Whistle Blower

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What is a Whistle Blower? Meaning.

A Whistle Blower is an employee or former employee who publicly alleges or reports to government agencies misconduct of his own company (or government agency) in the hope of stopping it. Generally the corporate misconduct is a legal violation or a threat to public interest, such as dishonesty, fraud, health or safety violations, corruption or misleading or unethical practices

Almost invariably whistleblowers act out of conscience, as selfless martyrs for public interest, corporate accountability or corporate responsibility, but some people view them as either "snitches" or as people pursuing personal glory and fame. Whistle blowing often leads to short but fierce media attention, which can cause substantial damage to the corporate reputation and even to corporate value.

Although theoretically these people are protected by law in some jurisdictions, in practice it is not uncommon that whistle blowers are ostracized by their co-workers (who fear they might lose their jobs), discriminated against by future potential employers, and fired or demoted by their own organization.

Compare with: Crisis Management  |  Corporate Accountability  |  Corporate Responsibility  |  Corporate Sustainability  |  Stakeholder Value Perspective  |  Public Relations  |  Lap Dog Theory  |  Guard Dog Theory  |  Watch Dog Model

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