Having a moral/ethical situation...

[randalee]

My company is a reseller of a line of communications products. In order to get good discounts on the equipment we re-sell, we are required to have certain numbers of staff on-hand that have passed certification tests, to prove our expertise with the product. There is a big push to renew our "status" with the big company that makes the product we resell. In doing so, they are asking all of us to take a battery of tests to determine how "good" we are, which also determines the "margin" we can make on things we re-sell.

The things we re-sell are EXPENSIVE -- as in half a million to a million dollars on complete implementations of a communications solution. So even an extra 1% discount on something we buy and re-sell is SIGNIFIGANT.

I received an e-mail today, instructing us to take the test, and to make sure that we all didn't score 100% and purposely miss 1 question. Attached was a 65-page PDF that contained all of the answers to the questions on the exam.

So we're asking everyone to cheat on the test so that we look good and get a good discount on the product we sell. By doing so, we can make more money on everything we sell. Obviously, it's all about the money.

I won't do this, but now I'm really questioning my association with the company. This directive is coming from the VP at the top. I feel like I'm part of a corrupt organization, and want no part of it. It's my intention to part ways with them, but until I have new work secured, I know I'll be hounded to "get the test done". Do I come right out and let them have it and let them know what I think of them?

Do I just leave quietly once I've secured a new job, and say nothing?

Do I blow the whistle on these guys that pay my bills?

I called my dad, who is the guy I'd turn to for support and advice on pressing and serious questions in my life. He told me to go along with it! I was appalled. He thought it was no big deal -- I couldn't believe the crap advice he gave.

Thoughts? Advice?

 

[NuclearNed]

It is a tired cliche, but it is still true:
"Honesty is the best policy"

 

[George P Burdell]

You gotta do what's right by you, man.

 

[MartyMcFly3]

Originally posted by: George P Burdell
You gotta do what's right by you, man.

 

[mugs]

Take the test without using the answer sheet.
Find a new job.

What you do after that is up to you.

 

[Saga]

Welcome to corporate life. You quickly realize how most requirements are bogus and serve no purpose other than to say you did them.

Try SOX compliance on for size. Or Oracle power-user limitations. I find it dubious anyone takes some of these 100% seriously.

 

[Chronoshock]

That sounds like a very serious ethical breach, do you know how much of management is aware of this? Do you think you could find support anywhere else in the company for resisting/reporting this?

 

[Daishiki2]

Originally posted by: NuclearNed
It is a tired cliche, but it is still true:
"Honesty is the best policy"

 

[D1gger]

I would study and take the test honestly. Don't read the answer sheet if you haven't already. If you happen to score worse than your boss expects, then I would answer the challenge with the truth, that it is an insult to your personal integrity for the company to expect you to cheat, and that you simply did what you have always done, which is to give your employer your 100% effort in an honest and above reproach manner. If that answer isn't good enough, they will have confirmed that this company is not the right place for you to work.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: Izusaga
Welcome to corporate life. You quickly realize how most requirements are bogus and serve no purpose other than to say you did them.

Try SOX compliance on for size. Or Oracle power-user limitations. I find it dubious anyone takes some of these 100% seriously.

He's a reseller. The number of certified staff has a significant direct impact on the discount you get from the manufacturer. It sets your Parner Level.

Ethically that is directly against the rules of the certification program and the company can have it's ability to resell immediately stripped. Partnership status revoked, contract canceled.

If you report this SERIOUS ramifications will happen and your company can go out of business. Personally I'd go along with it, but it's still a bitter pill to swallow.

If this is Cisco gear they take their certification and partner programs VERY seriously.

 

[Turin39789]

Just make sure you go ahead and line a new job up first.

 

[kranky]

Having had the unpleasant experience of working for a corrupt company at one time, I'd go with what mugs said: take the test without cheating and find a new job. The problem is that once you compromise your principles, it just gets worse. If you cave now, and down the road try to resist further dishonesty, you come across as a hypocrite and no one respects you. It's not worth it.

I know it's a tough situation and I wish you the best of luck.

 

[TheTony]

It's apparent that you're not looking for advice, you're looking for validation of your reaction to it.

That said, I'd agree with the shadiness of the situation. I wouldn't be totally suprised, however, if the answers to the "test" weren't supplied from the company requesting it. Somone on the inside, wanting to preserve the supplier's relationship with your company, perhaps.

 

[elektrolokomotive]

Originally posted by: D1gger
I would study and take the test honestly. Don't read the answer sheet if you haven't already. If you happen to score worse than your boss expects, then I would answer the challenge with the truth, that it is an insult to your personal integrity for the company to expect you to cheat, and that you simply did what you have always done, which is to give your employer your 100% effort in an honest and above reproach manner. If that answer isn't good enough, they will have confirmed that this company is not the right place for you to work.

Winnar!

 

[randalee]

It's exactly how Spidey described. We are a partner with a hardware manufacturer. Our level of partnership (and accordingly, the level of discount we get) depends on things like amount of volume we move, how many people are certified, blah, blah...

Perhaps the 'study on my own' and take the test is the best move for the short-term. Long term, however, I think I need to get out.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: Izusaga
Welcome to corporate life. You quickly realize how most requirements are bogus and serve no purpose other than to say you did them.

Try SOX compliance on for size. Or Oracle power-user limitations. I find it dubious anyone takes some of these 100% seriously.

He's a reseller. The number of certified staff has a significant direct impact on the discount you get from the manufacturer. It sets your Parner Level.

Ethically that is directly against the rules of the certification program and the company can have it's ability to resell immediately stripped. Partnership status revoked, contract canceled.

If you report this SERIOUS ramifications will happen and your company can go out of business. Personally I'd go along with it, but it's still a bitter pill to swallow.

