Case 14: Nonprofessional
Helen is in a delicate position. The behavior of Thomas in apparently plagiarizing Helen’s ideas would be considered unprofessional, if not unethical, by most people. But, if she blows the whistle on Thomas without written proof, her accusation could be interpreted by management as “sour grapes” and her own image could be damaged. Although Helen might be tempted to confront Thomas with the matter in front of others, she should resist. Confronting Thomas could irritate and embarrass him, causing him to go behind her back and perhaps hurt Helen even more at a later date. It could also make Helen look bad to co-workers. Helen could, however, confront Thomas in private, so that he knows what he will be up against in the ...
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