Hewlett-Packard Case Analysis

One of the ethics issues in the article, “The Kona Files” (2007), was leak of proprietary information from someone in board members and top executives to the presses, such as CNET’s technology news and Wall Street Journal.

Second ethics issues would be a pretexting activity in order to discover the leakers. In deed, Pattie Dunn, Ron DeLia, Ann Baskin, and other members secretly monitored all the telephone and email contracts of all directors. Although it was important to define the leakers, obtainment of the call record over the phone using social engineering might be illegal and must be unethical. Therefore, explanation of this unethical tactics to public would be significant issues for Hewlett-Packard reputation in the public.

First of all, Dunn and other members of the pretexting activity had been able to find the source of the leak, from Keyworth who was a director of HP to Dawn Kawamoto, CNET reporter.

However, this pretexting activity caused many fallout. One of the fallout of this pretexting activity might be occurrence disclosure about the pretexting by Perkins. According to the case, since Keyworth and Perkins had good relationship, Perkins could not accept the Keyworth’s resign. The decision of Keyworth’s dismissal by Dunn and other members make Perkins upset, and Perkins started though that Dunn was the main source of evil and betrayer. This Perkin’s negative thoughts toward Dunn might trigger disclosure information about a unethical investigation of HP.

Furthermore, the pretexting activity caused many changes of position in HP. For example, resignations of Keyworth but also Perkins, Dunn, Ann Baskins, Kevin Hunsaker, and Anthony Getilucci are the main alteration after HP made the disclosure. In addition, Mark Hurd, who conspire the pretexting with Dunn, would become chairman as well as C.E.O.

Dunn and other members who are related to the pretexting activity pleased not guilty; however, only Bryan Wagner pleaded guilty.

The pretexting...