Enron Argument
A whistleblower is a person who tells the public or someone in authority about alleged dishonest or illegal activities. However, Sharron Watkins only blew the whistle internally and so did not do everything she was morally required do as Vice President of Corporate Development for Enron.
1. Sharron Watkins ignored the first signs of fraud in a selfish pursuit to develop her own career. When first warning signs of fraud happened in 1996 Watkins protested against them to higher management however got no response. Instead of alerting the public or taking legal actions she simply accepted defeat and switched divisions in the company, ultimately allowing her to become Vice President. Had Watkins taken action early on the scandal would have not been able to develop in to what it had by 2000.
2. Sharron Watkins only voiced her concerns internally within Enron. Instead of alerting the public or legal authority, Sharron Watkins wrote an anonymous memo to C.E.O Kenneth Lay about her suspicions in account improprieties. After Watkins identified herself as the one who had wrote the memo she and had a personal meeting with Lay. Instead of discussing their plan of action in alerting their shareholders and stakeholders, Watkins only voiced concern and gave warning of what the repercussions would be for Enron.
3. Watkins only came forward with her knowledge of the fraud when they started to investigate her memo. After the meeting with Kenneth Lay, Sharron had made her knowledge and understanding of the scandal documented. However, the public did not find out about her memo until five months after she had written it. This was the time when the company had already collapsed and an investigation was being held to find the writer of the memo. Only then did Sharon Watkins come forward with her knowledge and insight. Holding the position of Vice President of Corporate Development it would have been her responsibility to publicize the fraud.
4. Watkins sold her
1. Sharron Watkins ignored the first signs of fraud in a selfish pursuit to develop her own career. When first warning signs of fraud happened in 1996 Watkins protested against them to higher management however got no response. Instead of alerting the public or taking legal actions she simply accepted defeat and switched divisions in the company, ultimately allowing her to become Vice President. Had Watkins taken action early on the scandal would have not been able to develop in to what it had by 2000.
2. Sharron Watkins only voiced her concerns internally within Enron. Instead of alerting the public or legal authority, Sharron Watkins wrote an anonymous memo to C.E.O Kenneth Lay about her suspicions in account improprieties. After Watkins identified herself as the one who had wrote the memo she and had a personal meeting with Lay. Instead of discussing their plan of action in alerting their shareholders and stakeholders, Watkins only voiced concern and gave warning of what the repercussions would be for Enron.
3. Watkins only came forward with her knowledge of the fraud when they started to investigate her memo. After the meeting with Kenneth Lay, Sharron had made her knowledge and understanding of the scandal documented. However, the public did not find out about her memo until five months after she had written it. This was the time when the company had already collapsed and an investigation was being held to find the writer of the memo. Only then did Sharon Watkins come forward with her knowledge and insight. Holding the position of Vice President of Corporate Development it would have been her responsibility to publicize the fraud.
4. Watkins sold her