Dilemma 13:  Working in a new country - Dilemma

You are the sales director of your company.  An opportunity comes up for your company to bid for a major road construction contract in a country in which your company has not worked before.  You have heard that the country has a very high level of corruption, and that the road sector is particularly corrupt.

The project will require your company to form a joint venture with local JV partners, and to appoint local sub-contractors.  You may need to appoint a local agent to assist the company to identify joint venture partners, and potential sub-contractors, and to assist with the tender and local support.

You discuss the project at the company’s board meeting.  The majority view of the board is that the company should bid.  It is considered a good opportunity to work in a new and expanding market.  You raise the issue of corruption as a concern, but the response of the other directors is that many other international companies are working there, so it must be OK. 

What do you do?

Consider your position, and then go to the answer on the next page.