The Mash of Civilizations-Social Networks, Empower Enemies of Freedom

Yesterday, I encountered an eye opening article that really brings to perspective one of the negative aspects of social networking and the ability individuals have to assist their criminal activities with technology available today. This article is posted on the Newsweek website and it outlines the fact that, "information technology, particularly social networking through the internet is changing the global balance of power". In other words, the article brings up several instances of ways that social media networks and modern technology have given rise to criminal activities and even overthrows of established governments. While the first example discusses a way that social networks might promote democracy, the following examples explain how they also empower the enemies of freedom.

To begin, the "Facebook Generation" is now known for and credited with the overthrow of Egyptian dictator, Hosni Mubarak. It is truly amazing that this generation was able to accomplish such an astounding feat, but unfortunately this is a positive aspect that comes from the this generation surrounded by several negatives occurring throughout other parts of the world. The article continues by telling the reader to ask themselves how they think the murderous mob in Mazar-e Sharif found out about the burning of a Quran in Florida. It suggests that the reader should look no further than the Internet and the mobile phone. In addition to this, the article states an interesting fact saying, "Since 2011 cell-phone access in Afghanistan has leapt from zero to 30 percent". Another example that is used says to consider the fact that before a page on Facebook entitled "Third Palestinian Intifada, which proclaimed "Judgment Day will be brought upon us only once the Muslims have killed all of the Jews", was removed, it had notched 350, 000 "Likes". The article continues with a unique quote saying, "What we've ended up with is something more like a mashup of civilizations, in which the most militantly anti modern strains of Islam are being channeled by the coolest technology the West has to offer".

There is too many great examples, not to state some more that this article has to offer. According to the Jihadica website, there is now a special data package produced by the "Mobile Detachment" of the "al-Ansar al-Mujahideen Forum" especially for cell phones. The users can download encryption software, pictures, video clips, and even have access to an electronic magazine entitled al-Samud ("Resistance"), published by the Afghan branch of the Taliban. If that isn't enough there is also, "Inspire", the online magazine published by Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and aimed at aspiring jihadists in the West. Not only does the website contain bomb-making instructions, it also publishes target lists of individuals against whom fatwas have been proclaimed.

It is absolutely astounding to sit down and really realize that some of our biggest enemies and threats in the world can now post on Facebook, e-mail their holy Quran, and "tweet the call to jihad". This issue has a huge ethical and moral undertone and it is unfortunate that while modern technology comes accompanied with so many awesome benefits, it also comes with several negatives. With this article, we can bring up a recent chapter we have studied in class relating to Leadership Ethics in Chapter 15. More importantly, the topic of Principles of Ethical Leadership can be brought up for discussion. While these leaders are not prestigious in our eyes, nor are they well respected by individuals in the Western Hemisphere, Islam extremists are a branch of "leaders" in our world and they have been given exposure to modern forms of technology that can unfortunately assist them in the unethical acts they commit daily. When relating this to the Principles of Ethical Leadership, these individuals clearly completely disregard every aspect of these principles in their actions. These principles include, respecting others, serving others, showing justice, manifesting honesty, and building community. To begin, these individuals are clearly completely intolerant of opposing viewpoints and insensitive to other people's needs. They also are one track minded and only aim to accomplish their own goals, with disregard for others. Finally, these individuals definitely have no sense of justice, honesty, or community, accept for in some rare cases with their own kind.  Clearly, these individuals who are infiltrating our social networks and using modern technology to further their own agenda are not only unethical, but also putting fear in the minds of individuals who use this technology to better society and the world around us.

The article can be viewed here.


-Josh Dlabal

Are Tech Companies Becoming Unofficial Intelligence Agents

     This article is very interesting to me because it has to do with something that millions of people around the world use every day. The Government and Facebook are the two main players in this case. Many people do not think it is ethical that the United States Government (CIA) is funding a massive online surveillance run by the CIA. The author in the article states that this program is known as “Facebook-dreamed up by secret CIA agent Mark Zuckerberg”. The government is funding this new project to increase its intelligence for our safety and security from threats from home and abroad. However, many people think this is an unethical stunt because of privacy issues and concerns. Specifically, many privacy and civil liberty advocates are greatly concerned. These advocates are concerned and worried because they think that technology companies are being turned into unofficial intelligence agents. The evidence in the article states that these advocates also think it unethical because with this increase of regulatory, law enforcement is turning to them for access to our electronic and local communication data.

This is a joke that makes light on 
how much information
technology companies (like Facebook)
really have on us.

     Under the principals of ethical leadership, I think the government (CIA) has a duty to serve others (the American people). They are acting under the Patriot Act because they have a duty to help other pursue their own interests and goals. America will be safer because of the government’s actions. Under the “serves others” principal within the principals of ethical leadership, it states that leaders have an ethical responsibility to make decisions that are beneficial to their follower’s welfare. In this case, the government is fulfilling its ethical responsibility to the American people by making the decision to start and fund a massive surveillance program.

     In this case, the government (CIA), under the teleological theory, is using a “Utilitarianism” approach to make its decision regarding moral conduct. Under the “Utilitarianism” approach it states that leaders lead this way to create the greatest good for the greatest number. In this case, the government (leader) is distributing its resources (intelligence and money) in order to maximize the benefit to everyone (safety and wellbeing of the American citizens), while hurting the fewest (some people’s privacy).

     In this case, the Government is also acting as a servant leader. Under Greenleaf’s perspective of servant leadership, it states that leaders take care of and nurture followers. That is exactly the government’s intention when they are starting to fund a massive research surveillance program. The government (leader) are being attentive to the concerns of their followers (the American citizens). In class I learned that a servant leader has the social responsibility to be concerned with “have-nots” in the organization. In this case, the government (CIA) has a social responsibility to be concerned with the American people.

     All in all, I think the United States government is doing the right thing funding this new research for the CIA. They (the leader) are doing in in the interests of us (their followers). The three main topics that are relevant in this case are: the serves other principal, utilitarianism, and servant leadership. The main reason they are doing this is because they (the government) has a very high concern for the interests of others (the American people).

     Please voice your opinions on this issue. Do you think the Government is acting ethical? Or do you agree with the privacy advocates and think that they should not use third party social networking sites to gather intelligence?

I recommend you read the full, very interesting Forbes article: by clicking here:  Click Here: "Are Tech Companies Becoming Unofficial Intelligence Agents

--Michael Cosentino

How a Whistle-Blower Conquered Countrywide

In this article Mr. Winston has been pitted against an entire company led by a few very unethical leaders and by the end of this three year dilemma, the whistle blower finally wins. Mr, Winston has certainly beaten the odds when it comes to being a successful whistle blower in a time where frustration and unethical behavior had run rampant on the sub prime mortgage avalanche that felt so right and ended up dramatically affecting a whole country. Mr. Winston held true to his values throughout his employment at Countrywide and represented those that worked him very well by setting a great example in the fight against those who throw ethics by the wayside in a time of crisis. In that light I feel that his efforts should be celebrated and acknowledged in anyway possible.

