The Movement to Banish Bribing of Bureaucrats

Swati Ramanathan, a founder of the site I Paid a Bribe, in India.

(Source: NYTimes, see link.)

In my International Business course we held an online chat session last night.  We discussed an HBS caselet involving a petty bribe.  The American manager of an Indonesian branch plant was asked by his administrative assistant whether he would authorize her paying from the petty cash account the equivalent of $25.00, in order to get a police clerk to look up the date of purchase of an old company car that the division was trying to sell.  Without that date, the sale would be impossible, as it was missing from the company's records, though the police had it in theirs.  Of course, there was no fee charged legally to look up that official record, but the police clerk had asked for this payment, nevertheless.

Would you have authorized that payment?

Perhaps because our earlier discussion had dealt with the legal risks of an American businessperson's participating in foreign corrupt practices (albeit in much higher-level forms of corruption, amounting to values in the millions of dollars), all but one of my MBA students declined to pay this petty cash "dash."  I am quite sure I would have said, "Do what you have to do."

After the class, the one woman who had said she'd have taken my (corrupt?) position wrote an afterthought in the Moodle forum I provide for the purpose.  She wrote,

Typically petty cash is exactly that...cash that is used for petty expenditures.  So despite the actions the cash is being required for seeming a tad questionable, the funds are available and at the ready for whatever needs might come along in the office.  So I do tend to think this might be of of those such cases.

 I replied,

Many, if not most, would agree.  This is generally what is meant by a grease payment, a petty bribe to get a bureaucrat to do his job. It ain't right, but it is reality. 

The subject has had considerable attention of late.  See this link.

I was previously unaware of these "I Paid A Bribe" websites.  What a change it will be if the Internet brings about an end to the world of bureaucratic corruption!  Imagine a world where public employees simply do their jobs for the public who pay their salaries!

Back in the Saddle

Rocinante, at a turnout on the road from Valdez to Tok, Alaska, July, 2012

We've had gorgeous weather in New Hampshire for the past two days.  That fact and the intense work schedule (as our fall semester has begun here at Plymouth State University) have helped me to get out of the blue funk I have been in for the prior two months.

It is not fun dealing with the terminal illness of a great friend.  Death brings grief, and grief plays havoc with one's emotional health.  I am not over it yet, but I am feeling more myself, now.

Friday, under blue skies, I mounted Rocinante and rode him to Boscawen, NH, to stand a flag line at the New Hampshire Veteran's Cemetery with my fellow members of the NHPGR to honor the recently departed Marine Cpl. John Marcum, who served during the Vietnam era.  May he rest in peace.

Boscawen is about an hour's ride south on I-93 from home.  It was great again to feel my old 1982 Honda's solid gait on the Interstate, and to feel the 70 mph air rushing past under a cool, bright blue sky.  In many ways, it took me back to memories of our long ride of last summer.

This was not Alaska, nor the Yukon Territory, where buffalo roam, but it was a slice of heaven, and good for my soul.
 

Bison grazing along the Alaska Highway, Yukon, Canada, July, 2012

Golfing for Craig and Tim

The 2011 team was depicted at the 14th Tee, Ron, Duncan, Bruce and Craig.

Yesterday, a team of us from PSU kept alive a ten-year tradition for Craig Zamzow.  We drove to the south end of New Hampshire on a beautiful September morning to take part in the Tim Sabol Memorial Golf Tournament in Amherst.  Tim was a PSU MBA (and former student of Craig's) who died tragically from a heart problem while only in his thirties.  That happened almost eleven years ago.  Tim's widow Sharon and his family have sponsored this charity event every year since.  Craig and I have been regulars in the event.  The Sabol family has used the contributions to support an annual scholarship that pays tuition in one course each year for a deserving PSU MBA student, as well as to help many local causes in the Nashua area.  

With Ron Bohlin, Brad Allen, and Bruce Wiggett at Souhegan Woods Golf Course

My colleagues Brad Allen, Bruce Wiggett, and Ron Bohlin joined me yesterday, to keep our PSU participation alive, playing as a team called "Craig's Crew."

We started on Hole 16.

Brad was the only one of us familiar with the course.

Ron has a great swing, and hits the ball far.

Perfect September Day.

Sharon Sabol and the women at the Double-or-Nothing hole called us the "sexiest foursome."  (They also told that to the cart that followed us.)

My teammates at the 14th hole, which we sponsored on behalf of Craig's memory, and the PSU MBA Program.

