Relationships have mattered for as long as
people have done business. But recent business
history reveals many cases where the
boundary between special relationships and
corruption has been crossed. The issue becomes especially sensitive where the
special relationship is with government oÄÞcials. This makes reliance on
special relationships as a capability more complicated than, say, the use of a
brand or a distribution network. However, it is perfectly possible to derive
strategic beneÞt from relationships without jettisoning ethical values.
Companies that sustain growth Þnd ways to do just that.