Dyncorp Military Company
In this paper I will try and discuss the unethical business research conduct that has resulted in individuals or a firm being convicted, or at least tried for, this conduct. Some questions will be what were the inappropriate questions, what were the research results, and who was involved in the maintaining of the participants’ confidential information, and were there any acts involving the use of participant information for unintended purposes such as selling goods or services. What unethical research behavior was involved? The company I have researched is DynCorp. There was an article on this company earlier this year about DynCorp and Sex trafficking. DynCorp is a Private Military Company who gets paid by governments to protect areas, and is likely to take on the same roles as soldiers. Many times these companies are looked at lightly and not really researched. Who were the injured parties? While working in Bosnia middle aged men were having sex with 12-15 year old children, and sold them to each other as slaves.
According to the Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organization Act (RICO) lawsuit filed in Texas on behalf of a former DynCorp aircraft mechanic, “in the latter part of 1999 Johnston learned that employees and supervisors from DynCorp were engaging in perverse, illegal and inhumane behavior [and] were purchasing illegal weapons, women, forged passports and [participating in other immoral acts. Johnston witnessed coworkers and supervisors literally buying and selling women for their own personal enjoyment, and employees would brag about the various ages and talents of the individual slaves they had purchased” (O’Meara, 2002). How has the unethical behavior affected the organization, the individual, and society? In the summer of 2005, the United States Defense department drafted a proposal to prohibit defense contractor involvement in human trafficking for forced prostitution and labor. Several defense contractors, among others, DynCorp, stalled the establishment of a final proposal that would formally prohibit defense contractor involvement in these activities. On June 2, 2000, members of the 48th Military Police Detachment conducted a sting on the DynCorp hangar at Comanche Base Camp, one of two U. S. bases in Bosnia, and all DynCorp personnel were detained for questioning. (O’Meara, 2002). How could the unethical behavior be avoided or resolved? Since these allegations were raised more than a decade ago, the Company has changed ownership and leadership; developed a strict Code of Ethics and Business Conduct, which includes a zero tolerance policy on human trafficking; created the position of Chief Compliance Officer; introduced global training programs; and has taken a number of steps to ensure a compliant, ethical, successful workplace.
It is both good and commendable that DynCorp has taken steps since those days to ensure such things never happen again (Isenberg, 2012). These situations are hard to know if they are going to happen but, by putting the strict Code of Ethics and Business Conduct in place should help regulate what else goes on.
References
- Isenberg, D. (2012, February 10). The DynCorp “See no Evil” Monkey.
- Huffington Post, p. . O’Meara, K. P. (2002, January). US: DynCorp Disgrace. Insight Magazine, ().
