It's interesting how morality (at all levels) becomes more important during more difficult economic times and less so during more prosperous times. In personal relationships, in politics and in business. Humans haven't changed much in the last couple millennia. Meh.

I'll have to disagree with Steve. Ethics don't start at the top. Ethics start with YOU. And me. Each of us.

It's up to each individual to fight the human tendency toward poor behavior when "nobody is watching" or "when everybody else is doing it". There's a reason why more horrific examples of bad behaviors materialize in larger companies: as individuals feel anonymized, they are more likely to act on their baser impulses.

Speaking from experience, it can be tough to fight off the whispered self-justifications for unethical behavior, especially when you feel taken advantage of by management or the company at large. Ultimately, we each have to choose to behave well (regardless of "why" we choose to do so) or we all suffer.

But, yes, we should stake out the egregious executive violators for the crows. I'll bring the rope if you'll bring the stakes and the crows.