Bruce Wiggett, a recent regular on the PSU team, with the hole sponsorship sign.

Craig D. Zamzow, 70 (From The Laconia Sun)

Published Date Wednesday, 04 September 2013 07:25

NEW HAMPTON — Craig Dean Zamzow, 70 of Mountain Vista Drive, died August 31, 2013, at Speare Memorial Hospital, in Plymouth, NH.

Born in Grand Island NE on June 8, 1943, he was the son of Harlan Francis and Theda W. (Linderkamp) Zamzow. He grew up in the Mid-West and graduated from Westside High School, in Grand Island. He also earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, at Iowa State University, in the mid-1960s.
Craig hired into Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) in Maynard, Massachusetts, where he served for twenty years as a sales engineer, corporate manager of sales training, and product line manager of Logic Products, a $25 million PC board business. His achievements led to his being named in 1983 the Corporate Manager, Marketing Programs, directing the efforts of over 5,000 employees. Along the way, Craig earned an MBA in marketing and human resource management from Rivier College in Nashua, NH.
After the collapse of DEC, Craig served in marketing roles with several other firms in New England, before coming to Plymouth, New Hampshire in 1997 as co-owner of The Pilgrim Motel and Cabins on the Daniel Webster Highway. Very soon thereafter he was recruited by Plymouth State University to teach some marketing courses, first as an adjunct professor, and then as a full-time lecturer. In 1998, he accepted the job of Director of the Small Business Institute® at PSU, which serves the local business community with teams of MBA students who act as consultants, helping the businesses in whatever needs they may have, and preparing formal consulting reports.

Craig excelled as an SBI Director. The Small Business Institute® Directors' Association (SBIDA) holds an annual national contest, wherein the consulting reports from 250 university programs are judged at undergraduate and graduate levels in three categories, comprehensive (multifunctional business analyses), specialized (addressing a single business function, such as marketing, finance, or production), and feasibility studies (start-up plans). During his fifteen years as PSU's SBI Director, Plymouth State MBA teams placed either first or second in every single year, nationally. In one year, they swept the three first place awards, and PSU's SBI was recognized as the top SBI program in the United States. At his last national conference, in 2013, Craig was named the first Fellow of the Small Business Institute®.

In 2003, Craig also became Director of Graduate Programs in the PSU College of Business Administration (CoBA). As director, he administered the budgets, course schedules, and enrollments, and served as the academic adviser to as many as 600 MBA students. He successfully reversed slumping enrollment numbers to double the size of the 40 year-old MBA Program, and to turn it into a respected, self-sustaining mainstay of CoBA.

Craig Zamzow has been active in the community, as well, serving on the boards of the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce, Plymouth Main Street, Inc., and the New Hampshire Electric Cooperative.
For the past ten years or more, Craig has worked to bring to life the brand new Enterprise Center at Plymouth, a joint effort by Plymouth State University and the Grafton County Economic Development Council. A conference room in this new business incubator building will be dedicated in honor of Craig Zamzow's work.

Craig's energy was boundless, his integrity unquestionable, and his enthusiasm infectious. Craig's colleagues and students at PSU all will miss him. A fine gentleman has left us.

Craig is survived by his wife, Marica Litchfield Zamzow of New Hampton, son, Barry Zamzow and his wife Jessica and their children, Grace, Ella and Abby, son, Darren Zamzow and his wife Carroll and their children, Ben and Bodie, step-daughter, Alyson Tracy and her children Casey, Cody Gibbs, step-daughter Michelle Tracey and her children, Vanessa Tracey and Mason Smith, brother Stephen D. Zamzow and his wife Linda, nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held in the Plymouth United Congregational Church, UCC, Main St, Plymouth, on Saturday, Sept. 7th, at 11am. A balloon release and gathering will follow at Plymouth State University.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Craig D. Zamzow MBA Scholarship Fund, Plymouth State University Advancement Office, 17 High Street, MSC 50, Plymouth, NH 03264.

To sign Craig's Book of Memories, please go to www.mayhewfuneralhomes.com.

A Gentleman's Graceful End

Craig D. Zamzow, 1943-2013

Surrounded by loving family, my friend and colleague Craig D. Zamzow, 70, died peacefully late this morning at Speare Memorial Hospital in Plymouth, New Hampshire, after a three-month illness.  Craig, who retired just last May, had been Director of our MBA Program at Plymouth State University, and also Director of our nationally recognized Small Business Institute.  I shall refrain from further details, so as not to preempt the family's right to prepare a full obituary.  Suffice it to say, I have lost a great friend, our University has lost a fine leader and teacher, and we have all lost an exemplary gentleman.

