Assignment3 Why Didn T We Know
Why didn’t we know by Ralph Hasson
Analysis of what Galvatrens company should do to strength its system for uncovering misconduct and what roles that management and the board should play?
Sivakumar Venugopal
Robert Morris University
Author Note
This Assignment was prepared for Information Technology Governance taught by Professor Dr.Karen Paullet.
Abstract
Galvatrens, a consumer products company in Houston, has a whistle-blower's lawsuit on its hands. Mike Fields, a former divisional sales manager, claims that he was wrongfully terminated for trying to report an illegal scheme designed by a colleague to inflate numbers. He left the company's COO a confidential voice mail about it, but the COO referred the matter to Mike's boss rather than following up on it himself. Mike says his boss subsequently told him his performance wasn't up to snuff and he'd have to accept a demotion and a transfer if he wanted to stay with the company knowing that Mike, a divorced father with joint custody of his kids, couldn't leave town. Chip Brownlee, the CEO of Galvatrens, had taken steps a while back to upgrade the company's procedures for uncovering misconduct and solving conflicts. He and the general counsel had instituted a number of changes, including a new open-door policy for raising workplace concerns. Although the policy encouraged employees to go to their immediate supervisors, it emphasized that they could approach any manager at any level for assistance, and it included a ban on retaliation against whistle-blowers. Chip and the board need to figure out why, with all those channels in place, only one person came forward with information about the sales scheme and why that person ended up suing the company. How should Galvatrens strengthen its system for uncovering misconduct, and what roles should the board and management play?
Keywords: Galvaterns, whistle-blower, Chip Brownlee, Arch Carter, Lawsuit
Why didn’t we know by Ralph Hasson
Problem Identification Ralph
Analysis of what Galvatrens company should do to strength its system for uncovering misconduct and what roles that management and the board should play?
Sivakumar Venugopal
Robert Morris University
Author Note
This Assignment was prepared for Information Technology Governance taught by Professor Dr.Karen Paullet.
Abstract
Galvatrens, a consumer products company in Houston, has a whistle-blower's lawsuit on its hands. Mike Fields, a former divisional sales manager, claims that he was wrongfully terminated for trying to report an illegal scheme designed by a colleague to inflate numbers. He left the company's COO a confidential voice mail about it, but the COO referred the matter to Mike's boss rather than following up on it himself. Mike says his boss subsequently told him his performance wasn't up to snuff and he'd have to accept a demotion and a transfer if he wanted to stay with the company knowing that Mike, a divorced father with joint custody of his kids, couldn't leave town. Chip Brownlee, the CEO of Galvatrens, had taken steps a while back to upgrade the company's procedures for uncovering misconduct and solving conflicts. He and the general counsel had instituted a number of changes, including a new open-door policy for raising workplace concerns. Although the policy encouraged employees to go to their immediate supervisors, it emphasized that they could approach any manager at any level for assistance, and it included a ban on retaliation against whistle-blowers. Chip and the board need to figure out why, with all those channels in place, only one person came forward with information about the sales scheme and why that person ended up suing the company. How should Galvatrens strengthen its system for uncovering misconduct, and what roles should the board and management play?
Keywords: Galvaterns, whistle-blower, Chip Brownlee, Arch Carter, Lawsuit
Why didn’t we know by Ralph Hasson
Problem Identification Ralph
References: Engleberg, I. N. & Wynn, D. R. (2013). Working in groups (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education. Hasson, R. (2007). HBR case study: Why didn’t we know? Harvard Business Review, (pp. 1-9). https://rmu.blackboard.com/bbcswebdav/pid-996898-dt-content-rid-7922864_1/xid-7922864_1 Project Management Institute, Inc. (2008). A guide to the project management body of knowledge (4th ed.). Newton Square, PA: Project Management Institute (PMI). Project Management Institute, Inc. (2013). A guide to the project management body of knowledge (5th ed.). Newton Square, PA: Project Management Institute (PMI).