Why Is Bribery An Ethical Issue?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

, , , ,

Bribery is an unethical practice, as it increases wealth inequality and supports corrupt regimes . ... Governments that fail to prosecute foreign bribery cases are complicit in the bribe and responsible for the consequences that ensue. The failure to prosecute foreign bribery cases raises many ethical questions.

What are some negative effects of bribery?

This will result in financial damage . Examples of such is a damaged reputation of the business, which causes fewer business opportunities. Following this loss of finances, the damage to morale will affect employee productivity. A loss in productivity leads to further losses in profits.

Why is bribery a problem?

Nevertheless, most economists regard bribery as a bad thing because it encourages rent seeking behaviour . ... Recent evidence suggests that the act of bribery can have political consequences- with citizens being asked for bribes becoming less likely to identify with their country, region and/or tribal unit.

Why is bribe not acceptable?

Anti-bribery laws should not be swept up in this frenzy lightly. The social arguments against bribery are compelling . Bribery of government officials constitutes theft from the public. Bribery undermines security when police, military, customs officials and border guards can be bought.

What are the effect of bribery?

Heymans & Lipietz (2011) revealed some negative impacts on corruption and bribery as distorting public spending , discouraging investment and growth, undermining efficiency, the quality of governance and placed participants at risk of castigation by the international Community.

Is bribery a moral issue?

Since bribery is not moral , according to Abun (2013) preventing it is better than curing the bribery because if the practice becomes part of the culture of the organization, it will be difficult to solve or eradicate it. Be it in the government or private sector, bribery occupies a dominant position.

Is bribery unethical or illegal?

Bribes are often made to escape legal actions or circumvent rules or regulations. The United States, along with most countries, expressly prohibits bribes; they are considered both illegal and unethical .

How does bribery impact negatively on a company?

Bribery is not only detrimental to the economic activities of a business- it also affects employee morale and performance. ... This negatively affects performance, output and overall staff morale . This, in turn, can lead to high staff turnover.

What is the punishment for bribery?

Bribery Penalties

The penalties for bribery of a public official includes a fine of up to three times the value of the bribe , and imprisonment for up to 15 years in a federal penitentiary. A conviction can also disqualify the individual from holding any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States.

How do you overcome bribery?

  1. Update anti-bribery & anti-corruption policies. ...
  2. Get the tone right from the top. ...
  3. Embed ABAC principles in corporate culture. ...
  4. Ensure gifts & hospitality meet key criteria. ...
  5. Conduct due diligence on all third parties. ...
  6. Watch out for bribery & corruption red flags.

Who is responsible for bribe giver or taker?

Corrupt officials demand money or other favours from them in exchange of things and services they are entitled to by the law. In such cases, the bribe taker is clearly the one responsible for bribery. However, not just the bribe taker or giver, it can be said that the entire system is at fault.

What bribery means?

5.1 Defining Bribery

TI defines bribery as: the offering, promising, giving, accepting or soliciting of an advantage as an inducement for an action which is illegal, unethical or a breach of trust.

How does bribery affect the economy?

Not only does corruption affect economic development in terms of economic efficiency and growth, it also affects equitable distribution of resources across the population , increasing income inequalities, undermining the effectiveness of social welfare programmes and ultimately resulting in lower levels of human ...

Is bribery ever justified?

Even though most of the laws that apply to the practice of bribery indicate that the practice could not be justified legally , there is a significant difference between legal and ethical standard. ... Therefore, in certain transactions, bribery could be used to disadvantage other companies unfairly.

Is gift giving ethical or unethical?

The client may feel a sense of pride and satisfaction from being able to thank the worker with a gift. However, if the client feels exploited or manipulated—or if the client receives inappropriate services as a result of gift-giving—then encouraging or accepting the gift would be unethical .

What are some examples of bribery?

Bribery occurs when a person offers something of value to another person in order to receive something in exchange . For instance, your mom might bribe you into coming home for the holidays by offering to cook your favorite food. The food is what she is offering, and your attendance is the exchange.

Ahmed Ali
Author
Ahmed Ali
Ahmed Ali is a financial analyst with over 15 years of experience in the finance industry. He has worked for major banks and investment firms, and has a wealth of knowledge on investing, real estate, and tax planning. Ahmed is also an advocate for financial literacy and education.