Examination of Ethical Issues Facing Managers at Hewlett-Packard (Essay Sample)

Hewlett-Packard (HP) and Pretexting: Spying on the Board
Examination of ethical issues facing managers at Hewlett-Packard
The case study revolves around Hewlett-Packard (HP), one of the leading informational technology companies in the United States. The chairperson of the corporation and about a half dozen other chief executives are reported to have been laid off following a scandal over illegitimate business spying that has taken place for a few months. On 5th September 2006, it was recounted that the company’s general counsel, at the directive of the presiding officer, Patricia Dunn, had entered into a contract with a particular team of independent security professionals to scrutinize board members of the organization and other several journalists. This course of action was implemented in an attempt to trace the source of a private information disclosure. In return, the contracted security specialists conscripted private detectives who executed a spying approach referred to as pretexting (Case 5.6)
The pretexting technique involved investigators impersonating Hewlett-Packard board executives including nine other reporters to get hold of their telephone records. However, over time the information relating to the company's long-term stratagem was disclosed and in January 2006 circulated as a section of the CNET article. Patricia Dun, the chairperson, claimed that she was not aware beforehand of the techniques the investigators applied to identify the source of the information leak. George Keyworth, one of the board members, reported to have resigned in 12th September 2006 was finally accused of being the facilitator of the disclosure although even after his resignation he continued to deny of being the cradle of the information leakage. Besides, during this time of crisis Dunn was announced to be the continuing chairperson of Hewlett-Packard after which Mark Hurd the CEO would take over. However, HP Company on September 2006 announced that she had resigned as a chair amid the board's claim that her presence was causing a distraction. Besides, Ann Baskins, general counsel in the organization quitted just before appearing as a witness at House Committee on Energy and Commerce, where she would eventually appeal the Fifth Amendment for the refusal to answer charges due to the ongoing criminal investigations (Case 5.6).
Ethical issues involved in the Hewlett-Packard spying scandal
The spying scandal case in Hewlett-Packard includes various ethical issues as depicted by different scenarios created by the key players in the case. Some of the protuberant ethical concerns arising from this case include invasion of privacy, the approach implemented to accomplish the objectives (pretexting), and abuse of power, among others such as whistleblowing.
Invasion of employee privacy
Among the most notorious unethical acts committed by the Hewlett-Packard during its internal investigation was the illegitimate obtaining of personal telephone records of its staff members to appease the destruction that sharing of confidential information to unsanctioned parties might have caused. As a citizen of the United States, every employee working in any organization has the right to speech and privacy and the firm has no freedom to use his private information for the underhand benefit of the entire company without his consent (Mathis & Jackson, 2010, Pg. 513). Therefore, the management of Hewlett-Packard behaved unethically in getting hold of their private phone records using dubious and dishonest tactics.
Approaches used to accomplish goals (pretexting)
The main action which during this time of crisis in Hewlett-Packard raised ethical and legal questions is pretexting. This process takes place when someone impersonates somebody else in an attempt to obtain another third parties’ confidential information (Horvath, Villafranco & Calkins, 2009, Pg. 101). Pretexting planned approach took part in Hewlett-Packard for the primary purpose of identifying the main source of the internal leak of company information to the media. Despite the fact that the issue of pretexting caused a contradiction in the legal systems, the main ethical issue surrounding this act is the likelihood use of identity theft procedures.
Abuse of power
Leaders within the Hewlett-Packard Company are reported to have used their authority to gather information regarding an internal leak of unauthorized information users. Patricia Dunn, the chairlady during this scandal, for example, was at the center of the crisis instigating the techniques employed in the course of the internal investigation. The application of such tactics will eventually result to self-gain which is inherently unethical and against the rules and regulation of the concerned bodies in the United States. In other words, misuse of power in an organization causes detriment to all internal and external publics as well as to the entire company (Dessler, & Phillips, 2008, Pg. 379).
Implications of Hewlett-Packard case on business
Organizations thriving in the current environment where ethical considerations have become integral aspects of attention by all nations can draw various suppositions from the Hewlett-Packard spying scandal. Everybody whether an internal or external public, having interest in a particular corporation has the potential of being affected either directly or indirectly by unethical malpractices associated with the firm. Thus, it is imperative for everybody to ensure transparency; honesty and impartiality prevail in the business since various repercussions involved with unethical actions often impact on them.
All parties in a firm should acknowledge that knowledge or information management is the duty of everybody not of a particular department or personnel. This critical aspect of poor data management forms the basis of the scandal at Hewlett-Packard with Patricia Dunn emerging the primary source of unethical course of actions in the company. The case study presents a chaotic state of affairs in the corporation where nobody is aware of the primary source of the information leak. In a nutshell, it is significant for all individuals working in an organization to ensure confidentiality of relevant information by protecting it from their personal levels and curb it from falling into the hands of unauthorized parties. Besides, managers learn from the case that their unethical actions often lead to further destruction of a situation which they would have otherwise solved if righteous strategies were implemented. For instance, in this case Patricia Dunn the chair of the board of directors, is the root source of all immoral practices which take place in the organization leading to severe repercussions such as loss of jobs and tarnishing of the company reputation (Helfat, 2007 Pg. 77).
Recommended actions for the Hewlett-Packard spying issue
The management body at Hewlett-Packard should have applied the moral rights procedure to ethical decision making (Samson, & Daft, 2011, Pg. 205). It is clear that the chair of the board of directors Dunn exceeded her authority and inv