When it is your birthday, you tend to receive gifts from friends and family. They are trying to show you that they didn't forget that it is your birthday and it is considered a friendly gesture to receive the gift. Gifts can come in many different shapes and sizes from many different people such as your close circle of friends and family, co-workers, managers, and even business partners. Gift giving has always been seen as a generous act from one to the other but if the gift is giving within a business setting it can be considered a bribe. Once a the word bribe is thrown into the mixture it could lead to devastating consequences for all of the parties involved.
Is it ethical to accept a brand new car as a gift from the company's business competitor? Some people would accept the gift because they see it as just a gift and as nothing more. They are not thinking through the idea of getting a new car with no strings attached and what will this individual want from me later. They are not taking into consideration that the gift may have been given to them has an expected return result at a later time.The individual may go home thinking there is nothing wrong with having accepted the car it was a nice gesture and they really wanted me to take it home. Unfortunately, many people view a gift as a gift even if the gift has a very large price tag and it was acquired through business.
The boundaries between what is appropriate and not regarding gifts in the business world can get a little blurred at times. An individual has to take into account that if they take this expensive gift it could be considered a bribe. Karl Smith, wrote an article on the Ethical Dilemma in business gifts and this sentence stood out, "Bribery is increasingly viewed with intolerance throughout the world. In
fact, in virtually every country in the world bribery is a shameful
act." As Mr. Smith stated bribes are considered shameful and they should not happen. Taking a bribe makes an individual untrustworthy and isn't held with the same level of respect as before.
When someone is caught in the middle of an unethical decision it can be very hard and if they are forced to make the unethical decision, they may make it dependent on what they could potentially be accused of. I think there are many factors that can influence an unethical decision and taking the brand new car but I also think that an individual has to have really strong moral beliefs not to accept that bribe especially in business settings. An individual has to realize how this will affect them, their business, and their family. Do they want to see their name all over the internet or newspaper accusing them of taking bribe? Everyone who is reading the article will begin to wonder how long this person has been corrupt and how could he take bribes to get ahead. Basically, it all comes down to make the appropriate choices, make ethical business decisions, and report someone who is offering bribes in order to get something in return.
Works Cited:
Smith, Karl (2016, April 11). The Ethical Dilemma in Business Gifts: Giving or Bribery? Retrieved from: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140716125123-14373257-the-ethical-dilemma-in-business-gifts-giving-or-bribery
Hi Jessica,
ReplyDeleteIn your post you mention that boundaries can become blurred at times. Ethical Dilemmas often occur because there are "grey areas" Or because as you stated people are unaware that there is anything wrong with their actions.
I read in Professional Ethics that some cultures expect a small gift before they conduct a business agreement. This can "blur" the line even further if their are cultural differences between bribery policies.
Hi Jessica,
ReplyDeleteIn your post you mention that boundaries can become blurred at times. Ethical Dilemmas often occur because there are "grey areas" Or because as you stated people are unaware that there is anything wrong with their actions.
I read in Professional Ethics that some cultures expect a small gift before they conduct a business agreement. This can "blur" the line even further if their are cultural differences between bribery policies.
Hello Jessica,
ReplyDeleteIt seems that this has become quite a frequent problem across a number of different situations, even down to a collegiate level. Most of the places I have worked state that i am to avoid all contact with other companies that may be considered competitors as to not "put myself in a situation in which my values could be tested", as they put it, whether it be receiving a gift or other forms of interactions. But also, collegiate athletes are not able to accept most gifts from almost anyone, including other colleges, professional teams, for former professional players. The gray areas are just to vast to know what is considered a gift and what could be considered a bribe
Hi Jessica,
ReplyDeleteI would be one of those that think a gift is a gift. I don't ever think further into things like that and I know in the work force this can cause dilemmas. I am one to give gifts to friends and family "just because" but doing so is frowned about and can be considered a bribe in many situations. Ethical dilemmas tend to not be black or white but somewhere in the middle and our education and experience will hopefully help not only me to figure out what is right, what is wrong, and how to differentiate these situations.
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ReplyDeleteYour post reiterates to me the importance of having company ethics policies to help guide employees when it comes to accepting gifts. It makes it MUCH easier to decline a gift when you are able to say, "I'm so sorry! I really appreciate your offer, but I am not allowed to accept gifts per our company policy!" versus "I don't feel that I can accept this because it feels like a bribe." Haha!! To put it bluntly, it can really suck sometimes to not be allowed to take the free trip to the Bahamas that a customer might be offering you, but as you point out, that "gift" may have a hefty price tag later and it's better to just be able to politely decline!
ReplyDelete