Ethical Issues in International Business Essay

Tip usually refers to an offer made after services have been rendered. It is not of a legal concern. However, bribing is something of serious concern and it is questionable. Bribing to get a business contract is to secure favor against a party. However, when tip is offered in large amount in order to get a bigger table, it cannot be said as similar to bribing. But it has very little ethical concern compared to bribing for securing a business contract. Securing a better table is having a favor by offering a heavy tip but it does not stand equivalent to bribery. Bribing is more serious because it can affect business dealings and contract loss of the opposing party against which bribe is offered. For example, if two parties wanted to have same contract, but one of them bribed to gain the contract then the other party is a looser and lost their contract and business. So just securing a good table is not of very serious concern as compared to securing of business contract. Bribing is to harm others and gain favor when other party was strong enough to beat the competition. Securing a better table is much less serious issue and it does not involve any legal concerns and does not harm others. But though, it is just getting an advantage over others and getting better place than others. But now-a-days people have started offering heavy tips to have a better table. The moral here is this that thinking of oneself as more important than others. Though in both cases it somewhat looks the same that you’re offering money to get favor and advantage over others. But deeper consequences, legal issues and ethical issues are involved in case of bribing. Securing a table does not involve any legal issues or ethical issues of deeper concern. Tipping cannot be said compatible to bribing. Bribery is far more immoral attitude compared to securing a table. It involves breaking a deal with one party when it already had 90% chances to secure the deal before bribery. Hence, the company who actually deserved the right to have a contract looses it and the one who were not qualified get the deal by offering bribe. Thus, it is an immoral approach, promise breaking, and snatching of rights of other party. It may also involve some legal issues when damages incurred are severe because of bribe. Alienation of agency is one of the worst immoralities, and it happens when bribe-taker’s company breaks the deal or contract with another party after receiving the bribe. There are several other severe consequences of bribe apart from alienation of agency (Andrade, 1985). Therefore, it is understandable that bribe is totally an immoral act. And sometimes it becomes so necessary to bribe that in certain countries nothing gets done if you don’t give bribe (Koukl, 1996). Bribe also results in injustice and prevent justice among the parties. Securing a good table at restaurant, though, to seek a better place in restaurant and to have better service and favor over others is not a severe case as bribery is. Many restaurant owners admit that there is ‘little choice between the tables and only to make more money we reserve some fancy tables. ’ Our morals and ethical issues are not much of concern in having better table. But bribery has several and immoral consequences.