If Susan speaks up to her boss, she is risking her reputation in the company. Her managers might think she is too serious and hard to work with. This might affect their decision on her return offer next year.
Susan is also risking her parents’ trust if she speaks up. Her dad kept persuading her not to speak up because it might risk her career and might cause a financial burden on herself without the job. Her dad tried to make Susan listen to him. If she doesn’t and some harmful consequences happen, her parents might be upset with her.
If she uses her MBA degree as the title to work with the competitors and they find out the truth, her reputation will be poorly ruined in her MBA program.
In addition, companies in the same industry usually have a network to communicate and exchange information. If her manager is unhappy with her and spreads bad words about her in the industry, her future employer might not like her. When applying for a new job, there usually are background checks, which her new employer will call the previous employer and ask for feedback on her. If Zantech says terrible things about Susan, she is unlikely to get the offer.
