A Little Jeitinho in Brazil: A Case Study on International Management

Abstract

As more and more American companies have expanded into parts of the world where the moral and ethical values are different from those in the United States, it has become increasingly important for U.S. companies and individuals considering overseas employment to be able to assess adaptability to different cultures. One method for evaluating such flexibility is through a case study that challenges participants to confront difficult moral and ethical dilemmas business people are likely to encounter during foreign assignments. This case study concerns one such dilemma that faces many business people in South America: whether to participate in the practice of bribing officials "to get things done."