Summary and Conclusions

Abstract

In this study all whistleblowing cases but the Japan case were effective in regard to impact and reforms of wrongdoing. To sum up, the cases were effective in regard to five factors of effectiveness: (1) Type of whistleblowing, (2) Role of mass media, (3) Documentation of evidence, (4) Retaliation and (5) Legal protection. The results suggest that in the public as well as in the private sector external whistleblowing is effective despite the absence or the presence of an unsuitable legal protection against retaliation. In all those cases reforms of wrongdoing were possible not only because the whistleblowers had strong evidence but also because they had extensive mass media coverage.