A 12-step process of white-collar crime

Abstract

This paper examines the psychopathology of the white-collar criminal acting as a corporate leader. It looks at the impact of a leader's behaviour on other employees and the organisational culture developed during his or her reign. We propose a 12-step process to explain how an organisation can move from a legally operating organisation to one in which unethical behaviour is ignored and wrong doing promoted. Events from Enron, Barings Bank, WorldCom and other corporations provide examples of this process.