Q.4 An Indian company is active in the telecom sector and is the majority owner of a telecom company based in other geographies across the world. At one of its European headquarters, there emerged whistleblowing allegations that a local executive was bribing local government officials in order to obtain telecom cabling and construction contracts from the local government. The kickbacks were allegedly paid through a third-party consultant. More specifically, there were allegations that the executive, the third party, and a government official had some sort of business interest in common, possibly shareholdings in a limited company or the joint ownership of an undisclosed asset. The company is thought to be particularly close to the ruling dispensation in India and the news has now raised pressure to put its business operations in India under scanner as well. In this context, answer the following questions: (a) What are the ethical challenges in the given case? (b) Identify the different stakeholders and their interests. (c) As the CEO of the firm, how would you respond to the given situation? (20 Marks)

Mentor’s Comments- Start with a very brief summary of the case. Mention the stakeholders and list the ethical challenges involved. Evaluate your options and bring out the most appropriate response that you will opt for. Conclude accordingly.