Learning from Scandals: Responsibility of Professional Organizations

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Background Note | HBS Case Collection | October 2004 (Revised March 2006)

Learning from Scandals: Responsibility of Professional Organizations

Abstract

This case comments on the responsibility of professional organizations to respond openly to public accusations of wrongdoing by its members. It briefly relates the circumstances of the sexual abuse scandal in the Boston archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants' handling of concerns about auditor independence. The case suggests that professional associations can learn from these unsuccessful attempts to suppress public concerns about practitioners.

Keywords: Corporate Disclosure; Ethics;

Format: Print

3 pages

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