Private enterprise, too, should follow this guideline. In public bidding a company has obtained a contract to supply life-saving drugs to the national hospitals and now wishes to import them. Because patients' lives depend on the timely delivery of the medicines the company comes under pressure, while the official drags his feet. For the sum of 500 US dollars the import license is authorized on the very same day. As I reason it, handing over the 500 dollars creates an ethical problem.
Corruption can have a direct influence on business success.
With its help the whole climate of doing business can be changed in the bribers favor. All this can add up to the decisive difference between business success and failure. In many cultures gifts given directly, as in the form of an invitation to dinner or other favors of this order, are frankly expected as marks of respect or as proof of amicable relations. Refusing them can be taken as a sign of rejection or even as an affront. In other cultures the fact that a company presents potential customers with gifts may be criticized as bordering on corruption, or at least as ethically suspect.