I can concur with that.
Having worked at a rather large aerospace testing establishment about 10 years ago I was very surprised to discover that bungs were being made to very senior managers concerning contracts made to UK companies!!
How about a bung for supplying software which turned out to be on delivery (get this) shareware software!!
It even had the shareware logo on startup!!
I left very shortly afterwards after querying this practise and was told, in no uncertain terms, to keep my mouth shut.
Then a few years later, this time working for a 'French' defence contractor based in UK, we were bidding for a contract with a NATO partner only to lose an almost certain contract because we hadn't bribed the right official. And the gauling thing was, the Yanks got the contract 'coz they had!!
Of course this sort of thing goes on. If anybody thinks it doesn't then they are in cloud cuckoo land.
The only difference is that in this country we try and keep it under the carpet. At least in other countries (Mediterranean ones for example) it's above board. Perversely that seems more honest.
Last edited by BattlerBritain; 15th Dec 2006 at 09:39.