The Skeleton in the Corporate Closet

In “The Skeleton in the Corporate Closet,” some very significant and profound ethical dilemmas are presented, which cut directly to the core of the corporate culture of the organization involved – General Parkelite Company (GPC). I begin my evaluation with a brief overview of the case, and then proceed to identification of the central and peripheral issues involved, delineation of the facts and suppositions used in my analyses and as the basis of my recommendations, and finally I present my analyses and recommendations.

Case Synopsis

The case begins with David Fisher, the corporate archivist, and Donna Cooper, a writer contracted to write a 75th Anniversary book for GPC, exploring old documents and corporate nostalgia in the GPC archives room. The two of them came across documents that appeared to be love letters penned from the company’s founder, Hudson Parker, to his sweetheart, Mary Beatrice White, while Parker was on deployment overseas during World War I. The two of them happened upon a starling discovery contained in the love letters – a document which appeared to imply that the formula for the company’s namesake (Parkelite), had in fact been stolen by Hudson Parker from his best friend from college and fellow soldier.

After apparently considering the implications of this discover to himself, Mr. Fisher asked for a meeting with his superior, Jill Pierce, communications Vice President, where he informed her of the shocking discovery. After giving some thought to attempting to “bury” this news, Ms. Pierce delivers the document to GPC’s long-time CEO and grandson of the founder, Hudson Parker III (Hap). Hap is obviously and understandably shaken by the news and potential implications to his company’s and family’s reputation. He spends a weekend reflecting and considering his course of action, and has a meeting with GPC’s legal council, Newland Lowell on Monday to hear the legal perspective. The case concludes with a chance encounter between