http://ethicscrisis.com/ A blog about global business ethics, from SRF Global Translations, specialists in nuanced, localized, multilanguage translation of compliance and marketing materials for multinational companies. en Copyright 2008 Sat, 02 Aug 2008 12:12:56 -0500 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/?v=3.2 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss I anonymously made allegations through the business practices anonymous 800 # that my boss was hiring vendors based on favors. He was investigated and consequently fired even though none of the allegations were proved. I was promoted to his position after he was fired.... http://ethicscrisis.com/2008/08/i_set_up_my_boss_so_i_could_have_his_job.php http://ethicscrisis.com/2008/08/i_set_up_my_boss_so_i_could_have_his_job.php Confessions Sat, 02 Aug 2008 12:12:56 -0500 In an effort to obtain business from an existing client I claimed we were working with several clients (6) in the same industry. One of the clients I listed is not currently a client but one we have spoken with for two years now. Turns out the person I am selling to knows the CEO of the company I'm talking to. I realize I misrepresented the truth. I lied.... http://ethicscrisis.com/2008/04/i_lied_to_get_new_business.php http://ethicscrisis.com/2008/04/i_lied_to_get_new_business.php Confessions Wed, 02 Apr 2008 15:49:26 -0500 I had received an e-mail from an account manager whom I loathed for her inability to do her job correctly, even at the most simple level. After receiving this ridiculous e-mail from her, I wanted to send it to a peer of mine whom I had vented to to witness firsthand just how bad she really was. I flamed intensely on the forward, and then sent it off -- only to realize that I had REPLIED to the e-mail, not forwarded it.... http://ethicscrisis.com/2007/02/clueless.php http://ethicscrisis.com/2007/02/clueless.php Confessions Wed, 28 Feb 2007 23:58:42 -0500 I got an email attachment at work that had information about salaries in my department that I knew was proprietary. But I was up for a raise, so I printed it out and then deleted it from my email. Otherwise, it would be backed up that night if left online and then other people in my department would have access to information that gave me a wage negotiating advantage.... http://ethicscrisis.com/2007/01/if_its_not_there_it_didnt_happen_right.php http://ethicscrisis.com/2007/01/if_its_not_there_it_didnt_happen_right.php Confessions Sat, 13 Jan 2007 18:19:44 -0500 After putting up with former boss' continuous temper tantrums and abusive attitude, I pretended to become a born again Christian to fully gain his trust. Then I volunteered to work late nights bringing the pricing spreadsheets up to date. I'd usually be alone and cram the trunk of my car full of expensive gear from the warehouse. A few weeks later one of the employees was busted for selling warehouse goods out the back door. When they audited, they found all the stuff I scammed, but blamed it on him instead. I got away with 10K worth of top end hardware. Boss deserved a lot worse after the crap I had to deal with.... http://ethicscrisis.com/2006/10/i_stole_blamed_someone_else_boss_deserved_it.php http://ethicscrisis.com/2006/10/i_stole_blamed_someone_else_boss_deserved_it.php Confessions Sun, 08 Oct 2006 14:33:06 -0500 At the magazine I worked for, we posted demographics on our website that were totally fabricated in order to sell more advertising at higher prices. Our real circulation numbers were less than a tenth of what we told advertisers. When we accepted inserts printed by the advertiser, we would simply throw the extra thousands and thousands of them away.... http://ethicscrisis.com/2006/09/we_totally_fabricated_our_numbers.php http://ethicscrisis.com/2006/09/we_totally_fabricated_our_numbers.php Confessions Mon, 18 Sep 2006 19:05:57 -0500 One of my best executives paid an employee of another company that we're highly competitive with for information. I knew what was going on, and that it was probably unethical, but I had a buisiness to run - and we ended up with a much better pitch.... http://ethicscrisis.com/2006/09/we_paid_a_rivals_employee_for_information.php http://ethicscrisis.com/2006/09/we_paid_a_rivals_employee_for_information.php Confessions Thu, 14 Sep 2006 23:05:28 -0500 As soon as I am leaving this job, I'm