Code of Ethics

The case I am analyzing is about David Wittig, the former Westar Energy chief executive. He has been convicted of looting the utility. In a ruling last Tuesday, January 3rd, U.S. District Judge Julie Robinson upheld the majority of the Kansas City, Kansas jury's decision in September requiring Wittig to forfeit millions of dollars in stock, insurance payments, incentive bonuses and other assets tied to his crime. But Robinson said that the government failed to provide a direct connection between Wittig's schemes to defraud the Topeka based company and his purchase of the historic Alf Landon Mansion, as well as a long list of household items, including $282,500 in audio/video equipment and a $15,000 pool table.

The only ethical issue I see is that he looted the utility to purchase items on his personal behalf.

I think that the alternatives could be that he 1) forfeit all Westar stock, insurance payments, incentive bonuses and other assets tied to his crime be divided up among the shareholders, customers, and employees 2) forfeit the $4 million-the value of renovations he made to the mansion with a line of credit that used Westar stock and other collateral tied to his fraud or 3) give up his mansion and hundreds of dollars in art and furnishings prosecutors say he bought with ill-gotten gains.

Wittig is a very egoistic person. His actions were those that maximized his own self-interest. All the alternatives that I have come up with benefit someone or another. So I would say they are all utilitarian decisions.

Alternative #1-The shareholders, customers, and employees would greatly love this decision. Alternative #2-The shareholders, customers, and employees would greatly respect with this decision for as it is the decision that was ruled. Alternative #3-The shareholders, customers, and employees would agree and urge that this decision be made. There are no constraints that I believe would make my alternatives unfeasible. I feel that all the alternatives that I have came up with should all be made. Wittig needs to pay severely for his crime. The organization and the society might perceive my decision as gratifying. He needs to have done as to what he has done to the company. I don't figure that there will be any negative feedback by any groups. He committed a crime and needs to be punished.