THE ETHICAL DIMENSION Sikorsky and Pratt also argued that if the documents were released, their competitors would use the documents to discredit them in the eyes of current and potential customers. Would such actions amount to a “substantial competitive harm”? Explain.

Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation makes helicopters, and Pratt and Whitney makes aircraft engines. Both companies are wholly owned by United Technologies Corporation. Both have various foreign and domestic military and civilian customers, and both sell their products to the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). The Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA), an agency within the DoD, monitors defense contractors, including Sikorsky and Pratt, to ensure that they satisfy their contractual obligations when providing services and supplies to the DoD. If the DCMA discovers a problem, it notifies the contractor and may issue a Corrective Action Request (CAR) or an audit report to the contractor to remedy the problem.