Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) is well-known for its prestigious football team, but when news breaks out that Penn State officials have been covering up a child sex abuse scandal, what does this show about their culture?

Jerry Sandusky, assistant coach, was accused to have raped eight boys over 15 years.  Also rumoured was that many people knew about the event but ignored it.  If shared values and beliefs define the appropriate way to think and act within an organization, did obliviousness outline Penn State’s organizational culture?

Why was this behaviour allowed to escalate?  Was this issue not foreseen to hurt Penn State’s reputation as a school and a football team?  Was it not out of moral responsibility to stand up for the children?

In my opinion, the centralized power was corrupt.  Head coach Joe Paterno, with self-driven motives to protect the name of the program and to sustain people’s admiration of him as the legendary football coach, failed to blow the whistle early.  What he did not anticipate was the worsened situation today.  In efforts to protect their reputation from the effects of one or two regretful incidents, Penn State now faces questions about its ethics and a much more serious aftermath.

References:
–Penn state officials covered up alleged sex abuse scandal
–Penn state sex abuse scandal chips at Joe Paterno legacy