A high-level finance computer programmer is sitting at his cubicle working on an upgrade that his management assigned to him. As he works on his project, he overhears one of his co-workers talking to his wife, who has a major role at an important charity organization in the community. He hears how his fellow co-worker is explaining about how he had created an account dedicated to funding a charity because the company does not make any contributions at all. He hears his coworker also say that he did this without getting any approval from his senior-level management and explain that the way the program works is that it takes very small fractions of cents that have been rounded off and over multiple transactions dumps the fractions of cents into this account made for charity. As he hears his co-worker explain this to his wife, he wonders to himself, “What should I do? Should I tell management? He is my friend and technically it is for a good cause… right?”

1. Who are the stakeholders in this situation and what are their stakes?

2. Should the listener report the conversation he overheard to management?

3. Is your answer affected by the fact that the money is going to a good cause?

4. Is your answer affected by the fact that the company gives no money to charity?

5. Is there some alternative way this situation should be handled?