Mr. Winston demonstrated many different leadership traits and styles as he began and continued his corporate journey to the point where he is today. I would first like to discuss the contingency model because I personally feel that he held several different positions within figure 6.1 in our text. I feel that most professionals have established themselves with specific relations to their peers and subordinates, task structure and position power, but Mr. Winston had to adapt his leadership style to several different situations with integrity and professionalism while being tested by his superiors. While this theory tests how effect a leader will be given a situation, I would like to note that Mr. Winston was a man that wore many hats for CountryWide financial between promotion and demotion after involving Cal-OSHA and refusing to falsify a report to MOODY. The fact is that it would have been much easier and much more profitable at the time for Mr. Winston to ignore all of these warning signs and compromise his ethical beliefs. But instead he showed consistent ethical behavior that eventually won him a lawsuit. In the meantime he was challenged across the contingency scale by being demoted, again it would have been easier for him to hop back on board and be unethical while continuing his career "funding em'". But he handled each demotion with ethical responsibility and ignored the unethical possibilities that would provide him with a much more profitable scenario instead of being demoted.

After being ethically consistent through the many scenarios of the contingency theory, I feel that Mr. Winston is a transformational leader while avoiding the perks of becoming a transactional leader. Winston practiced transformational leadership by calling OSHA in response to his employees sickness, risking his personal career for those around him. I also feel that Winston avoided the positive, yet unethical outcomes that were presented to him through transactional leadership of his peers. I feel that these instances would make him transformational in the fact that he remained ethical despite the most common type of leadership; the process of accomplishing tasks for a reward.

Finally I feel that Mr. Winston would fall into the category of an authentic leader, due the fact that he was genuine when originality wasn't conducive to his career, led from conviction through the worst of times, and clearly based his actions on his values throughout his trials and tribulations. By the time his career was brought to an abrupt end, Winston has given up his power, his identity, and many resources in an effort to give his existence at Countrywide meaning and to accomplish his mission. I believe that today because of his actions previously, he can finally enjoy a sense of fulfillment do to his authentic actions.




http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/20/business/20gret.html?adxnnl=1&ref=ethics&pagewanted=1&adxnnlx=1302505269-feV+J5fn3uvZ8Ci+6mezlA

Shae Spitznagle

Johnson & Johnson Settles Bribery Complaint for $70 Million in Fines

     For this last blog post of the semester, I’m going to be discussing the case that involves Johnson & Johnson and how they bribed European doctors to purchase knee and hip implants.  As Northouse states, “ethics is concerned with virtuousness of individuals (corporations) and their motives.”  Ethical theory provides a system of rules or principles that guide us in making decisions about what is right or wrong and good or bad in a particular situation.  In this particular situation, I feel that there is significant evidence that justifies Johnson & Johnsons actions and would have to definitely agree that this is unethical.

     Johnson & Johnson admitted bribing European doctors and agreed to pay $70 million in civil and criminal fines.  However, Johnson & Johnson had provided significant assistance in their investigation of others in the industry, resulting in a reduced criminal fine for the health conglomerate.  With this said I’m going to incorporate material in the book, Leading Change by Northouse and going to talk about the teleological theory of ethical Egoism and show how this is applied to the case. Also, I’m going to further provide another point that this is also an example of a critical life event that would change this health conglomerate for good.

     Ethical egoism states that a person should act to create the greatest good for themselves rather than worrying about others.  As stated by Northouse, “ Ethical egoism is common in some business contexts in which a company and its employees make a decision to achieve its goal of maximizing profits (Northouse).  In this scenario, Johnson & Johnson truly went against the principle of “manifests honesty” that says that a company should never accept survival of the fittest pressures because it will result in dishonest behaviors (Northouse).  With Johnson & Johnson’s unethical acts, they felt that they had no other way out.  These unethical acts were done in desperation considering that they would have lost 95% of their business by the end of the year.  Under the ethical egoism approach, it states that leaders act this way to create the greatest good for the leader.  In this case, it was Johnson & Johnson that didn’t really care about anyone else and just thought about themselves and did everything in their power to maximize their profits to make up for all the past product recalls.  In the article, Gardiner Harris states, “The company has issued more that 50 product recalls since the start of last year involving such household brands as Tylenol, Motrin, Rolaids and Benadryl’ (Harris).  With all these recalls, Johnson and Johnson had to make up for this decline in profits somehow and chose to be unethical and worry about themselves.

     After all this, I feel that Johnson & Johnson also took a deontological approach as well.  “Telling the truth, keeping promises, being fair, and respecting others are all examples of actions that are inherently good, independent of the consequences” (Norhouse).  Independently of the consequences in this particular case, the company openly states, “we are deeply disappointed by the unacceptable conduct that led to these violations” (Harris).  I feel that they did do the right thing as a company and openly admitted that they were in fact wrong and that this was a learning experience for them.  I feel that this situation can act as a “critical life event” and can serve as a catalyst for change within the organization (Northouse).  The company can talk about their problems and then could correct their problem from here on out.

     In this case I incorporated the teleological theory that focus on consequences of the organizations actions and used the concept of ethical egoism to further state my position.  I also said by telling the truth and openly admitting to their unethical behavior, demonstrated the deontological theory and also will resulted in a triggered event that would deeply impact the organization.  Please read over this article and tell me any other approaches or theories that you can tie in that I did not cover. Do you think this organization learned their lesson?  What insight can you provide to further strengthen my argument?

For the article please click here 

- Steve Fagiano

Azul: The Next JetBlue

For my last blog post, I will take a positive CEO leadership example in contrast to stories of corrupt CEOs and ethical scandals.  This blog will focus on one individual in the business world who is admired by many and certainly looked up to by employees.  I located a interesting article written by Patricia Sellers, “Azul: The next JetBlue.”  The article presents detail information concerning David Neeleman, current CEO of Azul.  It addresses his previous career struggles and how he arrived as Azul’s CEO.  After studying the article, I was truly impressed by Neeleman’s passion and determination of developing into a successful leader and how he learned and gained valuable knowledge from past mistakes.  Neeleman was able to turn past key weakness into strengths reaching the position of CEO at Azul, an upcoming and promising Brazilian airline.

Neeleman’s first difficult lesson learned came when he was only 23 years old.  As a young businessman, “He started a travel agency with his main supplier being a startup airline that hurtled into bankruptcy, and he lost everything” (Sellers, Patricia).  From that painful experience, Neeleman quickly learned his first difficult lesson as CEO, “Always bolster your business with plenty of capital” (Sellers, Patricia).

Neeleman’s second difficult experience encompassed the following lesson, “Always be your own boss” (Sellers, Patricia).  This lesson learned came after selling his second company, Morris Air, to southwest Airlines thinking he would become the candidate to succeed CEO Herb Kelleher.    Kelleher ended up firing Neeleman from Southwest.  Never again would Neeleman make that same mistake and vowed never to work under anyone else.

