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Re:German draft proposal would subsidize smaller firms to en... by joering2 on Wednesday February 03, 2021 @03:45PM (#26018857)
When you mentioned Germany, I chuckled a little. Worked there for many years and corruption and lack of professionalism I witness in IT section was astonishing. At least here in US corporate corruption is not blunt; nobody here - like it happened to me in Germany - will meet you for the first time, listen to your case and then ask for $15,000 Euro bribe.

Here is a good start how terrible German ethics are:

https://www.dw.com/en/image-problems-mount-in-corporate-germ...

And then my favorite case of corrupted to the core Siemens:

https://theconversation.com/lessons-from-the-massive-siemens...

Re:German draft proposal would subsidize smaller firms to en... by systemvoltage on Wednesday February 03, 2021 @03:47PM (#26018883)
Thanks for the contrast. We also know the VW scandal. As I said, this is a broad generalization from my own experience with mid-sized firms in China. I can only expect larger unethical behavior with CCP members in the board meetings.

At least in EU/Germany, you don't have the Government asking you to do shady things without due process. Worse, unspoken threat and chilling effect executives and leadership team would have to appease the CCP members. There was a recent example of this - Jack Ma.

Re:German draft proposal would subsidize smaller firms to en... by okl on Wednesday February 03, 2021 @03:59PM (#26019030)
> At least in EU/Germany, you don't have the Government asking you to do shady things without due process.

Sure? https://www.dw.com/en/internet-exchange-de-cix-accuses-germa...

Re:German draft proposal would subsidize smaller firms to en... by onethought on Wednesday February 03, 2021 @03:55PM (#26018986)
How’s Jack Ma related to your trust in Hua wei? It was a different company and it wasn’t just random interference from the government it was the other way round. Jack Ma started using his position to interfere with government.
Re:German draft proposal would subsidize smaller firms to en... by systemvoltage on Wednesday February 03, 2021 @04:23PM (#26019296)
I think it's very much related. Can you imagine Jeff Bezos disappearing for 2 months because he didn't appease the US Feds?

Now imagine the chilling effect it would send to the rest of the executives from small to large corporations.

Re:German draft proposal would subsidize smaller firms to en... by onethought on Wednesday February 03, 2021 @04:25PM (#26019314)
It’s not comparable... China isn’t a democracy and free speech isn’t a thing.

Can I imagine Jeff bezos being arrested for committing a federal crime: yes

Re:German draft proposal would subsidize smaller firms to en... by sgift on Wednesday February 03, 2021 @05:28PM (#26020032)
> It’s not comparable... China isn’t a democracy and free speech isn’t a thing.

And that makes it right? Or are we on the "it's their culture, so we aren't allowed to be critical of it" bandwagon?

Re:German draft proposal would subsidize smaller firms to en... by onethought on Thursday February 04, 2021 @03:28PM (#26029412)
You can be critical, sure. But applying your sense of right and wrong doesn’t make much sense.
Re:German draft proposal would subsidize smaller firms to en... by systemvoltage on Wednesday February 03, 2021 @04:37PM (#26019484)
Speaking out against the government is a crime? Did Jack Ma get a trial?
Re:German draft proposal would subsidize smaller firms to en... by onethought on Thursday February 04, 2021 @03:25PM (#26029383)
Yes. It is a crime. Depending on the type of crime, you may or may not get a public trial.
Re:German draft proposal would subsidize smaller firms to en... by throw2102032112 on Wednesday February 03, 2021 @04:30PM (#26019396)
In my eyes, Jeff Bezos is constantly disappearing. I mean, he's only in the media spotlight once every few months right? I'd dread to think what happens to him while he's missing during those media lapses...
Re:German draft proposal would subsidize smaller firms to en... by ClumsyPilot on Wednesday February 03, 2021 @04:36PM (#26019468)
Can you imagine a billionaire implicated in child sex scandal and with potential dirt on many politicians mysteriously dying in jail?
Re:German draft proposal would subsidize smaller firms to en... by mywittyname on Wednesday February 03, 2021 @05:05PM (#26019782)
I've worked for a few German mega-corps and I was always struck by how in point their "anti-bribery" training was. It kind of felt like a "how-to" course on bribery where they just tell you not to do the thing at the end.

Kind of like those anti-drug campaigns in schools where the police would tell you about all the different drugs and how not to use them. "This here is crack cocaine, it's like regular cocaine but cheaper and more effective. Most people put the crack rock into a glass tube and light it with a torch. Now smoking crack makes your body feel better than anything in the world. So don't do it." Then they tell you how to spot a drug dealer and let you know that most offer free samples.

Re:German draft proposal would subsidize smaller firms to en... by nickbauman on Friday February 05, 2021 @11:08AM (#26037789)
Regarding Siemens it reminds me of John Perkins' book Confessions of an Economic Hit Man about the engineering firm Chas T Main. Bribes are merely one technique to obtain power by companies like these. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confessions_of_an_Economic_Hit...