The purpose of this guidebook is to educate business people and compliance officers on the high cost of small bribes and to provide guidance on how to eliminate these payments from business practices.

In preparing this guidebook, TRACE interviewed almost 100 companies engaged in international business to learn how they have stopped paying small bribes to government officials. Many of the companies interviewed have found that it is possible — occasionally even easy — to refuse to participate in bribery schemes. There are certain techniques that work and certain practices to avoid.

The most significant fact discovered from the interviews is that none of the companies that approached the issue carefully and comprehensively reported significant or prolonged disruption in their business activities.