MBA 111
Philosophy and Business Ethics
GBS FOR WEEK NO. 2
Decision Point Questions: Sherron Watkins
1. What facts would you want to know before making a judgment about Watkins?
I want to know the employment history of Watkins,his previous company and work before joining the Enrons. Also, what kind of employee and colleague she is.
2. What ethical issues does this situation raise?
For me, the ethical issues that raise in Ernons is not the memo that Watkins give to Lay, it is the action that Lay perform when he received the memo. For me, it is unethical to make it on public the problem of the company without proper process on how to resolve it within the organization.
3. Besides Kenneth Lay, who else might have had an interest in hearing from Watkins? Who else might have had a right to be informed? Did Watkins have a responsibility to anyone other than Lay?
Aside from Lay, the other top management and stockholders might also have interest to know more what Watkins discovered about Ernons and to its operation.
4. Other than her informing Lay, what other alternatives might have been open to Watkins?
Watkins can consider to leave the company for what she discover or she can inform legal authorities about it.
5. What might the consequences of each of these alternatives have been?
If Watkins will resign she will lose her job that she has for 8 years and if she will inform directly to the authorities aside from the company, her career will also be affected as she is part of the company that will face the controversy.
6. From this section of the memo, how would you characterize Watkins’ motivation? What factors seem to have motivated her to act?
I think the disappointment and concern for the company and to the stockholders are the motivations of Watkins to do the memo, because if she doesn’t have concern, she will not think to make an action about what she discovered, she will be deaf for what she heard.
7. If you were Ken Lay and had received...