Christine Schierholz
Business Ethics
October 5, 2018
Bribery in Business
Bribery involves an attempt to influence the decision of someone in a position of authority by
offering them money or some other benefit (gifts, sex, whatever). It is pretty much illegal
everywhere, although it is unfortunately common in some places. It is considered unethical
because it amounts to an inducement to disloyalty. Decision-makers (e.g., government officials)
are obligated to make the decision that is best for the people they serve, and a bribe is typically
aimed at getting them to make the decision that is best for you instead. Some people (and some
legal frameworks) differentiate between bribery and “facilitation payments,” which are small
payments aimed at getting someone to do what they are already obligated to do (e.g., install a
phone for you).
The introduction of the Bribery Act (2010) has been a strong step towards combatting
unethical financial action in businesses. It has helped discourage criminal behavior and raise
people’s awareness about corporate bribery, so that it can be more readily identified, reported,
and properly prosecuted. Battling unethical practices such as bribery can be a difficult challenge,
but its more of a matter of changing the new people think. Some people have the mindset of
considering bribery as simply a “necessary evil” or just “the way business is done”, which are
attitudes that can become deeply ingrained in people, which becomes more difficult to change.
Unfortunately, this view tends to pollute people’s perception of the business world and then
unethical practices can become the norm.
It can be a difficult to really measure the damage that bribery can have on a company,
especially when it helps the growth of a business, even though made through shady decisions.
How the firms’ reputation and their financial standing are impacted, all depends on whether the
company’s unlawful acts are brought to light. If a company decides to engage in a corrupt
business practice such as bribery, they are in fact endorsing it and suggesting it as a positive
aspect of the business world. By taking part in these behaviors, it sends a strong message about
what the organization stands for. If they are continuing with the idea that bribery is a fair
business practice, it says to the employees that everything can be solved with money or
enticements, rather than through hard work and building relationships.
Implanting an anti-corruption mindset in a place full of people with unethical thought
processes isn’t an overnight process. Producing a culture of honesty and openness requires the