going after all my boss's clients. I never signed a non-compete agreement with her that went beyond termination of my employment for her, so all her clients are fair game. And I know I'll do a lot better than she did.... http://ethicscrisis.com/2006/09/im_going_after_my_bosss_clients.php http://ethicscrisis.com/2006/09/im_going_after_my_bosss_clients.php Confessions Tue, 05 Sep 2006 14:40:15 -0500 In light of airport travel restrictions, my company is quickly gearing up to sell kits at airport newstands containing essential items, like toothpaste, toothbrush, hair combs, tweezers, and other items that can't be taken on planes because of increased security, but are not provided in hotel rooms. Travelers can buy them when they get off the plane at their destination airport. They are going to sell the kits at sky-high prices, pun intended. Is it unethical to jack up the price and take advantage of this situation. Note: You can not only vote, but also comment on this confession and all others on the Ethics Crisis blog. Click on "comment" below to enter your opinion.... http://ethicscrisis.com/2006/08/making_hay_while_the_sun_doesnt_shine.php http://ethicscrisis.com/2006/08/making_hay_while_the_sun_doesnt_shine.php Confessions Thu, 17 Aug 2006 12:37:51 -0500 A vendor vying for a big contract from my company sent me on vacation. But I gave the contract to someone else.... http://ethicscrisis.com/2006/08/vendor_sent_me_on_vacation.php http://ethicscrisis.com/2006/08/vendor_sent_me_on_vacation.php Confessions Thu, 17 Aug 2006 11:48:53 -0500 Our company was getting raked over the coals for far too long and I was tired of being the punching bag for the client as the account lead. We screwed something up (minor, overpaid for a budget line item that was outside of their internal policy). I took an existing email from the sourcing department and changed the wording of the email to suggest we had been given authorization...and sent it back to the client, under the guise of an acceptable email. ..the discrepancy was noticed and I lied, blaming it on a glitch in technology that sent 2 different versions of a similar reply. Continued to lie when the Director of Marketing called me on the discrepancy and only came clean to my boss (2 months later) when our agency was about to get fired.... http://ethicscrisis.com/2006/07/i_doctored_an_email_blamed_it_on_technology.php http://ethicscrisis.com/2006/07/i_doctored_an_email_blamed_it_on_technology.php Confessions Tue, 25 Jul 2006 21:34:30 -0500 I found out that a guy I've been good friends with for a long time actually works in a loan business that preys on the poor. Our wives are friends, our kids are buddies. We so close that we vacation together. I feel like, ethically, I should end the friendship, but I am just going to make like I still don't know what he does.... http://ethicscrisis.com/2006/07/i_ignore_that_my_friends_in_a_sleazy_business.php http://ethicscrisis.com/2006/07/i_ignore_that_my_friends_in_a_sleazy_business.php Confessions Tue, 11 Jul 2006 17:51:23 -0500 I had to fly to meet a client in another city. A client in a different city asked me to meet with them too. Even though I got a discounted ticket allowing me to visit both cities, I billed both clients for the entire fare. In the course of a year, I make enough to pay for my vacation travel.... http://ethicscrisis.com/2006/07/i_make_money_on_business_travel.php http://ethicscrisis.com/2006/07/i_make_money_on_business_travel.php Confessions Tue, 04 Jul 2006 19:21:14 -0500 I was out of work for a while before I started my new job. A week after I started, my boss told me to send a written performance warning to a man I now supervise. It would be his second warning, and if he screwed up again, he'd be fired. I didn't want to do it because I really didn't know enough about his record. He's in his 50s, and he's been there 5 years. I know it'll be hard for him to get another job. I didn't want to risk my job, so I did it.... http://ethicscrisis.com/2006/06/his_neck_or_mine.php http://ethicscrisis.com/2006/06/his_neck_or_mine.php Confessions Mon, 26 Jun 2006 18:08:57 -0500 I posed as a potential customer in order to get pricing information from my competitors...... http://ethicscrisis.com/2006/06/masquerade.php http://ethicscrisis.com/2006/06/masquerade.php Confessions Tue, 13 Jun 2006 16:06:44 -0500