The Ethical Barometer

“He ruined the product, maybe the brand.”

June 14th, 2009

The head of accounting for a Fortune 500 company confronted the CEO. “Why are you shipping product to buyers when the product is not finished?” The response was curt, “We’ll finish it in the field.” Ah, meeting the numbers. You can’t book ‘em unless you ship. The CEO knew his head of accounting would never go for the old 32-day month. So, in a new twist, he was booking revenues for products shipped that were not quite done. Technical compliance with accounting rules. A loophole. A diem to be carpe-ed. The best laid plans . . . Read more »

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The Prosecutors and the Senator: A Credo Would Have Helped

April 11th, 2009

Judge Emmet Sullivan said he had never seen “mishandling and misconduct” like that of the prosecutors in the U.S. v. Stevens case. The Barometer has no doubt that former Senator Ted Stevens (R. Alaska) crossed a few ethical lines in his relationships with some contractors and others. However, legal breach is different from ethical breach, and the former requires proof. In dismissing the conviction, Judge Sullivan appointed a special prosecutor to look into the conduct of the Justice Department prosecutors in their pursuit of a conviction. The good judge noted that the prosecutors did not disclose exculpatory evidence and that former U.S. Attorney General, Michael Mukasey, ignored letters from defense attorneys outlining the ongoing problems with honest disclosures.

The Barometer encourages students, business people, and professionals to develop their own credos. A credo consists of things you would never do, lines you would never cross to gt a job, to keep a job, to meet your numbers for the quarter, or to win a case. The exercise is difficult for most. “Never?” they counter, “I can’t say ‘Never!’” Yet, it is possible to draw lines Read more »

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News & Events

If You Don’t Want To Disclose Something, You Probably Should

July 1st, 2009

Sometimes one line says it best. On Steve Jobs, his health, Apple, and disclosure. . . It is clear that the SEC guidance on this is fuzzy, i.e., not clear. Could Apple say little and not violate disclosure standards? Sure. But ethics is the “should,” not the “could.” The fact that the company does not want to disclose the Jobs health information indicates it probably should. CEO privacy in a publicly traded company?? Find another line of work. (more…)

You may have crossed a few ethical lines if you are swiping cash in church. . .

June 29th, 2009

We all worship in our own ways, but stealing cash from a fellow parishioner during mass may be tempting fate. In Wesbury, Long Island, an astute usher at Our Lady of Hope Roman Catholic Church noticed a 46-year-old woman reach over a pew and steal cash from a fellow worshiper’s purse (more…)

Classic Quotes

Place me behind prison walls–ever so high, ever so thick, reaching ever so far into the ground — there is a possibility that in some way or another I will escape; but stand me on a floor and draw a chalk line around me and have me give my word of honor never to cross it. Can I get out of the circle? No. Never! I would die first.”

June 18th, 2009

Karl G. Maeser: Mormon Educator by Alma Burton (Deseret Book 1953), p. 71

“Clemens was determined to prove he wasn’t fading, and McNamee, having just arrived at the Show, was committed to staying there. So there would be injections, but with the first one the two men crossed a stark line into territory they would never escape. Clemens became a cheater, and McNamee became his enabler.”

June 18th, 2009

A chilling quote from the fine new book, AMERICAN ICON: THE FALL OF ROGER CLEMENS AND THE RISE OF STEROIDS IN AMERICA’S PASTIME.” (Alfred Knopf 2009). By honored investigative reporters, Teri Thompson, Nathaniel Vinton, Michael O’Keeffe, and Christian Red.

Ethical Dilemmas

“He ruined the product, maybe the brand.”

June 14th, 2009

The head of accounting for a Fortune 500 company confronted the CEO. “Why are you shipping product to buyers when the product is not finished?” The response was curt, “We’ll finish it in the field.” Ah, meeting the numbers. You can’t book ‘em unless you ship. The CEO knew his head of accounting would never go for the old 32-day month. So, in a new twist, he was booking revenues for products shipped that were not quite done. Technical compliance with accounting rules. A loophole. A diem to be carpe-ed. The best laid plans . . . (more…)

The Invoice Mistakes

March 14th, 2009

The small business owner realized that one of his vendors had made underbilling errors totaling $10,000. “Probably no way they would ever catch them — too big, too busy, but me, well, those are big dollars for me!” To tell or not to tell — there is the question. (more…)

The Ethical Barometer

“He ruined the product, maybe the brand.”

The Prosecutors and the Senator: A Credo Would Have Helped

News & Events

If You Don’t Want To Disclose Something, You Probably Should

You may have crossed a few ethical lines if you are swiping cash in church. . .

Classic Quotes

Ethical Dilemmas

“He ruined the product, maybe the brand.”

The Invoice Mistakes

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