The workplace environment presents a complicated intersection of social, economic, and moral factors. In this specific case, one of the Pirates of Penzance Company employees, Davy Jones, gifted a book to his boss as a sign of respect, hoping that his effort would result in pay raise. Furthermore, the boss independently initiated a proposal to give a raise to the employee. Eventually, the boss refused to give him a raise, and Jones decided to file a suit against the boss.
The case relates to the theme of bribery and corruption in the workplace. Bribery Workplace ethics suggest that business etiquette does not require gifting; moreover, managers are allowed to give presents only to their direct subordinates, while employees can exchange gifts. The ethical restriction acts as a preventive measure targeted at avoiding pressure from employees on management. Thus, Jones’ initial intention can be interpreted as a deliberate attempt to pressure management for personal gain.
Private commercial bribery is not regulated by federal US statutes on the same level as corruption committed by public officials and government employees. According to Mendelsohn (2021), private bribery in commercial organizations can be viewed as a fraud of honest services. Thus, the application of several existing laws to commercial bribery cases allows the prosecution of both employees and managers who give or take bribes. However, because the Pirates of Penzance Company boss, Blackbeard, accepted the gift knowing its collectible value and also subsequently offered his terms of exchange, he can also be acknowledged as a participant of the deal. Thus, both parties to the deal must be recognized as guilty of bribery and receive punishment.
Reference
Mendelsohn, M. F. (2021). The anti-bribery and anti-corruption review: USA. The Law Reviews. Web.