Sunday, December 06, 2009
Mindblowing research on whistleblowing
A repost from some research one of my students did on whistleblowing, mindblowing!
"The following is a list of the presented statistics on whistleblowers in the U.S.:
100% were fired - most were unable to find new jobs
17% lost their homes
54% were harassed by peers at work
15% were subsequently divorced
80% suffered physical deterioration
90% reported emotional stress, depression and anxiety
10% attempted suicide
Source:
http://media.www.brockpress.com/media/storage/paper384/news/2004/03/30/Business/Famous.Cases.Of.WhistleBlowing-645453.shtml
Now, take these stats for what they are, but it is interesting that standing up against a higher authority on your own will likely bring a very uncomfortable and/or painful situation as a result of the higher authority trying to cover up mistakes or to silence the whistleblower. There is a good example of whistleblowers in the documentary "The Corporation" where two reporters are pressured to falsify information on a news story. The reporters refused to mislead the public by falsifying information and claimed their whistleblower status. However, the reporters' whistleblower status was overthrown by the courts as a result of the courts determining that falsifying information was not in fact against the law and subsequently fired the two reporters.
The Corporation Video Clip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZkDikRLQrw"
"The following is a list of the presented statistics on whistleblowers in the U.S.:
100% were fired - most were unable to find new jobs
17% lost their homes
54% were harassed by peers at work
15% were subsequently divorced
80% suffered physical deterioration
90% reported emotional stress, depression and anxiety
10% attempted suicide
Source:
http://media.www.brockpress.com/media/storage/paper384/news/2004/03/30/Business/Famous.Cases.Of.WhistleBlowing-645453.shtml
Now, take these stats for what they are, but it is interesting that standing up against a higher authority on your own will likely bring a very uncomfortable and/or painful situation as a result of the higher authority trying to cover up mistakes or to silence the whistleblower. There is a good example of whistleblowers in the documentary "The Corporation" where two reporters are pressured to falsify information on a news story. The reporters refused to mislead the public by falsifying information and claimed their whistleblower status. However, the reporters' whistleblower status was overthrown by the courts as a result of the courts determining that falsifying information was not in fact against the law and subsequently fired the two reporters.
The Corporation Video Clip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZkDikRLQrw"