“At age 39, Neeleman founded JetBlue.  He built the airline into America's eighth largest and ascended into the ranks of the most admired and innovative CEOs” (Sellers, Patricia).  However, Neeleman’s good fortune would not last long.  At the time, his poor communication skills on developing a coherent explanation in reaction to an ice storm incident caused his downfall at JetBlue.  Failure to effectively provide his plan in addressing the ice storm fiasco to his board of directors was the main reason Neeleman was removed as JetBlue’s CEO.  From this experience, Neeleman learned another lesson from his mistakes, “The need to design his next company so that his board can't toss him out” (Sellers, Patricia).

From the accumulation of his past career corporate experiences, and improving with every lesson learned, Neeleman developed into an effective leader that many people thought never possible. Neeleman accepted his greatest challenge of his career.  “Neeleman started Azul Airlines in 2008 and raising $235 million for the venture, a record for a new airline.  Personally, he invested $13 million, some four times the amount he sank into JetBlue” (Sellers, Patricia).  I believe that the personal financial commitment to Azul Airlines is linked to his passion to successfully run an airline -- it runs much deeper than just money for Neeleman.  This is about his CEO leadership ability.  Neeleman is willing to put up millions of his own money, knowing that he could lose all of his investment and perhaps more if the company goes under.

Clearly, this illustrates that Neeleman has developed into a confident leader, and believes his vision for this airline will prosper!  This goes against the prevailing conventional agreement that the airline industry has been declining throughout the last decade.  In addition, a startup airline in this highly competitive industry rarely sees profit in its first few years.  Majority of senior airline executives would be extremely hesitant to gamble and start up a new airline in this struggling economy.  “Neeleman is adamant that airlines can pay off -- if you know where to put your money.  Brazil, Latin America's largest economy, has rebounded quickly from the financial crisis, with an anticipated 5.8% rise in real GDP this year” (Sellers, Patricia).

In my opinion, down deep Neeleman knows what he is doing presents significant risk to his own financial portfolio but he is extremely confident.  Neeleman’s vision for Azul Airlines is built on past experiences at Morris Airline and JetBlue and he is well aware of what works and what does not work.  Neeleman’s lessons learned can be linked to the skills approach on leadership in the class textbook.  As stated in the textbook, “the skills approach suggests that knowledge and abilities are needed for effective leadership” (Northouse p.39).  Associated to the three components in the skill model, Neeleman clearly demonstrates that he has admirable individual attributes and competencies, which is the reason he is a successful leader.  Based on the skills model, the four attributes comprise cognitive ability, crystallized cognitive ability, motivation, and personality.  Neeleman exemplifies all four of these skills attributes.  Neeleman’s creativity and overall reasoning skills have allowed him to develop his cognitive ability.  In addition, Neeleman’s chief strength in this model encompasses his crystallized cognitive ability that is, “intellectual ability learned or acquired over time” (Northouse p.48).  Looking back on Neeleman’s past executive leadership roles, he has acquired knowledge from each of his past job experiences, strengthening his overall leadership ability.  Neeleman’s painful experiences has helped him improve his competencies, such as problem-solving skills, social judgment skills, and his overall knowledge in running a major airline company on a daily basis for the long-term.

Also, Neeleman exhibits behavior in the third attribute of the model, motivation.  Neeleman is personally motivated to build a company from nothing, and build it into one of the juggernauts in the airline industry by motivating his employees to embrace his vision.  Furthermore, Neeleman is certainly motivated to succeed from his past failures and, “He is committed to the social good of the organization” (Northouse p.49).  The last attribute of the model, personality, is another element of Neeleman’s strengths.  He demonstrates traits such as confidence and the flexibility a leader must possess in running a successful and vibrant company.

I firmly believe that some competing CEO’s in the airline industry are betting against the success of Azul Airlines and Neeleman.  However, this is a bad bet since Neeleman has gained valuable leadership experience in the airline industry throughout his career.  Also, one can definitely correlate Neeleman’s leadership traits, experiences, and accomplishments to the skills Model of Leadership.  “Career experiences have an impact on the characteristics and competencies of leaders.  The skills model suggests that the experiences acquired in the course of a leaders’ career influence their knowledge and skills to solve complex problems” (Northouse p.49).  It is clear that past experiences and development of Neeleman’s leadership attributes and competencies has helped him with his performance as CEO of Azul Airlines.

As Neeleman works hard in proving his doubters wrong, it is apparent that he is on the right path leading to success.  “Azul Airlines started flying in December 2008 and registered 2.2 million passengers in its first 12 months, shattering the previous record for a startup airline” (Sellers, Patricia).  Neeleman is quoted, “With revenues of $150 million last year, we will probably more than double that this year, on track to turn the first profit” (Sellers, Patricia).

An exemplary leadership trait that Neeleman portrays is that he treats his employees with respect and dignity.  Neeleman sets a strong example for everyone and fosters an environment that subordinates feel as equal partners in the company, disregarding current job title.  “Neeleman assigns parking places by lottery” (Sellers, Patricia).   When one star manager griped about receiving a faraway spot, Neeleman told him, "Dude, if you act like that, you're never going to be a vice president here” (Sellers, Patricia).  This example depicts that Neeleman is a self-confident leader who demonstrates dominance when needed, and he has the desire to influence others. These are leadership characteristics that have made Neeleman a significant transformational leader.  In return, his workers feel a high level of trust in Neeleman’s leadership abilities and his vision for the company.

In sum, one vital lesson I have learned concerning Neeleman’s career is that one should never give up.  People from all walks of life, including CEOs, will make mistakes throughout a career. It is how the individual moves on and learns to correct past failures that will set one apart from the rest of the pack.  As one builds a foundation of learning experiences, the competent leader does not make the same mistake twice.  Neeleman’s determination and persistence did not allow him to fail as an innovator and leader in the airline industry.  Based on his drive and motivation to succeed, Neeleman overcame obstacles to become a competent CEO of Azul Airlines.

What do you think about Neeleman’s past career successes and failures?  Do you think that his painful experiences and several failures in the airline industry have propelled him in becoming a competent leader?  What do you think about Neeleman’s leadership strengths and weaknesses that were demonstrated in current and past CEO positions?

Adam Kalkirtz

Click HERE to see the full article!

Sexual Discrimination Lawsuit At Bayer

In a recent article posted today, I encountered a very interesting topic addressing issues currently being brought up by Bayer AG's U.S. health care branch. The article brings up a very significant problem regarding gender discrimination in the workplace. It is said that the branch filed a $100 million gender discrimination lawsuit today, claiming that the U.S. unit of Bayer discriminates against its female employees in terms of pay and promotion, as well as pregnancy leave. This lawsuit was filed through the Newark, NJ federal court and seeks "class-action status". Stated simply, the lawsuit is asking for $100 million in pay back, damages, and legal costs. 

