Reference no: EM133055381
Abdul is an extremely successful businessperson from the Middle East. He has many influential friends including Government Ministers and lawyers and judges. His construction company Sahara Berhad is very successful at securing government contracts particularly around major infrastructure. Last year they were one of three companies that won the bid to build the new international airport in one of the Middle East's major cities. When asked about his success he was very candid.
"We are a very good company- very high-quality people- I only employ the top engineers with qualifications from the best universities. I employ goof foreign workers and pay them well. But I am also a realist- to get the contracts you have to know the right people and be there at the right time and do the right things. I know the right people- the key ministers and government officials. If they ask me for an extra payment to smooth the negotiation- I pay it- If they ask to help with the Minister's children's university fees. I pay it.
Everyone does it and it's how we do business. In many cases they don't even ask you are just expected to. We call it helping money.
But you must also understand this is how everything works here- you do people favours, you pay the police a little money so they don't fine you, you give the teacher a little gift to get your child a better seat at the front of the class, you give the official a little extra to make sure your passport application gets processed quickly. It's how we work and live and it's been this way for hundreds of years. For me and my business it makes sense as it's only a small cost when we are talking contracts that are worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
When asked if such payment is illegal in his country Abdul laughed and said:
"Ahh you know sometimes it's the Ministers who make these laws and the judges who are supposed to rule in the courts that ask for the most!!! You must understand that if it is a gift then its ok- if it's a bribe that's illegal! We just are very.... generous to our friends"
Do you agree or disagree with Abdul's Business Practices?