Global Justice and International Business - Essay Example

1. Should U.S. multinationals that operate overseas conduct business using U.S. ethical standards or the standards of the host country?

The short answer to this is that multinational firms operating overseas should conduct themselves according to United States ethical standards. 

2. Assume that the engineers of Telecommunications did influence the decision-making process by establishing engineering specifications that only BNC could meet. The engineers received free travel and lodging from BNC but only after the job was completed. Is there anything wrong with this picture?

Yes, if the situation transpired as has been described above, then the kickbacks for free travel are merely extended as a direct result of the prior unethical level of business interaction between the two parties in question (Santoro, 2010). 

He is right to be concerned; however, he must also be careful with regards to appearing to overstep the boundaries of his job description.  Ultimately, entire ethics departments and legal teams exist as a means of understanding the unique nuances of performing business in transnational settings; however, if legitimately concerned with regards to the bid process, he should have merely asked what was standard accepted practice rather than appearing to question the legality or ethical nature of the engagement that took place in Colombia (Cragg & Muchlinski, 2013).  In this way, he would not have come across in an accusatory tone but instead appeared as if he were merely hoping to gain a greater level of knowledge with regards to standard practice.