To prevent this syndrome, sales goals need to be established and assessed through a collaboration of the sales force and senior management. Salespeople can't just be on the receiving end of their goals. While it is unfair for managers to give salespeople unrealistic goals, at the same time, salespeople need to be somewhat creative. It's dangerous for salespeople to think that it is not their fault if they fail to achieve their goals. They still have to bear the consequences.
Companies have to make it worthwhile for employees to report their unethical behavior.
If the punishment is too severe, people will not report themselves. One company faced a situation in which several of its employees committed an unethical act, but it didn't know which employees were guilty. So the company's managers asked the guilty parties to step forward. Those who did were fired, while others who did not confess got to keep their jobs. In this case, the company enforced an unwritten policy that employees should keep their mouths shut.