Using a social contracts perspective, explain why the bribery described below is unethical. Discuss three stakeholders negatively affected by the bribery.
Do NOT discuss, as stakeholders, the giver of the bribe, the receiver of the bribe, the friend describing what happened (see below), or the student who got the job because of the bribe.
Last spring, one of my very close friends graduated with an MBA, but was unable to land a job. However, several months later, she was selected for the final round of interviews at one company.
After the final interview was conducted, she was told that a decision would be made within the next six weeks. My friend's father ("Dad") happened to know the general manager of this company. When there was no reply for almost five weeks, Dad spoke with the general manager (GM).
The GM checked with the human resources department and informed Dad that his daughter had not been short-listed and, therefore, was not being considered in the final list of applicants for the position. A few days later, Dad called the GM again, but this time for something else. He had decided to offer a bribe to the GM in order to get his daughter the job.
A sum of money was mutually agreed upon, and Dad personally delivered the cash to the GM. Within the next few weeks, she was offered the management trainee position.
After working there 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. Although bribing is an accepted practice in my country, it is not out in the open.