The corporate failures of Enron, WorldCom, HealthSouth and Tyco were separate tragedies, but they share a common theme: ethical breakdown that started at the top and permeated the organizations. In her newly-released book, ethics expert and W. P. Carey management Professor Marianne Jennings dissects the failures and identifies the cultural flaws that led to disaster. "The Seven Signs of Ethical Collapse: How to Spot Moral Meltdowns in Companies … Before It’s Too Late" provides guidance to those in charge of cultural reform in companies as well as those looking for good investments.

The hidden costs of dishonesty can fundamentally derail organizations, creating an imperative for business leaders to have clear and meaningful codes of conduct, according to a W. P. Carey School of Business researcher. A recent survey shows both encouraging and troubling trends: 22 percent of respondents believe one has to "bend the rules" or act unethically to get ahead… and that’s the good news. The bad news? More than 40 percent said they would act unethically if directed by their boss.

Building an ethical culture has become increasingly important for boards and CEOs, but the task is not as simple as instituting policies and procedures. Employees are looking for consistent role models, according to a researcher at the W. P. Carey School of Business. Setting high standards means companies must take a good, hard look at their leadership and view it in all settings. They must recognize that executive behavior off the job can affect the firm in a variety of ways.

The recent explosion of corporate scandals has everyone wondering — why do organizations become corrupt? How can we build safeguards against systemic corruption? And, is an individual able to change a corrupt workplace culture without paying too high a price?