As an entrepreneur/businessman would you resort to illegal and immoral means to meet your objectives

Ateneo Professor on Entrepreneurship

Rizal Philippines
October 5, 2019

In my discussion with a former subordinate now a multi millionaire in real estate, certain controversial topics came up:

     1. Maglalagay ka ba sa govt agencies approving your permits to expedite processing.
         He is uncomfortable with this.   But let us analyze reality:

         My uncle who was a Usec at an agency approving the conversion advised me not to.  At that time
         conversion was only P10/sm.   I applied for conversion in 1983, and got it in 1988 walang lagay.
         Otherwise I would have spent P800,000 for that done in 90 days.

        A colleague in the academe told me, as he engaged in condo development in QC told me that he has
        to come across in QC for the Certificate of Occupancy otherwise he does not get utility connection
        and his investment will lay idle.

      Many officials are enterprising, and can think of various ways  of making money by making processing
      of permits harder and longer despite a law vs such pernicious practices.  Better said than done.. este
      gazetted....

  2.  Are you willing to hurt your business rivals, to the extent of eliminating them or other obstacles...?

       Someone said that you cant be a govt executive unless you have hit men and has the  guts to eliminate
       detractors.

  3.  Are you willing to give CIA to govt officials in charge of procurement up to 50% KB just to get
       the business or contract, or even to be a stooge, they use your permits, etc and get only 5% on the
       gross?

4.  Are you willing to use weighing scales that are report wrong weights so that you can sell less for more?

5.  Will you resort to tax evasion/ avoidance so that you will get richer faster?

6.  Will you adulterate your products, using lesser quality components  to sell at same price or say inject
     water into your dressed chicken.

7. Will you and other fellow businessman go on price fixing in a certain locality (agree on a price)  rather than compete in a free market?

How many of us do business on honest to goodness basis.   Being truthful and honest all the times....