“Bayer engages in systemic discrimination against its female employees — particularly those with family responsibilities — by paying them less than their counterparts, denying them promotions into better and higher paying positions, limiting their employment opportunities to lower and less desirable job classifications, and exposing them to different treatment and a hostile work environment,” said Katherine Kimpel, a lawyer for the women suing. “To make matters worse, Bayer is often blatant about its disregard for its female employees.”

According to the same source, the defendants include Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals and its U.S. parent Bayer Corp. In addition, the lawsuit claims that the company's HR department has defined gender discrimination as being a "gray area" that should be handled by the employee, not the company. It is also important to note that a Bayer spokeswoman stated that the company had previously received administrative complaints before the EEOC by 6 current or former New Jersey based employees. Apparently, the company was prepared to cooperate with the EEOC and respond to said charges, but the plaintiffs elected to end the proceedings and file the current lawsuit. 

This article brings up yet another ethical situation regarding women and leadership, along with the fact that a number of corporations who do business in the U.S. have faced discrimination suits on behalf of their female employees as well. In fact, last month Sanford Wittels & Heisler, which brought the Bayer suit, sued Toshiba Corp's U.S. business and French advertising company Publicis Group SA on behalf of female employees in the U.S. Several other situations exist as well, including a lawsuit on behalf of as many as 1.5 million female employees at Wal-Mart Stores. 

This clearly relates to our class topic, Chapter 13 on Women and Leadership. It goes along quite well with the premise of the glass ceiling and how women have struggled to gain elite leadership positions due to instances such as this one where Bayer is apparently preventing women from promotions and higher paying positions. A useful tool to help navigate this issue is further understanding of the Leadership Labyrinth. According to our text, women's underrepresentation in high-level leadership positions generally revolve around three types of explanations. The first is differences in women and men's investment in human capital. The next category considers gender differences between women and men. Then, the final explanation focuses on prejudice and discrimination against female leaders. Therefore, if we relate the Labyrinth to the situation at Bayer, you can start by thinking about whether or not the employed women's educational level, work experience, developmental opportunities, and work-home conflict play a role in this discrimination by the company. Next, you can look into various prejudices regarding gender stereotypes, biased perception and evaluations, vulnerability & reactance, along with cross-pressures. Finally, it is important to think about gender differences in the workplace, including traits, negotiation, self-promotion, commitment & motivation, along with style & effectiveness. Many of these various elements that are a part of the Leadership Labyrinth can often give explanation as to how and why some of these women may be discriminated against in their workplace.

It will truly be interesting to see how this lawsuit, along with the many others relating to discrimination of women all pan out. This is clearly an ethical issue that must be dealt with and analyzed more deeply. See the link below to read the full article. 

Click Here

 -Josh Dlabal

Presidential power vs. ethics

Obama’s Pledge to Reform Ethics Faces an Early Test

President Obama has been faced with many tasks that he has vowed to complete that will eventually by the end of his term dramatically affect our government in the US and indefinitely affect the American people and their trust in this administration and those of the future. In the article linked below, there is discussion of President Obama’s intentions as president to fill important political positions with well informed and talented individuals that had previously broken the law or have significant biases toward specific goals in leadership. Is this ethically advisable? No. Is this an ethical dilemma? In my opinion yes.

I would like to start from the beginning of our ethics teachings in class and suggest that legitimate power has given President Obama the authority to permit well qualified individuals that have make unethical decisions in the past to lead this country into the future. I feel that this is the primary unethical platform for future unethical decisions. Logic would dictate that any individual who has been convicted of breaking law in any way, shape, or form should not hold a position that allows him or her to make decisions in a position in which they were previously unlawful. I feel that if it were not for legitimate power, our president would not be able to appoint these individuals to specific positions in our national government.

I feel that opportunism also may play a role in these decisions. The president has the luxury of using impoverished management to his advantage, he can be hands off when leading certain members of his administration and let them admit their inadequacies while in the process of resignation, ultimately letting mistakes in their personal lives outweigh his initial mistake of appointing these individuals in the first place. Opportunism comes into play when he has to use an authority-compliance relationship with the individual to force them to step down for the good of the country and those that are affected by a particular portion of the government.

I also feel that path goal theory does certainly play a role in these unethical developments. President Obama has initially set goals during his campaign and ultimately during his first presidential address. The public has certain expectations of him and his staff that directly affect his ratings as our national leader. Mr. Obama has clarified his path in many addresses across the U.S., but fails to take into consideration the obstacles that he will face due to his initial unethical decisions. The president now has to remove these obstables to provide to support to the rest of the staff and the American people. This sense of removal, often of staff by a forced resignation, allows some sense of productivity as an end result; but we must take into consideration that the goal of achievement in this case has outweighed ethical behavior on President Obama’s behalf.

LMX theory may also play a role in these leadership decisions. President Obama’s in group has certainly reaped the benefits of his unethical decisions much more than the out group. As this theory entails, the individuals in the in group are more likely to receive special treatment and more authority (in this case the opportunity to obtain a position of authority). Though many do criticize the theory for suggesting that individuals are separated in the work place by an in group and out group, I feel that this example is very applicable. Many of these individuals, due to past convictions, should have no ethical reason to participate and make decisions on behalf of our country and its citizens, but they were given this opportunity because they were in an in-group of sorts.

Finally, I feel that authentic leadership is certainly worth discussing based on the findings in this article. From an intrapersonal perspective, authentic leaders base their actions on their values. I feel that if President Obama’s actions represent his values in these circumstances mentioned in the article; he has acted in an unethical manner. Though I do feel that he is a genuine leader who does have faults, he is original and does lead from conviction.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/03/us/politics/03lobby.html?_r=1&ref=ethics

-Shae Spitznagle

H-P Sues to Stop Ex-Chief's Job

Leader-Member Exchange Theory is a very important in business. In class, we learned that there are two groups associated with the theory: In-group and Out-group. Leaders and their subordinates form relationships and their subordinates fall into one of these groups.   In this case, former CEO Mark Hurd is in an out group with H-P.  He is in an out group because there is no trust between him and the rest of the executives a H-P. H-P does not trust Hurd to keep a secret.

I think in this article, Mark Hurd is task motivated. Within Contingency Theory have low to middle LPC scores. In this case, Mark Hurd, has good leader-member relations, his task structure is high and his position power is strong because he was the CEO of HP.

In this article, the author (Guth) discusses trust in the workplace. In this case, a confidentiality agreement between Hewlett-Packard and its former CEO Mark Hurd.  H-P is suing Hurd because they think his recent hiring, as a senior executive at Oracle Corp., violates his current confidentiality agreement. H-P’s former CEO, Hurd, has deep knowledge of its operations that could prove useful at Oracle. Hurd signed a confidentiality agreement stating he must always comply with keeping H-P’s trade secrets confidential. H-P claims Hurd is violating his legal obligations stated in his exit agreement. Oracle’s CEO, Larry Ellison, is countering by stating that H-P and his company have always been partners and have had joint customers. Also, prior to Hurd resigning, there were sexual harassment allegations towards him from a former employee, Jodie Fisher. Hurd did not violate the company’s sexual harassment policy only its code of business conduct, H-P stated. Hurd reached a private settlement with Fisher on those allegations.

