Real-Time Ethical Dilemma

Running head: ETHICAL DILEMMA

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Real-Time Ethical Dilemma

Denise Merdon

BUS-620

July 26, 2014

Terry Lynch

ETHICAL DILEMMA

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According to the real time dilemma I read this week in the course text book, the specific

unethical practice the company was concerned with was the abuse of company funds by the

executives of the bank, for their personal use. Although this was not the only unethical behavior

that was happening in this dilemma. The chief executive officer (CEO) and the chief operating

officer (COO) were responsible for some pretty unethical behavior in this scenario as well.

I will begin with the obvious unethical behavior. The use of company funds to for

personal use is a huge liability to any organization. As senior executives of the financial

institution these people were responsible to maintain clear and accurate financial records for

anyone to see, including auditors and law enforcement agencies. As a leader in an organization

they should fully disclose all financial information and be transparent so that employees don’t

have a reason to make allegations that may, or may not be true. In this case someone reported

what they felt there was misuse of company funds, leading to this audit.

Theft, whether it be in the form of stealing office supplies, embezzling company funds or

perhaps less tangible forms of theft like doing personal work on company time is still considered

illegal. Among the most common of these inappropriate business behaviors of employees, are

use of work phones to make personal phone calls, duplicating software for use outside of work,

incorrect documentation of actual work hours worked, or much more serious and illegal

practices, such as embezzling money from the business, or falsifying business records

(Landry,2011). Whether it be for the reason of self-interest greed, or perhaps other corporate

pressures, many businesses unfortunately run into these types of behavior, even at the executive

level....