Whistleblowing at work: the results of a survey of procedures in further and higher education

Abstract

This article brie y explains the concept of whistleblowing and why it should be encouraged. It then describes the way in which the law both constrained and encouraged the disclosure of information prior to the introduction of the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998. Having outlined the effect of the PIDA 1998, the authors present the background to their survey and summarise their results.

Institutionalising a Whistle blowing Culture within Higher Education Institutions: Policy and Procedure Underpinning Good Governance at the Durban University of Technology

“…The Ethics Resource Centre (2007) reported that 61 percent of employees report misconduct in organizations with comprehensive ethics programmes, while only 35 percent of employees report wrongdoing in organizations with minimal ethics programmes. This is further supported by Lewis et al (2001) who advocate that the more mechanisms that are used to communicate the existence of policies and procedures, the more likely that potential whistleblowers will be aware of it. Also, it is important that such mechanisms should not only be geared toward those that deal with the whistle blowing reports, but also those who make disclosures of unethical conduct.…”

“…Vinten (1999) referred to higher education institutions where cases of unethical conduct were reported, but management did not respond to the reports because of a poor whistle blowing culture within such institutions. Lewis, Ellis, Kyprianou and Homewood (2001) indicated that there were three main reasons cited by respondents from higher education institutions as to why whistle blowing policies and procedures were introduced: good practice, compliance with the law and management initiative. Further, the majority of respondents indicated that they were happy with procedures that were monitored (Lewis et al, 2001).…”

“…Lewis, Ellis, Kyprianou and Homewood (2001) indicated that there were three main reasons cited by respondents from higher education institutions as to why whistle blowing policies and procedures were introduced: good practice, compliance with the law and management initiative. Further, the majority of respondents indicated that they were happy with procedures that were monitored (Lewis et al, 2001). In a study by Pillay, Dorasamy and Vedran (2012), it was revealed that if organizations show respect for rules and obligations and are concerned with the welfare of everyone, then employees in abiding by the policy of the organization could be motivated to blow the whistle.…”

Ten Years of Public Interest Disclosure Legislation in the UK: Are Whistleblowers Adequately Protected?

“…3 See Lewis (2007Lewis ( , 2008, Lewis et al (2001Lewis et al ( , 2002Lewis et al ( , 2003a 13 Article 10(1) states that: 'Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers'.…”

Whistle-Blowing Intentions of Prospective Teachers: Education Evidence

“…(3) Researchers (Miceli & Near, 2002) have studied conditions under which whistle blowers are most likely to be effective in getting organizations to terminate wrongdoing. For example, Lewis et al, (2001) examined whistleblowing procedures in higher education introducing the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 in the UK. (4) Scholars have examined the relationship between culture and whistleblowing comparing different cultures.…”