It is naive of us to think that when a company is doing business in any country listed in your comment, that a 'bribe' or 'paying a middleman' or some such has not taken place. If one travels in those countries it is always wise to carry some money in your pocket for the conductor of a train, a service, etc.  For big businesses, It is the only way to sell goods and transfer goods. The rest of the world does not have our ethics in business matters. Thanks to the G&M for this research, but the customs of these countries will persist.