With granddaughter Vanessa, 18, in June, 2013

A Special Birthday Present

Roxana Adriana Fera is a graduate student at Plymouth State University of diverse interests, amazing energy, and many talents.  Born in Sibiu, Romania, but a graduate of Keene State College, Roxy came to PSU in 2012, directly from her second job in southern China, where she had been teaching English for a couple of years.  She had taught previously for several years in both China and Oman, and had also lived in the U.K. for a year.  Like several Romanian graduate students before her, Roxy has been staying here at "Hotel New Hampshire" as she pursues her master's degree.

Early this past July, I came home from my month in Romania to find an easel set up in our sun room, the painting above perched on it.  The palette and paint tubes were carefully arranged nearby.  Roxy had been at work.

I had known Roxy could write poetry.  I had known she could dance.  I had known she could organize and execute colorful cultural events for our many foreign students.  I had known that her teachers thought highly of her ideas in her classes.  But this was my first exposure to Roxy's painting.

When I next had a chance to talk with her, I told Roxy that I loved the chiaroscuro aspect of this acrylic painting.  To me, it bespoke the contrast between summer and winter in New Hampshire.  I think Roxy was a bit surprised.  She had not considered the work to be finished.  I told her I liked it as it was.

Yesterday, when I went into my office, I found the easel with a gold bow on it, and the painting inscribed to me, a gift for my birthday.  Thank you, Roxy.  I shall treasure it.

The Fantastickest Party Part 2

Roxy Fera, Sandra Chioralia, and Diana Doroftei in the lobby of the Jerry Orbach Theatre.

 Following our theater date, we four walked a bit in Times Square, till the old man got sticky and cranky.  Then, we recovered the car, and tried to take Roxy to Union Square, where she planned a brief meeting with some childhood friends from Sibiu with whom she has stayed in touch, but whom she had not seen in twenty-odd years.  Unfortunately, the traffic snarls made walking faster than driving.  Roxy wisely decided to go the distance by foot.  It turned out to be "a marathon," but God bless her, she made it there, and back to our dinner in Stamford by about 9:00 PM.

With Diana Doroftei in Times Square

Roxy, shepherding the foursome in Times Square traffic

 At Cappricio's in Stamford we were joined by more of the Romanian diaspora of Connecticut, friends Diana Cristea and Loredana Britka, Loredana's parents Mia and Zoltan, who are visiting from Baia Mare, as well as Sandra's good friend Ionuţ and Diana Doroftei's partner and co-author, Matthew Cross.  Please excuse the soft images... the light was dim, the quarters tight, and the wine was flowing.

Loredana and Mia Britka

Our side of the table.

Sandra and Ionuţ

 

Zoltan and Roxy

Unfortunately, I don't have a shot of Diana Cristea at the table, but she is in the group shot, coming below.  The two Dianas, Loredana, Sandra, Ionuţ, and the three Britkas all broke my rule, and brought cards and presents, and at dessert, everyone sang "Happy Birthday!" to me.  I've never heard so many "La multi ani"s directed at me! Thanks to you all for the presents and memories.

Sandra's Photo of the Balloon Flag

And, I loved the red, blue, and gold "Romanian Flag" balloons provided by the Stamford contingent!

At Cappricio's for dinner with Zoltan Britka, Sandra, Diana Cristea, Loredana Britka, Roxy, Mia Britka, and Diana D.

Roxy stayed with Sandra Wednesday night, while I enjoyed a cool room at La Quinta.  The next morning, we accepted Matt and Diana's invitation to coffee at Zumbach's in New Canaan.

A coincidental juxtaposition?

Roxy and I then drove the four hour trip home in twelve hours, as we had to loop back from the Massachusetts border to recover a left-behind laptop, and had to buy a battery for the Santa Fe, as well.  But experienced road warriors that we are, Roxy and I made it a fun, interesting, and edifying journey.

I awoke Friday in a golden glow of warm emotions, with great feelings for all who had been at the play, at the party and here at home, for my dearly beloved wife Shirl has been most kind in encouraging such adventures, as have Alex McD. and Dan Rusu in helping to watch over HNH in my absences.