Last spring, one of my very close friends graduated with an MBA. She interviewed with many companies during her last semester at school. However, there was no job. After graduating, she decided to apply to other companies. At one of the companies, she got preselected and then selected for the final round of interviews. After the final interview was conducted, she was informed that a decision would be mailed to her within the next six weeks. My friend’s father happened to know the general manager of this company. When there was no reply for almost five weeks, my friend’s father decided to speak with the general manager. The general manager checked with the human resources depart- ment and informed my friend’s father that his daughter had not been short-listed and, therefore, was not being considered in the final list of applicants for a position. About five days later, my friend’s father called the general manager again, but this time for something else. He had decided to offer a bribe to this friend, the general manager, in order to get his daughter the job. Bribing high-ranking managers to secure employment is an accepted practice in my country. A sum of money was mutually agreed upon, and my friend’s father personally delivered the cash to the general manager. Within the next four weeks, she was offered the management trainee position. After working there for a month, my friend told me this whole story and how glad she was that her father had done all this for her. She loved her job and said that she couldn’t have been happier anywhere else. She also told me not to mention this to anyone, because it would harm her family’s reputation. Bribing is an accepted practice in my country, but not out in the open. 1. Is it ethical to give or take bribes just because everybody does it and it is an accepted practice in one’s country? 2. If bribery is an accepted practice, why did the friend want to keep this quiet? 3. Should employees be hired on the basis of merit or according to how much they can bribe to secure a job? 4. If you had been in my friend’s place, would you have accepted the job?
Last spring, one of my very close friends
graduated with an MBA. She interviewed with
many companies during her last semester at school.
However, there was no job. After graduating, she
decided to apply to other companies. At one of the
companies, she got preselected and then selected for
the final round of interviews. After the final
interview was conducted, she was informed that a
decision would be mailed to her within the next six
weeks.
My friend’s father happened to know the general
manager of this company. When there was no reply
for almost five weeks, my friend’s father decided to
speak with the general manager. The general
manager checked with the human resources depart-
ment and informed my friend’s father that his
daughter had not been short-listed and, therefore,
was not being considered in the final list of
applicants for a position.
About five days later, my friend’s father called the
general manager again, but this time for something
else. He had decided to offer a bribe to this friend,
the general manager, in order to get his daughter
the job. Bribing high-ranking managers to secure
employment is an accepted practice in my country. A
sum of money was mutually agreed upon, and my
friend’s father personally delivered the cash to the
general manager. Within the next four weeks, she
was offered the management trainee position.
After working there for a month, my friend told
me this whole story and how glad she was that her
father had done all this for her. She loved her job
and said that she couldn’t have been happier
anywhere else. She also told me not to mention this
to anyone, because it would harm her family’s
reputation. Bribing is an accepted practice in my
country, but not out in the open.
1. Is it ethical to give or take bribes just because
everybody does it and it is an accepted practice in
one’s country?
2. If bribery is an accepted practice, why did the friend
want to keep this quiet?
3. Should employees be hired on the basis of merit or
according to how much they can bribe to secure a
job?
4. If you had been in my friend’s place, would you have
accepted the job?
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