Title: The thief within: a case of broken trust and employee theft

Authors: Wendy S. Becker

Addresses: John L. Grove College of Business, Shippensburg University, 1871 Old Main Drive, Shippensburg, PA 17257-2299, USA

Abstract: Small businesses often lack the resources to provide adequate human resource management systems. Management may lack experience in human resources and neglect to implement adequate control mechanisms. The case is based on a real-life small business collective in which a lack of internal policy and procedures led to insider theft. Students analyse the case using research reviewed from five disciplines clinical psychology, industrial/organisational psychology, criminology, workplace security and organisational science. The objective of the case is to improve student awareness of the importance of basic human resource management functions. Students are asked to put themselves in the manager's position and respond to how to prevent future employee theft.

Keywords: employee theft; human resource management; clinical psychology; industrial/organisational psychology; criminology; workplace security; organisational science; retail employer; pilferage; petty theft; grand theft.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTCS.2025.145350

International Journal of Teaching and Case Studies, 2025 Vol.15 No.2, pp.157 - 165

Received: 21 Jun 2024
Accepted: 13 Jul 2024
Published online: 31 Mar 2025 *

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