________________ are often put into place to guard against ethic problems but sometimes have the unintended effect of actually increasing unethical behavior.

• A. Polygraph examinations
• B. Compliance systems
• C. Honor systems
• D. Security cameras

Answer: (B)

Compliance systems are designed to guard against ethical problems by codifying rules, monitoring behavior, and enforcing accountability. But they can unintentionally encourage unethical behavior because people learn to optimize for the system itself rather than for doing what’s right. When success is measured by ticking boxes, passing audits, and showing policy adherence, individuals may engage in small, appearance-only misdeeds, rationalize questionable actions as within policy, or exploit loopholes the rules don’t foresee. This creates a perverse incentive to game the system, which can increase unethical actions rather than curb them. To avoid this, compliance programs need to be paired with a strong ethical culture, thoughtful policy design, and meaningful training so that what is measured truly promotes ethical conduct.