System of Inquiry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

System of Inquiry - Essay Example The CEO, the Board consisting of nine members, are the guiding lights for the company of sound ethical conduct. At the pinnacle of HP’s hierarchical order is HP’s Board that comprises nine members and the CEO The watch dog for ethical behavior is the Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer. He heads the Ethics and Compliance Committee. A Compliance Council has been constituted for risk assessment and to enforce development training. It is further assisted by Global SBC team. All production, management, marketing and sales heads are supported by the SBC team to help them do their activities in conformance to Standards of Business Conduct. HP Legal, HP Global Trade, HP Government Affairs, and HP Corporate Communications are other departments that lend lateral support to the company for good governance and ethical conduct. Ever since its inception in 1939, HP faced its worst ever ethical crisis in 2006. The Chairman, Patricia Dunn had to resign in wake of charges leveled against her, and some Board members, for spying (http://money.cnn.com/2006/09/22/technology/hurd_conference/index.htm). Although, the company is fast on the track to retrieve its lost reputation, criminal charges against her persist. If such a scandal could exist at the top, definitely it must have made ripple effect flowing downwards. The Board has asked its member G. Thomson Kennedy to review HP’s compliance to legal and ethical behavior. John Hoak has been administered the charge of Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer (http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/newsroom/press/2006/061012a.html). Bart M. Schwartz, a former U.S. prosecutor is leading an independent enquiry to review company’s ethics program. Effective checks and balances have been introduced in the top order to scrutinize their work. A worldwide initiative for training i nto ethics has begun and in 2006, 95% of employees of HP participated in it