Trust will continue to be a huge part of everyday life in organizations.  Hurd should have some moral awareness about keeping H-P’s trade secrets. Hurd has a personal choice to tell the secrets, but either way H-P will always question is trustworthiness. Hurd lost his employees’ trust with the sexual harassment allegations; that is why H-P does not trust him with keeping its trade secrets. Sexual harassment is a very negative issue in the workplace and it affects many organizations every day, and in this case, it’s affecting H-P and rival Oracle.

I encourage everyone to Click Here to read the full article. It is very interesting to learn about a high profile leadership scandal. 

Please leave any comments and/or your thoughts on this article and issue. And put yourself in HP's shoes, would you trust your ex-CEO to keep your trade secrets?


In my opinion, I would have to know and trust the person well before I would consider trusting someone in this situation. 


--Michael Cosentino

“BP’s New Chief Puts Emphasis on Safety”

Despite tragedy and disaster, there are many examples of leaders that promote good corporate social responsibility. Path-Goal Theory is a very interesting theory that is laid out very well within this article. In this article, BP’s new CEO Robert Dudley has a goal to strengthen the company’s image and social responsibility. He is going to do this using Path Goal Theory.  

We learned in class that Path-Goal Theory is when a leader (Dudley in this case) directs their subordinates along a path (restructuring BP) around obstacles (the oil spill and BP’s damaged image) towards a goal (increased safety standards at BP and implement them).  As we all know, the oil spill on April 20, 2010, was the result of an oil rig explosion. As I mentioned, the oil spill is acting as the obstacle in this case. BP’s new CEO, Dudley has created a path to strengthen BP’s corporate image and he plans to provide support along the way to his goal.

In this case, Dudley has two leadership behaviors: directive and achievement-oriented. He has a directive leadership behavior because he is initiating new structure to BP.  Dudley is (or plans to) set clear safety standards of performance at BP and he is making the rules and regulations (new safety standards) clear to his subordinates (other top BP executives).

Dudley is using achievement-oriented behavior because he is (or plans to) establish a high standard of excellence (new safety standards) for his subordinates and BP. You will read in my summary, that he is challenging Mark Bly to develop and lead the new safety unit at BP.

In this article, Chazan outlines the changes that incoming CEO Robert Dudley has for BP. According to Chazan, BP’s reputation significantly fell after the Deep Water Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico last April. Dudley has plans to improve safety by creating a new safety unit lead by Mark Bly. Bly is author of the company’s inquiry into the oil rig disaster and currently holds the position of top safety executive. Dudley also has plans to restructure the company by removing two senior executives who were in charge of drilling operations in the Gulf, during the disaster.  Dudley’s changes are focused towards rebuilding the public’s trust and BP’s stock value; because it plunged more than a third since the disaster. The new safety unit is going to be made up of safety specialists that will make sure BP operations are executed to the highest safety standards in the industry. Dudley also has plans to divide its exploration and production division into three functions: exploration, development, and production. Each function is going to be run by a senior executive that will report to Dudley.

The Deep Water Horizon disaster is not BP’s first disaster where the public has lost trust in them; it is just the worst yet. Chazan lays out how BP is restructuring in order to adapt to the new (post disaster) environment. Dudley has to act quickly in restricting BP and implementing these safety standards/units. He recognizes the company needs to significantly change to raise its organizational performance. Firms and their leaders must learn that cutting corners will lead to customers losing trust in them. Trust is everything in business, without it organizations fail. 

I encourage everyone to read the entire interesting article by: Clicking Here

I also encourage everyone to post any comments. The BP oil spill was one of the greatest disasters in history. And this was very interesting to me because it showed how a new Leader plans to use the Path Goal Theory to change BP and get over the devastating obstacle/disaster; for the better good of the company, the environment, and everyone in the world. 

--Michael Cosentino 

Workers Sickened at Apple Supplier in China

With our group talking about ethics in the workplace I’m going to be providing a situation where I strongly believe that the overall company needs to adapt to the followers needs such as the workers and going to present a leadership style/approach that is critical to the companies long term survival. 

This company is known as Apple.  When you think of them, you think of faultless management, superior products and a leader that stands out with competitive advantage.  Is this all true though?  In an article that I found in The New York Times titled, “Workers Sickened at Apple Supplier in China” by David Barboza, he truly did beg the differ.  This article is about Apple and how workers at a supplier plant in Suzhou China are being injured by a toxic chemical .  The plant is known as Wintek, in which 137 workers at that factory had been seriously injured by a toxic chemical used in making the glass screens of the iPhone.  “The chemical that is used is called n-hexane and it can disrupt the central nervous system of humans and induce vertigo and muscular atrophy” (Barboza).  With this happening and workers getting affected by this chemical, Apple refuses to help them in any possible way.

Kristin Huguet, a spokeswoman at Apple’s headquarters, said that the “company was committed to the highest standards of social responsibility in its supply chain,” clearly they don’t follow through with their mission. (Barboza). They undeniably don’t treat workers with respect and dignity and don’t use environmentally friendly manufacturing processes.  With this said, I feel that the company should adopt a procedure/theory know as transformational leadership.  Transformational leadership is a theory that stresses “that leaders need to understand and adapt to the needs and motives of followers, and also that leaders should be recognized as changed agents who are good role models, who can create and articulate a clear vision for an organization, who empower followers to meet higher standards, and who act in ways that make others want to rust them, and who give meaning to organizational life” (Northouse, pg. 200).

In the article, it is stated that the workers that are affected by this illness “say they don’t trust the factory because some managers continue to press injured workers to resign, sometimes by insisting they work longer hours even through their health is impaired” (Barboza). Management is not paying for any medical bills, and are tying to make the employees quit instead of trying to provide support. The first thing management needs to do is win back the company/workers trust.  To do that, the workers which are affected by the chemical should seek medical attention that should be paid for by Apple.  Apple then should redesign the process and figure out how they can make the screens with a different technique.  After that, they should follow through and reimburse the workers for medical leave.  With these little tasks getting done, it will show the workers that Apple is indeed trying to help.  Management should be evaluated and be given the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire “which measures a leaders behavior in seven areas: idealized influence, inspiration motivation, intellectual stimulation, individualized consideration, contingent reward, management by exception and laissez-fair” (Northouse, pg. 200)  This will show the management team what their strengths and weaknesses are and will then lead them to focus and correct their original behaviors that will then make them into a better role model/leader.

Apple should live up to their end of social responsibility and to adopt the theory of transformational leadership to help upper management be attentive to the needs and motives of the followers and try to help each worker/follower reach their true potential.  Upper management strongly demonstrates Laissez-faire leadership which is defined as having no leadership at all.  It implies a “hands-off, let-things-ride” approach (Northouse, pg. 182).  Apple needs to move far away from this approach and needs to start giving feedback to the workers to let them know how their doing or even try to help them a little bit.  Management can offer incentives for hard work or meeting quotas, and this will create trust among the company and will be better on both management and the workers.

