MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY

PHIL 430

PHILOSOPHY OF WORK AND BUSINESS ETHICS

LAST READING REACTION

When and How to Blow the Whistle (Whistleblowing)?

Submitted by:

Mustafa DEĞERLİ

138214-2

Submitted to:

Assist. Prof. Dr. Barış PARKAN

Date of Submission:

May 2, 2007

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When and How to Blow the Whistle (Whistleblowing)?

Within this paper, I give information about when and how to blow the whistle in

business environments where unethical practices related to public interest are present. In this

context, primarily, I endow with the definition of blowing the whistle, namely

whistleblowing, and illustrate it. What is more, I provide possible reactions that someone may

carry out in business environments where such kind of unethical practices are available.

Subsequently, I focus on the reaction of whistleblowing. While doing so, I provide

information about when and how to blow the whistle. Afterward, some possible problems of

whistleblowing are provided. Towards end, I bring to a close by summarizing what I state on

the subject of whistleblowing in business environments where unethical practices related to

public interest are seen.

Foremost, I judge, it is indispensable to come up with the definition of whistleblowing.

Within his article, Whistleblowing and Professional Responsibility, Bok defines

whistleblowing as the action of someone to sound an alarm from the company in which he or

she works with the intention of letting people know about the neglect and abuses that interfere

with public interest. If truth is told, it is going to be making much more sense given that I

illustrate the case. As Bok in his article exemplifies, the nurse in a hospital contends that some

physicians enrich themselves through needless surgeries and operation is a good case in point

for whistleblowing. Without doubt, it is doable to provide variety of examples for

whistleblowing. Nonetheless, there are two vital things should be kept in mind while dealing

with whistleblowing. Former, such kind of actions should be unethical. Meaning that they

must be any mistreatment or passing over. Latter, these unethical practices should be related

to public interest. That is to say, there is a need for affiliation between these actions and

communal concern.

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Once we have comprehended what is whistleblowing, it is crucial to be acquainted

with the possible reactions that someone can perform in a business setting in which unethical

practices related to public interest are available. According to Aktan, there are three possible

things to be done against these unethical practices (2006). The first alternative is doing

nothing related with these kinds of unethical practices. In this situation, he or she does pay no

attention to what is happening in the company. On the contrary, he or she cares about, how

much money he or she earns and how he or she minimizes working and maximizes profits.

They agree to work any conditions that do not interfere their own her interests. Subsequent

probable way in such kind of business environments where unethical practices related to

public interest are done, to react is blowing the whistle. In such situations, people are

responsive to what is happening wrong in the company and do take care of these unethical

practices by following certain well-defined steps to make the company bring to an end these

sort of unethical practices related to public interest. I am going to provide details of these

well-defined steps in following paragraphs. In the interim, let us keep this alternative in our

pocket as a way to deal to react in such kind of business environments where some abuses and

neglects related with public interest are present. The last possible reaction is again doing

nothing related to these kinds of unethical practices, but leaving the job and letting them do

whatever they want. In this fashion, people believe that they will be pleasant if they leave this

job and find another job where unethical practices related to public interest are not present.

While participating in such kind of business environments where unethical practices

related to public interest are present, I suppose the second alternative, to blow the whistle,

should be followed. Nonetheless, sorry to say, it is not that straightforward to blow the whistle

in business environments where unethical practices related to public concern is present.

Thanks to God, Bok provides well-defined steps to blow the whistle. I accept as true that they

are invaluable intended for dealing with such kind of unethical practices. Let us come to these

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special steps. Bok states that accuracy and judgment in dissent, exploring possible ways to

contend with improprieties minimizing the breach of loyalty and fairness in accusation are

three fundamental things should be cared about while blowing the whistle.

On the other hand, it is easier said than done at first to decide whether to speak out or

remain silent in such kind of environments. While making decision about this issue we should

evaluate every aspects of speaking out or remaining silent. Bok’s view requires the following

steps before going public. Foremost, we need to be sure about whether the applications are

unethical practices and they really interfere with the interest of the public. If there is nearly no

relationship between these unethical practices and public interest, it is difficult to perceive it

logical to blow the whistle. Here, another significant thing prior to go further is that we should

be sure about the data, information, or report we have about these practices. These should be

convincing and double-checked before going further in whistleblowing. Once we are in no

doubt that the information we have on the subject of these kinds of unethical practices related

to public interest are exactly true and they have important effect on public interest, there is

another requirement that is having a talk with the manager any accountable person of the

company regarding these issues. In this manner, we need to verbalize our worries concerning

the situation to the related person. We should let them recognize about the unethical practices

related to public interest present in the company. At this point, an additional requirement is to

provide real, highly rooted, well defined and well-structured justifications about the case to

the responsible impartial member of the company. Preceding requirement is to be sure about

that whether whistleblowing will be taken into account by responsible organizations or not. If

we fail to meet one of the requirements stated above we will interfere with providing the

accuracy and judgment in dissent, exploring possible ways to cope with improprieties

minimizing the breach of loyalty and fairness in accusation concept scheme of Bok’s.

