kupperman, 2009).

Discussion

Summing up, whistleblowing provide ground for debates of the ethics of such activities and almost from all points of view whistleblowing is considered as the right thing to do, as many people can be affected by the company’s or governmental structures and the duty of any worker is to stop them and do something that will help other people to reveal these activities. However, from the consequential point of view, such activities can produce many misconducts for people, which were involved in the wrongdoings. From the point of view of the deontological ethics, all people, which are working in companies are obliged to keep the confidence of all activities, which are carried out within it and whistleblowing violates this agreement. From the virtue point of view it is not moral at all to hide one’s real intentions and to make other people know about the issues, which were intentionally hidden. All employees and employers trusted the agents and thought that he/she will never disclose the information due to loyalty and some other virtue and the fact of whistleblowing from this point of view and wrongdoing even more than the things, which were done by employers or some colleagues.

Modern word is all about the social life. Whistleblowers cannot find their own way of life as they become socially isolated. People are reluctant to trust some person that was somehow involved in the whistleblowing as they can do that with them. Social life of such people is destroyed and it can even provide dangers for family or even their lives. Endangering own life by doing something is not moral. Lying to people hiding intentions and revealing the sensitive information is also not the right thing to do. However, from the consequential point of view, that can provide many benefits for people, which were affected with wrongdoing of some company or political structure.