After reading this article, I encourage you click here and do the same. How do you feel about this situation as you continue to purchase products from Apple.  Yea they have great technology and products, but the workers are all in danger while building the products.  What would you suggest to Apple’s management? 

- Steve Fagiano

CEO, philanthropist 'helped humanity'

My group focused on several examples of CEO’s who failed to exemplify superior ethics and have experienced a scandalous situation.  Conversely, I will proceed in the opposite to present an individual who demonstrated exemplary leadership standards and who is a truly motivational character.  Currently, the class is learning about one of the most modern and extremely admired leadership methods, transformational leadership.  As stated in the textbook by Peter G. Northhouse, “transformational leadership is the process whereby a person engages with others and creates a connection that raises the level of motivation and morality in both the leader and the follower (Northhouse p.174).” When one thinks of current and past transformational leaders in the business world, individuals who stand out are Bill Gates of Microsoft, Jeff Bezos of Amazon.com, and Jack Welch of General Electric.  

A transformational business leader who is not as widely known, but deserves to be on the list of great ones, is Winston Wallin.  Wallin was the executive at Pillsbury and the CEO of a medical technology firm, Medtronic Inc.   Wallin recently passed away last year at the age of 84, after battling cancer.  An article written by Janet Morre and Neal St Anthony in The Star Tribune highlighted, “CEO Winston Wallin, Philanthropist Helped Humanity,” celebrates Wallin’s life as a great business leader, and even a better human being.

 “Winston Wallin is widely credited with setting a foundation for the Fridley-based Medtronic Company to become what it is today -- the world's largest medical technology firm, with $16 billion in annual sales (Morre, Anthony).”  Wallin is loved and missed by many, not only by his family and friends but by hundreds of employees he touched and influenced over the years.  Winston can be categorized  as a great transformational and charismatic leader, not only because of his success transforming a floundering company into a multibillion organization, but because of the way he conducted himself throughout his long life as being a self-confident, dominant person.

Current Medtronic's Chairman and CEO, William Hawkins III, said in a statement, “Wallin will be remembered for much more than his business record.  Wallin was extraordinarily generous and kind, and had a sincerity and dedication to fairness and ethical business practices which we strive to uphold every day at Medtronic."  This comment is just one example depicting that Winston Wallin truly represents a significant transformational leader.

Additionally, Wallin was driven by his strong moral values and he was not afraid of taking risks.  At the same time, Wallin was a respectful person who cared not only about his customers who made him successful, but all of his employees that he motivated on a daily basis. Wallin consistently illustrated a passion and desire to influence followers to make them better people and employees.  By setting a strong role model example for subordinates and communicating high expectations throughout the organization, Wallin created a sense of sincere trust with his followers.  Wallin was a leader who was “attentive to the needs and motives of his followers and tried to help his employees reach their fullest potential (Northouse p. 173).”

Wallin’s subordinates developed a unifying degree of affection towards him and they truly were able to relate to him on a personal level.  Through Wallin’s inspirational and motivational behavior surrounding corporate goals and vision, his organization provided emotional involvement throughout the company and many individuals began to focus on individual long-term goals.  As Janet Morre from The Star Tribune stated, “At 6 foot 4 with a gentle, self-deprecating wit, the no-nonsense Wallin defined a generation of Minnesota business leaders who stressed leadership over management and long-term and short-term gains (Morre, Anthony).” Winston Wallin was an exemplary and trustworthy leader who was a true visionary.  Wallin’s passion was to inspire subordinates by implementing his moral values onto others in creating a workplace of fun and fair environment.  

Finally, I believe that one of Wallin’s most noteworthy contributions to society was his work in philanthropy. “Winston Wallin spent him time raising approximately $35 million so that thousands of poor students could attend college.  Wallin challenged others to do the same (Morre, Anthony).” As Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty stated, "The world lost one of its pioneers today. Wallin saved lives, created jobs and helped humanity in immeasurable ways.  He will be greatly missed (Morre, Anthony).”

What do you think about Winston Wallin?  Does he deserve to be on the top list of transformational leaders such as Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos?  In addition, in your opinion, who are other transformational leaders that come to mind who inspire the human element ….?

To learn more about Winston Wallin and his leadership style see the full article: Click Here!

-Adam Kalkirtz

They Were Best of Friends, Until the Feds Showed Up

This very interesting article is from the Wall Street Journal's Market section. The main topic of this article is about two best friends that worked at a giant hedge fund called SAC Capital Advisors. One friend, manager Noah Freeman, did not hesitate to take his soon to be best man, Donald Longueuil,  down in a insider-trading case. The article mentions that during a three year insider trading investigation, Mr Freeman was caught. After getting caught, he agreed to wear a wire for the government to secretly record Mr. Longueuil. In the end, the two men, plus one more, were criminally charged. It was interesting to read that, Preet Bharara, a Manhattan U.S. Attornery said that the three men formed a "triangle of trust", while they shared inside information from multiple sources with each other. 


This article is very interesting because it is an example of Leader-Member Exchange Theory. Leader-Member Exchange Theory states that relationships can be classified into two groups: In or Out. Manager Mr. Longueuil and Mr. Freeman had a "In" relationship because they were very close friends outside of work. They were such good friends that Mr. Longueuil was the best man at Mr. Freeman's wedding and Mr. Freeman had a plan to return the favor. After reading about how they had a "triangle of trust", it confirms that the quality of their exchange was in the "In" group. Mr. Freeman and Mr. Longueuil trusted each other a great deal because they knew each other. It was very interesting to find out, once the FBI came into play, the two men's "In relationship went out the window for Mr. Freeman. It is no surprise that these best friends got away with inside trading for over three years because, according to an "In" relationship in the Leader-Member Exchange Theory, "In" groups perform a lot better than "Out" groups. This article also brings up the topic of Legitimate Power. Legitimate Power is associated with havign status or formal job authority. These men used their status and formal job authority of managers to gather inside information and use it to their advantage to trade. 


Click Here For The Wall Street Journal Article  


-Michael Cosentino

Ethics takes a holiday: Newsweek, New York Times, Writers in Swag Orgy

Business ethics is a complex issue.  On a day-to-day basis, companies are increasingly faced with issues that can develop into legal problems.  Ethical issues are interrelated with the business world and sometimes there is a thin line where an individual exhibits questionable or bad behavior that can lead to ethical dilemmas potentially damaging an organization’s good name. Other times, the line between acceptable and unacceptable ethics is quite clear and non debatable.   It is obvious that ethical dilemmas be avoided at all costs.  

