HBR IdeaCast Stopping White-Collar Crime at Your Company
Jul 2, 2019
Eugene Soltes, an associate professor at Harvard Business School and expert on white-collar crime, dives into the complexities of unethical behavior in organizations. He highlights that lapses in integrity can occur in any sizeable company, stressing the importance of identifying these 'integrity gaps.' Soltes offers practical tools for managers, including a survey method to gauge employee insights, and discusses the surprising frequency of corporate misconduct. He advocates for proactive strategies to foster a culture of ethics and transparency.
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Prison Visits
- Eugene Soltes researches white-collar crime by interviewing convicts.
- He visits prisons, which he describes as cold, dark, noisy, and dirty.
Profile of a White-Collar Criminal
- White-collar criminals are often remarkable, intelligent people with successful careers.
- They're driven by a desire for success, not just personal financial gain.
Circumstances Matter
- White-collar crime is often influenced by circumstances and pressures, not just individual bad actors.
- The consequences of their actions are often distant, making them seem less harmful.
