By David Gebler on December 22, 2010
Today’s business press reports that a lawsuit filed last week on behalf of Johnson & Johnson shareholders accused the company’s directors of ignoring “red flags” foreshadowing product recalls and government probes of manufacturing defects and marketing practices. The lawsuit alleges that while J&J once set “the gold standard for integrity and excellence,” the directors’ “utter […]
By David Gebler on July 22, 2010
Today’s New York Times published another in a string of articles highlighting safety issues on the Deepwater Horizon rig at the heart of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill crisis. A confidential survey of workers on the Deepwater Horizon in the weeks before the oil rig exploded showed that many of them were concerned about […]
By David Gebler on June 30, 2010
As BP continues to be in the spotlight, with every business practice being scrutinized, we can learn some lessons on how ethical companies balance safety and costs. Ethical Culture There is nothing inherently “ethical” about balancing safety and costs. Few programs, even government projects, can reduce safety risks down to zero. The key factor is […]
By David Gebler on May 27, 2010
For nearly 30 years the heroic story of Johnson & Johnson quick action to remove Tylenol from the shelves after a deadly tampering incident has been folklore in business circles. So what do we make of the news today that The Food and Drug Administration is considering “additional enforcement actions” that might include criminal penalties […]
By David Gebler on May 25, 2010
The challenges facing Paul Levy, the embattled CEO of Boston’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, highlight the issues faced by many leaders: once in hot water, how to start on the road to recovery. The problem is that many leaders don’t appreciate the nature of the ethics risks they face and what is in fact […]
By David Gebler on May 5, 2010
From the Wall Street Journal on May 5, 2010: “Frankly, at this point we have to go with an open mind and determine what we may be doing wrong,” Mr. Blankfein told customers of its private-wealth-management business during a 30-minute conference call. “On a very microscopic level, we’re going to use this as an opportunity […]
By David Gebler on May 3, 2010
Today in Boston the Board of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center today fined chief executive Paul Levy $50,000 for engaging in a personal relationship with an employee that over time “created an improper appearance and became a distraction within the hospital,” according to a statement by Board Chairman Stephen Kay. Mr. Levy has had a […]
By David Gebler on April 28, 2010
The issues surrounding Goldman Sachs highlight many of challenges facing the business ethics industry. There has been a public furor over the integrity of certain industries, such as finance, even though the leaders of those companies can state categorically that they acted legally, and ethically, within the guidelines they have worked within for some time. […]
Carter McNamara of Authenticity Consulting, LLC, provides organizational development, consultant training and Action Learning services, and is developer of the Free Management Library. [Read more ...]