Don companies lose out on business when they say “No” to bribery?
Often companies do not try saying “No” when a bribe payment is demanded or implied; their employees assume that since a bribe has been requested, they have to pay up or lose out. There are many negotiating tactics that can be employed to avoid paying a bribe whilst still obtaining the business; however an ethical company may have to walk away from a potential business opportunity because the risks are simply too great. But the company that bribes to “win” the business – and is later investigated and prosecuted, will probably pay far more in costs, fines and reputation damage, than the total value of the business they had “won”. The profit and/or revenue accrued from such contracts, is often the basis by which fines are awarded by courts, particularly in the USA.