An example of an ethical dilemma is illustrated in an article written by Jeff Bercovici titled, “Ethics takes a holiday: Newsweek, New York Times, Writers in Swag Orgy.”  Bercovici presents a workplace environment where company employees were faced with temptations that generated issues of ethics’ violations.  Based on this document, there was a business situation where employee’s self control was put to the test and individuals violated the companies’ ethic’s policy.  This was exactly the case where 150 individuals accepted an  all-expenses-paid vacation.  Writers from Newsweek and The New York Times were among those 150 people who accepted this fully paid vacation.

Bercovivi states in the article, “The writers enjoyed a free trip to Jamaica last weekend, courtesy of the consumer e-newsletter Thrillist and JetBlue, among a host of other sponsors.  Those guests received a round-trip flight from JFK International to Montego Bay and two nights at theIberostar Rose Hall resort, where they had beachfront balcony rooms and personal butlers, and overstuffed gift bags ... filled with T-shirts, sunglasses and other goodies (Bercovici).” When Newsweek Magazine learned that reporter Kurt Soller accepted this all-expenses-paid vacation, the firm decided to repay the full amount of the package back to Thrillist since the company determined that their employee violated Newsweek’s ethics’ policy. In contrast, when New York Times learned that their reporter Mike Albo accepted the same      all-expenses-paid vacation, the firm determined no ethics rules were violated.  A New York Times spokeswoman said, “Albo is a freelancer and was not on assignment for the Times, which he made clear to the organizers of the trip.  So we do not see any violation of our rules (Bercovici). " 

However, as Bercovivi points out, “After careful reading of the paper's stringent ethics policy suggests that Albo transgressed the spirit, if not the letter, of the guidelines.  The policy expressly forbids accepting ‘free or discounted transportation and lodging and gifts, tickets, discounts, reimbursements or other benefits’ from individuals or organizations covered (or likely to be covered) by their newsroom.  Those passages are directed at staffers, but further down, the policy decrees that freelancers should accept the same ethical standards as staff members as a condition of their assignments for us.  If they violate these standards, they should be denied further assignments (Bercovici)." After this story was published, New York Times contacted Jeff Bercovici and provided an altered statement depicting that the company was troubled about Mike Albo’s partaking in the trip and the organization would be contacting Mr. Albo to discuss these circumstances.  

What do you think about this situation of potential ethics violation?  Do you think that Mike Albo violated The New York Times ethics’ code of conduct by accepting the all-expenses-paid vacation?  If you feel that Albo violated the company ethics policy, what can the New York Times do to prevent this kind of questionable employee behavior from happening again?

See full article from DailyFinance CLICK HERE: http://srph.it/990Cfw

-Adam Kalkirtz

Lawmakers Face Ethics Crackdown

This recent article is from the JakartaGlobe website for global news. It addresses the need for a revised ethics code for Indonesian lawmakers. The article states that paying for sex and gambling may already be illegal, but lawmakers supposedly need reminding with a "souped-up" code of ethics. The House of Ethics Council unveiled Wednesday a proposal for a new code for its members. There are many rules that members of various houses must abide by due to their positions of power. They are all banned from going to places considered to be ethically, morally, religiously, and normatively improper, such as brothels and casinos. The draft code also proposed that lawmakers be banned from saying or doing things in public deemed improper, both inside and outside the House building. Violators are now receiving sanctions according to house rules and the worst punishment is that they could be removed from their position in the House. This new code is said to fill in the gaps and solve issues that have been a problem in the past with these individuals. The article concludes by saying, If it is against the law, then it must be against ethics,” the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) lawmaker said.

This article strongly relates to the style approach of leadership, which focuses on what leaders do and how they act. If Indonesian leaders and lawmakers are breaking their current code and making unethical decisions when it comes to their current laws and regulations, then they are clearly not fulfilling their roles as leaders. These leaders cannot fulfill the task and relationship behaviors associated with their positions if they do not abide by the ethical codes of their country. 

The article can be viewed if you Click Here

-Josh Dlabal

When the CEO Job Is Split in Two

I just encountered a very interesting article in BusinessWeek regarding power sharing and companies that have co-CEOs. The article starts by discussing companies that weren't so lucky when it came to sharing power in the past, such as Goldman Sachs, Charles Schwab, & Kraft Foods. These companies are said to have dealt with crippling power struggles and turmoil due to attempting to split the role of a CEO.



While this is true of some companies, it has also been a success factor for others. Aeropostale, Chipotle Mexican Grill, California Pizza Kitchen, and P.F. Chang's are all examples of companies that have proven to be quite successful due to the break down of power. The article even went to say that companies, such as Chipotle and P.F. Chang's have sky rocketing stocks. It is interesting to note that at California Pizza Kitchen, Larry S. Flax and Richard L. Rosenfield worked together as lawyers for 12 years before founding their Los Angeles restaurant chain in 1985. "The secret sauce is simple—we like each other," says Rosenfield, who handles real estate and investor relations while Flax focuses on operations and the menu. "We know each other so well we can make important decisions without talking to each other." The two even share a modest L-shaped office.



This topic brings up an excellent example that can be related to the Situational Approach to leadership.The premise of the theory is that different situations demand different types of leadership. In this article we see that some companies have not been so successful with their power sharing, while other companies have been in the ideal "situation" where a leadership approach, sharing power between two big name leaders, actually proved to be successful and perfect for their specific company. As another part of the Situation Approach, directive and supportive leadership dimensions are said to be applied and it appears that the CEOs of California Pizza Kitchen have successfully delegated who does what and work together to accomplish the supportive and directive behaviors for their company. With the power split the CEOs probably can also do a better job of implementing all four leadership styles. 

Click here to view the article & video 

-Josh Dlabal

Green Marketers are Still Sinning

This article is very interesting and takes a very unique stance on marketing and the "green" tactics of marketers. Marketers in general have been taking a very green stance on new products that enter the market and consumers have taken a particular interest in these new roducts. But what if they aren't "exactly" green? Marketers ahve recently been accused by TerraChoice of abusing the green standard and marketing products that are far from green to consumers who thrive from this new market. The recession seemed to spark this green marketing sceme, but now the trend is blazing with support; but only because marketers have promoted this fad as so. What if opportunism came into play when marketing products as green that aren't necessarily so? I certainly feel that it does. Marketers are pulling on the vast majority of consumer's heartstrings with one single word, green. The implimentation of a single word will often entice a consumer to support this item in one way or another. But as the article and consumer reports show, many of these items do not meet the specifc green standards. After reading this article that discusses seven tactics of "greenwashing" consumers, I found the information provided very interesting. The TerraChoice consumer report is also provided in the article as well. Please check out this article with the link below:

http://www.businessweek.com/managing/content/oct2010/ca20101029_631610.htm

Ethics in Med School

 After searching through The New York Times, I came across this shocking article that really caught my eye. Its about Med students who are taking pictures of their patients and posting them on the internet and making it into a joke.  For instance, a student took a picture of a piece of re-bar that punctured all the way through the stomach of a patient.  They then posted it online with a caption that said, "at least they made it to the bar." This is an extremely horrible breach of patient privacy. Not only is it completely unethical and unprofessional but these medical students may be bright enough to be doctors, but they are truly harming their reputation of the profession. For one, these students are going to Med School to become leaders in their industry, mainly to lead change and to save peoples lives.  Why would the teachers even allow phones in the room while working is my question. I can see the students having pictures to use them for research but not to be posting them on the internet such as facebook and twitter and making jokes about them.  In my eyes, those are not leaders and they need to be taught a lesson.  Although the pictures do not capture the patients face, it is unethical.  What are some of your thoughts regarding this topic? Do you look at med school students as leaders, how bout doctors? How could someone put an end to this unethical act?

