Vocabulary Preview
Match each word or phrase with the correct definition.
1. crack down
a. a slippery
material made from oil
2. grease
b. to endure; to put up with
3. harassment
c. to enforce a law or rule more strongly
4. sensitive
d. to add in order to make bigger or better
5. supplement
e. aware; careful of
6. tolerate
f. an action meant to bother, disturb, or annoy
Pre-Reading Questions
Think about the following questions.
1. What are some cultural differences that you know about between
countries?
2. What happens when people don’t understand each other’s cultural
differences?
3. Are there any cultural differences in business?
Bribery or
Business as Usual?
C ro s s - C u l t u r a l V i e w p o i n t s 2
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Bribery or Business as Usual?
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10
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C
ross-cultural researchers and trainers often advise those traveling
through or working in another culture
to be sensitive to cultural
differences. Implied in this sensitivity is the suggestion to accept
behaviors of the new culture even if they seem strange or wrong. In cross-cultural
contact, right and wrong may be understood differently by the two cultures.
According to this view of
relativism,
ethical behavior may appear very
different from one culture to another. Take, for example,
the behavior of bribery.
In most countries, businesses which
resort to bribing government officials in
order to receive special favors or special treatment are understood to be acting
unethically. However, this behavior may be tolerated or even expected in some
cultures. As
reported by a German magazine, one of the
ministers in the Thai
government office of land management was quoted as saying, “Bribes are part of
traditional Thai culture.” This minister went on to explain that his employees
were instructed to accept
any money offered to them, as long as they did not ask
for it. The bribes were considered a supplement to the extremely low pay of this
office’s employees.
Bribes may be required in a variety of business situations. They are most
commonly paid just before a contract is finalized. Bribes may also be paid to
suppliers to ensure prompt delivery, or they may be given to distributors to
guarantee delivery of high quality products. When
such bribes are meant to
speed up a business transaction or make a deal go smoothly, it may be referred
to as a “grease payment.” Additionally, bribes may be used to buy “protection”
for a business, either against some harmful act or against government
harassment.
In an effort to crack down on the payment of
bribes to foreign governments,
the United States passed a law in the 1970s called the Foreign
Corrupt Practices
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relativism --- a philosophy which states that good and bad
are relative to culture and groups
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ethical --- related to right and wrong; moral
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bribery --- giving or taking money for influence
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resort to ---
to do as a last choice
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minister --- a high level government official
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corrupt --- dishonest
