Officials in governments, and professionals in the business realms around the world, are struggling with semantics, with the exact definition of bribery. When a gift is business related, is it always a bribe? Or is it sometimes an innocent and honest gesture of appreciation? One of the problems in the definition, is that the different countries and societies in the world have different norms regarding what is considered to be a bribe and quite simply, a gift. The US Congress is struggling with the fight against corruption and corporate or political scandals.
The government of the United Kingdom passed the Bribery Bill just last year, and many other officials and world leaders have begun to evaluate the term, and the actions of bribery vs. gifts or favors. Coming up with collective policies in which are agreed upon by all will serve to lessen the misunderstandings, clear rules and regulations will help to assuage those who may be tempted by the previously unclear lines. The US Congress had taken further action when they capped the price of gifts which are allowed per year.
Many corporate professionals and leaders are keeping an eye on the gifts that they give and receive, and even further, many of those in the medical field are accepting no gifts what so ever, from pharmaceutical companies. Nor are they accepting the dinner invitations to the fancy restaurants for the purpose of the introductions to or the education about the new drugs on the market. In this way they make certain that their judgement and their reputations never come in to question.
In 2004, even the school districts in New York City put caps $5 on gifts that students were allowed to give their teachers. Parents had been complaining that some students were given special treatment in the classroom due to the expensive gits they were offering. This concept is of concern not only in the highest levels of international government in the countries of the world, as well as in the everyday life of people in the streets of the cities. It is not only a moral question anymore, but one that has been of growing legal concern as well, as the continued effort to make the world a more just, and less corrupt, environment for all continues.