Enron Ethical Analysis
Running Head: ENRON ETHICAL ANALYSIS
Enron Ethical Analysis
Gordon C. Shaw III
Grand Canyon University
Abstract
This is a survey of business policies and procedures implemented by the Enron corporate policy committee headed by the chairman Ken Lay. The enigma of corporate responsibilities and ethics of the Houston based energy giant Enron are mapped out in a simple easy to read memorandum circulated throughout the several levels of management and to all employees. It clearly defines and ethical and responsible approach that mimicked those iron clad principals hammered out by the bible and childhood fables. However when we contrast these so called ethics of Enron with their actions all across the board another story unfolds. One in which a road fraught with lies deceit where money outweighs moral obligation and human values.
At the center of this ethical dilemma is the fact that absolute power, and by that I mean money, of the organization is at the center of the minds of everyone on the senior management staff in the organization. Vision to become the worlds leading energy company is just another way for them to say we want to take as much money as possible without regards to the rules. If they don’t make their stock holders happy with continuously increasing capital gains then the price of the stock will fall and the company will lose revenue by letting their investors slip into the loving arms of another firm rich with opportunity. So how does a corporation with a declining sales revenue and drastically increasing debt margin turn their financial slump around with out turning heads onto what the particulars are surrounding it.
The answers simple why don’t we just take the easy left instead of the hard right and lie to everyone in the entire organization, to our potential stockholders, to all of our current stock holders, to the government, and to the newspaper reporters so that we will in
Enron Ethical Analysis
Gordon C. Shaw III
Grand Canyon University
Abstract
This is a survey of business policies and procedures implemented by the Enron corporate policy committee headed by the chairman Ken Lay. The enigma of corporate responsibilities and ethics of the Houston based energy giant Enron are mapped out in a simple easy to read memorandum circulated throughout the several levels of management and to all employees. It clearly defines and ethical and responsible approach that mimicked those iron clad principals hammered out by the bible and childhood fables. However when we contrast these so called ethics of Enron with their actions all across the board another story unfolds. One in which a road fraught with lies deceit where money outweighs moral obligation and human values.
At the center of this ethical dilemma is the fact that absolute power, and by that I mean money, of the organization is at the center of the minds of everyone on the senior management staff in the organization. Vision to become the worlds leading energy company is just another way for them to say we want to take as much money as possible without regards to the rules. If they don’t make their stock holders happy with continuously increasing capital gains then the price of the stock will fall and the company will lose revenue by letting their investors slip into the loving arms of another firm rich with opportunity. So how does a corporation with a declining sales revenue and drastically increasing debt margin turn their financial slump around with out turning heads onto what the particulars are surrounding it.
The answers simple why don’t we just take the easy left instead of the hard right and lie to everyone in the entire organization, to our potential stockholders, to all of our current stock holders, to the government, and to the newspaper reporters so that we will in