Internal and External Whistleblowing

[checked revision][checked revision]
← Older editNewer edit →
No edit summary
No edit summary
Line 1: Line 1:
A basic distinction is made between internal and external reporting channels. Internal whistleblowing occurs within the organization; for this purpose, internal reporting channels or reporting channels at, for example, ombudspersons or law firms that are mandated by the organization may be used. External whistleblowing, by contrast, occurs with independent supervisory bodies or associations that provide external reporting channels. A special form of external whistleblowing is public disclosure, in which information is released directly to the public – for example through investigative journalism or digital platforms.
A basic distinction is made between internal and external reporting channels. Internal whistleblowing occurs within the organization; for this purpose, internal reporting channels or reporting channels at, for example, ombudspersons or law firms that are mandated by the organization may be used. External whistleblowing, by contrast, occurs with independent supervisory bodies or associations that provide external reporting channels. A special form of external whistleblowing is public disclosure, in which information is released directly to the public – for example through investigative journalism or digital platforms.


Qualitative interviews show that whistleblowers, in the overwhelming majority of cases, seek to report internally and attempt to do so in the first instance – often repeatedly and over extended periods of time. This finding applies to at least 80% of cases (Herold, 2022, p. 108). In this process, whistleblowers frequently pass through what Herold (2016; 2022) describes as an “escalation spiral” (Herold, 2022, p. 63; see also Herold 2016, 2025). This leads from internal to external whistleblowing and, in extreme cases, to public disclosure (Herold, 2022; Annakin, 2011, p. 34).
Qualitative interviews show that whistleblowers, in the overwhelming majority of cases, seek to report internally and attempt to do so in the first instance – often repeatedly and over extended periods of time. This finding applies to at least 80% of cases.<ref><small>Herold (2022) <cite page="108" id="69a5b56a262b7">He22a</cite></small></ref> In this process, whistleblowers frequently pass through what Herold (2016; 2022) describes as an “escalation spiral”.<ref><small>Herold (2022) <cite page="63" id="69a5b56a262bc">He22</cite>; see also Herold (2016) <cite id="69a5b56a262bf">He16</cite>and Herold 2025 <cite id="69a5b56a262c0">He25</cite></small></ref> This leads from internal to external whistleblowing and, in extreme cases, to public disclosure.<ref><small>Herold (2022) <cite id="69a5b56a262c1">He22</cite>; Annakin (2011) <cite page="34" id="69a5b56a262c3">An11</cite></small></ref>


{{#ev:youtube|Add media:9wf_2KYRPWQ }}
<loop_noprint button="false"><loop_area icon="IconVideo.svg" icontext="Video"><loop_media type="video" title="In His Own Words: The Theranos Whistleblower" description="" copyright="" show_copyright="true" index="true" id="69a5b56a262c4">{{#ev:youtube|9wf_2KYRPWQ}}</loop_media>[[File:WMS_vid_1.png|right|100px]] YouTube – Markkula Center for Applied Ethics<br><br><br><small>Time to watch 22m54s</small></loop_area></loop_noprint>
 
<loop_print button="false">
<loop_area icon="IconVideo.svg" icontext="Video">[[File:In His Own Words; The Theranos Whistleblower.jpg|center]]
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wf_2KYRPWQ Med. 3.1: In His Own Words: The Theranos Whistleblower]<br>[[File:WMS_vid_1.png|right|100px]] YouTube – Markkula Center for Applied Ethics<br><br><br><small>Time to watch 22m54s</small></loop_area></loop_print>

Revision as of 17:06, 2 March 2026

A basic distinction is made between internal and external reporting channels. Internal whistleblowing occurs within the organization; for this purpose, internal reporting channels or reporting channels at, for example, ombudspersons or law firms that are mandated by the organization may be used. External whistleblowing, by contrast, occurs with independent supervisory bodies or associations that provide external reporting channels. A special form of external whistleblowing is public disclosure, in which information is released directly to the public – for example through investigative journalism or digital platforms.

Qualitative interviews show that whistleblowers, in the overwhelming majority of cases, seek to report internally and attempt to do so in the first instance – often repeatedly and over extended periods of time. This finding applies to at least 80% of cases.[1] In this process, whistleblowers frequently pass through what Herold (2016; 2022) describes as an “escalation spiral”.[2] This leads from internal to external whistleblowing and, in extreme cases, to public disclosure.[3]

video

YouTube

When you load this media, content is loaded by the service providers and your IP address is transfered to them.

 Med. : In His Own Words: The Theranos Whistleblower

YouTube – Markkula Center for Applied Ethics


Time to watch 22m54s


  1. ↑ Herold (2022) He22a, p. 108
  2. ↑ Herold (2022) He22, p. 63; see also Herold (2016) He16and Herold 2025 He25
  3. ↑ Herold (2022) He22; Annakin (2011) An11, p. 34
Retrieved from "https://ethical-mining.eduloop.de/mediawiki/index.php?title=Internal_and_External_Whistleblowing&oldid=1491"