Question

Computer Ethics

You are in charge of awarding all personal computer services related contracts for your employer. In the recent e-mail to the current holder of the service contract for your company, you casually exchange ideas about home landscaping, your favorite pastime. In your e-mail, you stated that you wished you had a few Bonsai trees in your garden. Upon returning from a vacation, you discover three trees in your garden. There is a brief thank you note in your mailbox signed by the local sales representative of your company’ current personal service contractor. You really want the trees but you certainly didn’t mean for the contractor to buy them for you. You suspect that the contractor interpreted your e-mail comment as a hint that you wanted him to provide you some trees. You also worry that the contractor still has a copy of your e-mail. If the contractor sent your boss a copy of your e-mail, it might look as you were trying to get a bribe from the contractor. Can the trees be considered as a bribe and what would you do to secure your job.

(At least 500 words)

Answer 1

In a situation such as this, the foremost important thing to consider is to make sure that all the parties involved have a clear picture of what has happened. Writing an email to the contractor thanking him for the gesture but at the same time asserting and making the intent clear that this does not provide any bias towards him will go a long way. Also, the email should provide the info that although you like the gesture, you are very well open to the possibility of him taking them back. Such an email should be enough to provide two things and handle this doubtful situation effectively. In case this really was a gesture, and contractor did not mean it as a bribe, you and contractor both are in the clear and have done nothing wrong to anybody. Should the contractor provide your boss a copy of your email, you are ready to provide your side of case effectively since you have all the email logs and also the final email threads provide the information to the contractor that you don't accept it as anything if it is a "bribe". A Bonsai plant, or infact any tree can and cannot be classified as a bribe. A very expensive Bonsai costing hundreds of dollar my look as a bribe when it may not and on the other hand, a ride back home when you are amidst a tricky part of the town may be a bribe but may not look as such to the onlooker.
In such a situation you should always keep the logs and should always make the intent clear as soon as you see something happening which you think may provide a wrong impression. In dire cases when although the party providing with the gifts has very good intent, you should not accept such a gift and turn down the gift politely explaining the situation. At the same time, benefit of doubt should be given to everyone - people surely do have good intent many times.