-Steve Fagiano

Click Here To Read The Article

Banker's $5.5m package "Unethical"

             Today’s societal ethical issues in the workplace are becoming an increasingly significant topic surrounding corporate CEOs.  While surfing the web, I came across an interesting article concerning unethical business issues surrounding CEO George Frazis. The article was written by Tamsyn Parker and titled, ”Banker's $5.5m package 'unethical' .” I truly enjoyed reading this article since she brings out the issue that more people should be talking about … How much is too much?

As stated in the intriguing article about this CEO compensation package, “Westpac boss, George Frazis,  New Zealand's highest ever paid executive with a yearly package worth $5.59 million - a figure a bank workers' union have branded unethical (Parker). ”  Today, CEOs are being paid at all time highs when the common worker is having trouble finding a job in the current depressed economic environment.  

Furthermore, employees who currently hold a job are not seeing salary increases and quite frequently, workers are forced in accepting salary cuts.  Therefore, what is the justification for CEOs receiving these outrageous compensation packages when the worker is losing ground with little or no pay increase and increasing rate of price inflation.  Finsec, bank workers' union, expressed great disapproval of the excessive CEO compensation package going as far as calling it unethical due to current economic circumstances.  Finsec spokesperson Andrew Campbell stated, “It was galling to see the bank give such an extravagant package to its boss while being underwritten by the taxpayer (Parker). ” 

I strongly believe that this unmerited compensation package is an extraordinary amount of money for Westpac CEO and I urge him to reconsider it and give back a significant percentage of the money one way or another.  If the CEO decided to donate some money to a charitable cause, he could alleviate some of the hostile feelings and then fulfill his social responsibility as CEO.  

What do you think?  Please share your opinions.

Check out this website for more information on this topic: Click HERE!!

 --Adam Kalkirtz

How WikiLeaks Matters

Well guys, I saw this article in businessweek and it's pretty interesting. Though it may be a little out there in some portions, it's relevance to the bigger picture is certainly worth reading in my opinion. Mr. Haque begins his own blog through Harvard by discussing the WikiLeaks that severely endangered the lives of many people, he seems to take a different spin on the subject. Haque considers that this void in confidentiality has to keep the American public wondering about what else they are missing. With this being said, in light of the irresponsibility of a few, many more could benefit from transparency in the corporate world. Haque brings up a good point about companies being audited once a year and putting out financials quarterly while millions of people around the world are making financial transactions in the interest of many of the worlds major companies daily.1

Though I personally feel that there is a bigger issue here, there certainly is some ethical reform that could make the corporate world more transparent. These changes in transparency could give the united states the upper hand in increasing the accuracy in GDP and even the ethical standards of the U.S. as an example to many economies around the world. Take a look at the article and see what you think. There seems to be quite a bit of spin on the topic in my opinion, but some of the information presented is very pertinent to any ethics discussion.

http://www.businessweek.com/managing/content/dec2010/ca20101210_492854.htm

NY TV Executive found guilty of murder for wife's beheading

There are many scandals relating to ethics and the morality of individuals, even leaders, in our society. A recent news story posted in the Justice section of CNN's website discusses an astounding and devastating story relating to a New York TV executives brutal decapitation of his wife of many years. After a long and drawn out 3 week trial, a New York jury found Muzzammil "Mo" Hassan guilty of second-degree murder for the beheading of his wife today. The ironic part of the story is that Hassan founded a TV network (Bridges TV) aimed at countering Muslim stereotypes in 2004. Hassan supposedly hoped that the network would balance negative portrayals of Muslims, following the attacks of September 11, 2001.

To give some background on the story, in February 2009, Hassan went to a police station in Buffalo, NY and told officers that his wife was dead. Supposedly, on the day she died, Aasiya Hassan (his wife), had agreed to take some of her husband's clothes to his office, after he had chosen to move out of their home, due to his wife proposing a divorce 6 days before. According to sources, the couple's marriage was "sad and unhealthy" and Hassan's wife had threatened to embarrass Hassan and take away his children. The day she went to drop his clothes off at his office, Hassan was not supposed to be there, but of course he was and at this time chose to "viciously kill and desecrate" his wife. Both of his children testified that their father was violent in the past and Hassan had no real argument as to how his wife was killed. As a result, Hassan was found guilty and awaits sentencing.

To view a more extensive story you can view this video /\


While Hassan is not the most prestigious of leaders, he is still an executive for a TV station that has been in existence since 2004 in the U.S. This story takes the question of scandal and ethics to the next level and is truly gut-wrenching to think about. Please post your thoughts and comments on this terrible tragedy below.



News article from CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/02/07/new.york.beheading/index.html





-Josh Dlabal

Micosoft's Bill Gates: Giving Away A Fortune

The article " "The Gates Foundation: "Giving Away A Fortune" talks about how and why Microsoft's founder Bill Gates is giving $60 billion of his fortune away (CBS, 2010)  Bill Gates, has become the most generous philanthropists in the world. Bill and Melinda Gates started "The Gates Foundation" about 10 years ago and have been giving billions away every since to charities and causes, all around the world.  They recently have traveled the world to find new causes that need attention. Some examples include: education, AIDS, malaria, and childhood death. (CBS, 2010)

Many Fortune 500 leaders have chosen to become philanthropists. However, it is interesting to compare how much Bill Gates donates to other leaders. Bill Gate's Foundation has already given "$4.5 billion for vaccines, about $2 billion for scholarships in America, and $1.5 billion to improve farming in Africa and Asia." It is interesting to learn that, so far, the foundation ranks just behind McDonald's and just ahead of Boeing (CBS, 2010).

I knew Bill Gates donated a lot of his money, but this article is very interesting because, I was not aware that he pledged to donate $60 billion of it.

I think this article is one of the best examples of how a leader can really make a difference in a good way. If I had Bill Gate's fortune, I would donate what he plans on giving away. My opinion is, why not give away that much if you are living comfortably. Millions of lives are going to be saved with these donations and that is why I would give away that much, if I could.

For more information on this interesting article, check out this CBS 60 Minutes Video: Bill Gates: Giving A Fortune Away


This article brings up the question of, What would you do if you had Bill Gate's fortune? And, If you had his fortune, which has to be well above $60 billion, would you donate $60 billion?   Also, what is your opinion on this article?

Article from:  http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/09/30/60minutes/main6915431_page2.shtml?tag=contentMain;contentBody


-Michael Cosentino