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Unquestionably, there are some risks of whistleblowing in companies. While dealing

with or caring about the unethical practices related to public interest we are in danger of

having some unwelcomed proceedings (Aktan, 2006). These can be illustrated as our concern

may not be taken into account seriously, we may be forced to leave the job, we may have

some problems with workmates, we may be subjected to psychological violence or etc. These

are the probable risks they we may meet in this process. Nevertheless, these unwelcomed

events should not make us accept the current conditions of the situation and continue to work

for one who does unethical practices related to public interest.

Another problem related to these practices may be, as Aktan noted in 2006, in his

article, “Organizasyonlarda Yanlış Uygulamalara Karşı Bir Sivil Erdem, Ahlaki Tepki ve

Vicdani Red Davranışı: WHISTLEBLOWING”, learned helplessness situation. It this

situation, people have difficulty to speak out about the unethical practices related to public

interest. Since they believe no one will care about it and their efforts will be meaningless for

the public but as a means for them having troubles with the company. What makes them think

in this way is that their past experiences about these issues. After a while they are starting to

see that this is a normal behavior to do whatever assigned and do not deal with something

which is not their business. Unfortunately, it is not only makes this situation for some people

in company, but after a while people started to behave just in this way. We need to be sure

about that experiences are important for us, yet, they should not shape our life as this much.

Vital thing is not just thinking but also doing. It is better to regret for something you did

rather that you did not do. Moreover, only if we perform, we can success, no one can success

without any trial. Others may did do something and may have not been successful; this does

not mean that we will also fail.

Still another problem related to whistleblowing is hazarding organizational loyalty

(Bok, 1980). By doing this kind of speaking out the unethical practices related to public

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interests to the responsible people can be named as disloyalty to the organization. On the

other hand, as Duska explained in his article that there is no need for loyalty to the company.

Whistleblowing is not only permissible but also expected thing in companies where such kind

of unethical practices are present. Duska adds that moral statuses are not deserved by

instruments, which are companies. Another rejection to organizational loyalty is that the

company does not deserve such kind of moral status just because they participate in unethical

practices. This is a contradiction for a company to expect workers have ethical loyalty

concern to it, whereas company participates in unethical practices. First companies should be

filled with ethically proper conditions and should participate in ethically true and acceptable

activities in order to have right to expect workers have loyalty to itself. To be more exact, the

employee does not have an obligation of loyalty to a company and that whistleblowing is

permissible, especially when a company is harming society.

When all has said and done, it is noticeable that we must have loyalty to the

community or society. In this context, we are required to blow the whistle in a proper way

after following certain strategies, which are stated above, as long as it is necessary. Today, if

we ignore such kind of unethical practices related to public interest, unfortunately, tomorrow

will be so late to deal with these issues. That is why; the most important thing is never

forgetting about that actions always have consequences. Doing nothing is a type of action and

will have consequences. Similarly, doing what is necessary is also a type of action and will

have consequences. It is up to us to select the proper option. If we want to have a better,

ethically constructed and concerned, world, we need to do what is required. To end with, we

should never put out of our mind that it is truly far honorable to fail than to cheat and cheating

is not always a term related with just schooling but many part of our life.

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References

Aktan, C. C. (2006). Organizasyonlarda Yanlış Uygulamalara Karşı Bir Sivil Erdem, Ahlaki

Tepki ve Vicdani Red Davranışı: WHISTLEBLOWING. Mercek Dergisi. Retrieved

April 28, 2007, from: http://www.canaktan.org/yonetim/whistleblowing/aktan-

whistle.pdf.

Bok, S. (1980). Whistleblowing and Professional Responsibility. Ethical Theory and

Business. New Jersey: Prentice Hall Press.

Duska, R. (1992). Whistleblowing and Employee Loyalty. Ethical Theory and Business. New

Jersey: Prentice Hall Press.