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Keywords: ethics; the insider; tobacco; whistle-blower
PROLOGUE
When starting a career with a particular organization, few of us expect to be confronted with organizational wrongdoing. The typical individual probably thinks that the options available to someone confronted with organizational wrongdoing are clearcut and the decision that must be made is relatively straightforward. Without being confronted with wrongdoing, an individual might anticipate that some kind of corrective action could be taken easily. One such action may be to confront the wrongdoers and attempt to stop the unacceptable behaviors. Or, perhaps, an individual could simply change employers. Even speaking out and exposing the wrongdoing might seem acceptable. Rarely are the options simple. Therefore, it is beneficial for us to study the ethical dilemmas individuals face and how they responded to them.
An effective way to learn how to deal with organizational wrongdoing is to be privy to the specifics of cases involving individuals who experienced wrongdoing and took corrective action. The following interview was conducted with Dr. Jeffrey S. Wigand, the highest ranking executive in any tobacco company to speak out about what goes on within the tobacco corporate world. This case is unique in many ways. Tobacco generates sales of approximately U.S. $50 billion annually and has been in use throughout the world for hundreds of years. Virtually all cases of individuals speaking out about wrongdoing are about one organization. Although Jeff Wigand describes some decisions and resulting behaviors of high-ranking Brown and Williamson executives, his account provides insights about an entire industry.
Although the movie The Insider, CBS's 60 Minutes, and PBS's Frontline provided interesting details of Jeff Wigand's experiences, the information contained in this interview reveals specific details of organizational wrongdoing that led him to speak out. These instances, when explained, can be used by us to answer the difficult question, "Given the circumstances, what action would I have taken?" These instances of wrongdoing also stimulate us to question the mind-set of individuals who engage in such wrongdoing. Unlike numerous other instances in which individuals spoke out about organizational wrongdoing, Jeff Wigand describes his life after speaking out as fulfilling.
Jeff Wigand earned a Ph.D. in endocrinology and biochemistry from the University of Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. He held...