Mr. Wolfowitz - the World Bank Situation

Mr. Wolfowitz was a case where his ethics was tested and over time there was a deterioration of those ethics. He did the proper thing by abiding by the advice of the world bank to have his romantic partner be moved for reasons they had stated. Between then and a couple months after, something may have happened in their relationship to cause him to act the way he did. Mr. Wolfowitz felt the need to overstep his boundaries using his influence and authority. This is where he crossed the line. He personally sent a memo to the vice president of human resources basically outlining Shaza Riza's future, making sure she has full job security and prosperity. He abandoned his larger society view of ethics which guided him in doing such a great job cracking down corruption for selfish and personal reasons. It does not matter if Wolfowitz was trying to do the right thing. It does not exempt him from acting in accordance with his ethics. He has a much greater responsibility in serving the people. He can not put this responsibility aside under any circumstance.

The board is partly to blame. They should have spotted this early on before it got out of hand. The earlier you deal with it, the less complications arise. They also should have taken a stronger stance on the situation. Maybe because of his seniority and the fact that this was done behind closed doors, this slipped through. The fact is this is no excuse to let this type of behavior transpire. Depending on how many employees know of this, it takes away people's loyalty and a sense of fairness towards their employment. It creates distrust and disharmony. What they thought was an honorable and fair company is really not. This can have huge implications down the line. They're setting a wrong precedent here. What will they do if a similar situation arises, but this time involving someone who is of a lower rank in the company? Will the board take the same stance or be stricter about it?

In a way, Wolfowitz is a hypocrite. He committed a selfish act of corruption when his job is to crack down corruption itself. This is a classic case of an individual losing sight of his ethics due to the romantic feelings that pervaded in his head. It would be inappropriate for him to continue his duties with the bank because he will set a wrong precedent. No one is above their personal and business ethics and that includes Wolfowitz. The fact that he used his influence and power outside of his moral responsibility to serve the bank automatically disqualifies him for the job. This should not be tolerated, especially coming from the top of the chain of command.