Knowledge

Compliance (IV): Do You Really Want It?

It is tempting to trumpet that compliance is a non-negotiable principle, but… Is full compliance really desirable?  Don’t organisations need bold people to test limits, make innovative moves, venture outside the corporate comfort zone, and yes, people to break the rules? Isn’t business all about taking risks? Won’t too much focus on compliance emasculate creativity and entrepreneurship? What do you do when compliance is incompatible with doing business? What do you do when the company is bidding for a strategic project in the Middle East where paying bribes is rule # 1 of the game for being shortlisted? What do you do when your competitor gets a competitive advantage from non-complying with the rules? And how do you convince the business developer responsible for generating new business in the Middle East that he should comply with the no-bribe policy?

Antoine Henry de Frahan | 11 August 2007 |