Dealing with dissent: whistleblowing, egalitarianism, and the republic of the firm

This article seeks to illuminate the phenomenon of whistleblowing (defined as the unauthorized revelation of wrongdoing) from the perspective of grid-group cultural theory and the capabilities theory of the firm. Stylized facts include a strong sense of group solidarity combined with a rejection of imposed regulations, and this suggests that whistleblowing is an egalitarian phenomenon. By adding an analytical framework to the many descriptive cases in the management literature, we can see why legislative and internal systems typically fail, and suggest ways to nourish a culture of dissent as a strategic advantage.