Business Ethics

WHISTLE BLOWING AND BEYOND- CASE OF SOCRATES, SATYENDRA & MANJUNATH

WHISTLE BLOWING AND BEYOND- CASE OF SOCRATES, SATYENDRA & MANJUNATH

Business ethicists define whistle blowing as an act of disclosure made by a person about some wrong doing (illegal, immoral or illegitimate practices) by a corporation to an external agency which is difficult for the public to know otherwise. In simple words whistleblowers act like referee or traffic police , who blow the whistle when they observe a foul being committed on the field or someone rushing through violating the traffic rule. Whistle blowers mainly inform the society about the different types of fraud, trickery, and profit maximization achieved by corrupt means. The act of whistle blowing is valued for its moral desirability.

Whistle blowers often travel the difficult path and make the hard choice of adapting the path of truth. Their lives are guided by principle and they go beyond what is just ethically defensible. The basic point of their moral chart is based on a clear understanding of virtues that are essential for living a life.

Their strong faith in the system, justice and reason force them to speak out when they see something wrong. They are aware that fighting against corruption and injustice may keep them away from the ordinary materialistic pleasure. People think that they take unnecessary liability and invite injury to themselves. But these whistle blowers do not agree with this concept and are ready to face death for an ideal.

SOCRATES

Socrates was a Greek philosopher in 399 BC. He was considered the “wisest and most just of all men”. He was martyred for raising voice against injustice and corruption. He faced false charge of corrupting youths of Athens and instigating them against the rulers. Therefore he was sentenced to death. Socrates carried out his own execution by drinking the poison called Hemlock given to him. Although others options like escaping from prison, begging apology,...