ou are the owner of a small business that imports clothing from Brazil to the U.

ou are the owner of a small business that imports clothing from Brazil to the U.S. One of your senior executives, Sam, just returned from a trip to check in on the company's manufacturers in Brazil, and Sam informs you that he was forced to make payments to several Brazilian officials in order to ensure that a recent shipment made its way through customs quickly. You are concerned about the payments, about precedent, and about the possible ethical and legal implications of such payments. Sam has assured you that the payments to these officials were "necessary" and "acceptable" within Brazil, but you remain unconvinced and are especially troubled by the ethical consequences of such payments; especially since these are prohibited under the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.