SOKOINE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE

COMPUTER CENTER
DIPLOMA IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
BY
AUTHOR: AMIRI, Zainabu
REGISTRATION NUMBER: DIT/D/2014/0020
SUBJECT: PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
SUPERVISOR: Mr. Mahenge.

MOROGORO TANZANIA
NOVEMBER, 2014

A whistleblower

Is a person who exposes misconduct, alleged dishonest or illegal activity occurring in an

organization. The alleged misconduct may be classified in many ways; for example, a violation
of a law, rule, regulation and/or a direct threat to public interest, such as fraud, health and safety
violations, and corruption. Whistleblowers may make their allegations internally (for example, to
other people within the accused organization) or externally (to regulators, law enforcement
agencies, to the media or to groups concerned with the issues).
Whistleblowers frequently face reprisal, sometimes at the hands of the organization or group
which they have accused, sometimes from related organizations, and sometimes under law
ADVANTAGE AND DISADVANTAGE OF WHISTLE BLOWING
When a government employee, private company employee or independent contractor releases
news of illegal, unsafe or unethical conduct about his employer, that employee "blows the
whistle" on that employer for his behavior. Whistle-blowers have changed the course of history,
from "Deep Throat" during the Watergate scandal of the 1970s to former Enron executive
Sherron Watkins releasing details of the company's accounting practices. The act of blowing the
whistle on corrupt organizations can have strong effects, both positive and negative, on those
who step forward.
Advantage: Exposing Unethical Behavior
The whistle-blower serves a vital function in government and business. When corporations and
government agencies step over legal and ethical lines, whistle-blowers can make these practices
public knowledge, which can lead to violators being held accountable. The added scrutiny that
comes with criminal investigations, civil lawsuits and media attention can influence the behavior
of similar organizations. Companies and government offices that engage in similar misconduct
may have previously believed they could get away with their bad behavior, but the ripple effect
of the whistle-blower's efforts can bring about reforms.
Advantage: Legal Protection
The federal government's Whistleblower Protection Program protects employees who report
violations of various workplace safety, environmental, financial reform and securities laws. The
program protects from retaliation workers who blow the whistle on their employer's behavior.
Retaliatory action can include dismissal, demotion, denial of benefits and reduction of working
hours. Companies found to be in violation of the whistle-blower protection laws can face fines,
suspension of government contracts and civil lawsuits.

Disadvantage: Diminished Career Prospects

The attention that a whistle-blower case brings, both to the employee and the company, can have
a downside. Media interviews, legal testimony and government investigations can affect the
whistle-blower's career prospects. While the outside world may view whistle-blowers as heroes
for revealing corrupt behavior, industry insiders and hiring managers may see them as disloyal or
indiscreet for not keeping company secrets and industry practices under wraps. The media
attention may lead to the whistle-blower being blacklisted in his industry.
Disadvantage: Personal Complications
Although whistle-blowers may understand that their revelations serve the greater good, they also
often endure personal problems from their actions. Media outlets in search of a story will delve
deeper into the whistle-blowers' personal lives. Legal complications from criminal investigations
and civil lawsuits against the company might require them to hire attorneys to defend
themselves. They may also receive threats of retaliation from former supervisors and co-workers.
All of this added stress can cause severe health problems and fractures in their relationships.