Staff Infidelity and Stakeholders’ Conspiracy: The Case of Emperor Nigeria Limited

Abstract

The study evaluated how unethical workplace behaviors of employees, in collusion with other stakeholders, orchestrated business failure. A case study strategy anchored on stakeholder’s theoretical framework and conceptualized Stakeholders’ Criminal Conspiracy Model was adopted. Extant literatures revealed bias in adopting contingent/direct effect approach by scholars and researchers, ignoring configurational/stakeholders’ perspective. The researcher chronicled the formation and operations of Emperor Nigeria Limited for twelve years (2001-2013).Data were obtained from company records and focused interview of various stakeholders. The relationship between the organization and among its critical stakeholders (shareholders, employees, customers, suppliers, consultants, competitors, government agencies, community and area boys) was elaborated. The result indicated that staff infidelity has a significant effect on stakeholders’ conspiracy and its associated degraded business performance. The strategies the company adopted to mitigate these corrupt behaviors were clearly stated. The implication is that management’s inability to proactively deal with staff infidelity and stakeholders’ conspiracy has the tendency to engender business failure. It is concluded that staff infidelity in organizations can only be minimized, but not totally eliminated.