If this is Cisco gear they take their certification and partner programs VERY seriously.

Given the severity of the offense, I think the supplier would be justified in however they decide to handle it. This company is not just risking their own reputation, they're risking their supplier's reputation.

 

[ThePresence]

Originally posted by: kranky
Having had the unpleasant experience of working for a corrupt company at one time, I'd go with what mugs said: take the test without cheating and find a new job. The problem is that once you compromise your principles, it just gets worse. If you cave now, and down the road try to resist further dishonesty, you come across as a hypocrite and no one respects you. It's not worth it.

I know it's a tough situation and I wish you the best of luck.

QFT, that's what I would say as well.
I just can't believe a company would be so blatant about it, they are leaving themselves wide open for major problems.

 

[Bryophyte]

Who is adversely affected if you do as your employer asks?

 

[Kwaipie]

Keep the paper trail, document everything. Even if you did blow the whistle with the supplier, the first 5 levels of people you talk to at that company won't give a crap, it's not their directive that you have a huge certified staff.

 

[Xavier434]

Originally posted by: D1gger
I would study and take the test honestly. Don't read the answer sheet if you haven't already. If you happen to score worse than your boss expects, then I would answer the challenge with the truth, that it is an insult to your personal integrity for the company to expect you to cheat, and that you simply did what you have always done, which is to give your employer your 100% effort in an honest and above reproach manner. If that answer isn't good enough, they will have confirmed that this company is not the right place for you to work.

I agree with this except that there are many cases where you will not be able to tell if your boss feels that your "honesty" defense is acceptable or not. He may act like it is, but in the back of his mind he may be frowning on you. Not to mention that this will most likely not be the last dishonest thing your boss asks you to do and he will remember your "honesty".


My advice:

You need to look after you before you look after your company or any of your clients. I say study and take the test honestly, but before you turn it in I would check the answers and change some of the wrong ones. After that, find a new job. Otherwise, you will need to accept this form of dishonesty and expect more in the future from your employer. Just be sure to document those e-mails. C.Y.A

 

[yowolabi]

Originally posted by: randalee
It's exactly how Spidey described. We are a partner with a hardware manufacturer. Our level of partnership (and accordingly, the level of discount we get) depends on things like amount of volume we move, how many people are certified, blah, blah...

Perhaps the 'study on my own' and take the test is the best move for the short-term. Long term, however, I think I need to get out.

Yes. Study, take the test without cheating. As long as you pass it the company won't care. Start looking for a new job immediately. I wouldn't make any big waves about it, you don't have much to gain.

 

[sygyzy]

You're in an impossible situation. You can't quit because you don't have anything lined up. Well technically, if you felt that strongly about this, you could quit and deal with your job afterward. Now you are forced to compromise your morals .

 

[Fern]

Originally posted by: randalee

I received an e-mail today, instructing us to take the test, and to make sure that we all didn't score 100% and purposely miss 1 question. Attached was a 65-page PDF that contained all of the answers to the questions on the exam.

Where do you think the answers to the manufacturer's test came from? Possibly from the manufacturer itself?

I tend to agree with your father. Do what they say, it's not illegal. Then line up a new job and quit if you want to. You will not be branded as some knid of trouble maker and will hopefuly get good recommendations from them. And don't talk bad about your old employer to a potential new employer. No one likes that (unless they really know you).

In the meantime, study up as much as you can so you can be as good as possible in helping clients with questions - the whole point of the test.

Whatever you decide, good luck with it,

Fern

 

[JEDI]

Originally posted by: randalee
My company is a reseller of a line of communications products. In order to get good discounts on the equipment we re-sell, we are required to have certain numbers of staff on-hand that have passed certification tests, to prove our expertise with the product. There is a big push to renew our "status" with the big company that makes the product we resell. In doing so, they are asking all of us to take a battery of tests to determine how "good" we are, which also determines the "margin" we can make on things we re-sell.

The things we re-sell are EXPENSIVE -- as in half a million to a million dollars on complete implementations of a communications solution. So even an extra 1% discount on something we buy and re-sell is SIGNIFIGANT.

I received an e-mail today, instructing us to take the test, and to make sure that we all didn't score 100% and purposely miss 1 question. Attached was a 65-page PDF that contained all of the answers to the questions on the exam.

So we're asking everyone to cheat on the test so that we look good and get a good discount on the product we sell. By doing so, we can make more money on everything we sell. Obviously, it's all about the money.

I won't do this, but now I'm really questioning my association with the company. This directive is coming from the VP at the top. I feel like I'm part of a corrupt organization, and want no part of it. It's my intention to part ways with them, but until I have new work secured, I know I'll be hounded to "get the test done". Do I come right out and let them have it and let them know what I think of them?

Do I just leave quietly once I've secured a new job, and say nothing?

Do I blow the whistle on these guys that pay my bills?

I called my dad, who is the guy I'd turn to for support and advice on pressing and serious questions in my life. He told me to go along with it! I was appalled. He thought it was no big deal -- I couldn't believe the crap advice he gave.

Thoughts? Advice?

depends on your morals.

business is business. the goal is $.

now if it was against the law, and you PERSONALLY can get fined/goto jail, then i wouldnt do it.

but in the situation you described, where i have the blessing of mgmt in writing, then i have no problem.

 

[2Xtreme21]

Do what your employer is asking. If you're generally in good standing with your boss, telling him about your "moral conflict" might be detrimental to your relationship. If that's not something you care about, then by all means quit, but you'd best do it under some other guise so as to avoid any kind of negative references on their end.

Though I think if you really like the job and it's serving your needs well and what not, don't let this be the only reason you quit. Yes it's unethical, but as long as you do your work and become knowledgeable in whatever you're studying, that's all you should be worried about.