Examining the Dynamics of Whistleblowing : A Causal Approach

Whistleblowing has become a buzzword in the encyclopedia of corporate governance jargons and myriad regulatory enforcement programs. A whistleblower is an employee or official who blows the whistle on corruption, felony or other wrongdoing, especially on ethico-moral grounds. It is a turbulent situation across the globe where a majority of the enterprises are exposed to deteriorating governance both in the public and corporate realm. With rampant corruption and unethical ventures being practiced, the upright whistleblowers find it extremely arduous to survive. For them, it is like living on landmines which can explode any minute! The million-dollar question is not whether adequate safeguards are being taken with regard to whistleblowers, it is about the avenue that triggers repercussions, which may be favorable or retaliatory. The present paper seeks to unravel the situational and individual antecedents that pave the path for whistleblowing, while touching on the risks that such upright individuals are exposed to. The paper further seeks to rediscover the behavioral dynamics of whistleblowers by examining what motivates them: the desire to be labeled as public heroes or as saints in the corporate milieu. The authors have, throughout this endeavor, sought to throw light on the ethico-moral aspect of human behavior, as this is the root cause of all hassles, with aid of a couple of case studies on morally upright whistleblowers in the Indian scenario