The average annual value of favors actually accepted in 1987 increased in relation to both salary and position title of the recipient. Thus, as the standard of living of the acceptor of favors increased, the value of favors also rose. This common business practice is evidently the norm rather than the exception. In all but two categories, the number of gifts offered by vendors which have been accepted by buyers has declined over the past 12 years. Buyers did accept more advertising souvenirs and clothing however, leading to an overall increase in the acceptance rate per respondent from 1975 to 1987.
Most companies have an ethics policy and it is in writing.
Seventy-two percent of the firms had an ethics policy and 58 percent had a written policy. The same ethics policy typically is used for both the purchasing and sales departments. Seventy-one percent used the same policy but there still is a double standard in 29 percent of the firms. A common ethics policy was used more frequently by companies in the non-manufacturing industries. The ethical practices in smaller firms tend to be more questionable than those in the larger firms.