This is how business is done in most of the world.
If it's a 'standard practice' - then it is 'accounted for' and effectively part of the equation.
How else do you think think the states vast wealth trickles out to it's citizens?
The $10M Bribe to the Minister of Education goes t pay for the construction of his Mansion, staff, services.
What 'mostly matters' in these kinds of situations frankly is de facto transparency and efficacy.
If the ration are 'understood' and actually well-strutted, then there's a kind of de-facto transparency. In the case of a rich state like Qatar, it might actually be better than simply having nothing.
You could argue the 'lack of competitiveness' from MSFT bids given alternatives, but in many cases it really might not matter, the 'winner' was a fait-accompli anyhow.
When this is Nigeria, and the state is providing it's citizens with nothing, then it's much more of a problem.
I should also note that this is a function of the regional system, not MS.
MS is playing the game that's handed to them. Their alternative choice is to pull out of all of those markets, and hand them over to other businesses who operate that way.
The 'problem' should mostly be directed at state agencies setting up the system.
There should be more analysis and journalism on this kind of stuff, particularly because it does happen in countries wherein 'regular people' do end up paying the price, but the focus should on the agencies, not businesses who would otherwise play fairly.
This is a nuanced issue and we should not be 'shocked and horrified' by it, this almost implies a serious kind of naivte.
We need to recognise that it's complicated before just trying to 'blame MSFT'.
This is how business is done in most of the world.
If it's a 'standard practice' - then it is 'accounted for' and effectively part of the equation.
How else do you think think the states vast wealth trickles out to it's citizens?
The $10M Bribe to the Minister of Education goes t pay for the construction of his Mansion, staff, services.
What 'mostly matters' in these kinds of situations frankly is de facto transparency and efficacy.
If the ration are 'understood' and actually well-strutted, then there's a kind of de-facto transparency. In the case of a rich state like Qatar, it might actually be better than simply having nothing.
You could argue the 'lack of competitiveness' from MSFT bids given alternatives, but in many cases it really might not matter, the 'winner' was a fait-accompli anyhow.
When this is Nigeria, and the state is providing it's citizens with nothing, then it's much more of a problem.
I should also note that this is a function of the regional system, not MS.
MS is playing the game that's handed to them. Their alternative choice is to pull out of all of those markets, and hand them over to other businesses who operate that way.
The 'problem' should mostly be directed at state agencies setting up the system.
There should be more analysis and journalism on this kind of stuff, particularly because it does happen in countries wherein 'regular people' do end up paying the price, but the focus should on the agencies, not businesses who would otherwise play fairly.
This is a nuanced issue and we should not be 'shocked and horrified' by it, this almost implies a serious kind of naivte.
We need to recognise that it's complicated before just trying to 'blame MSFT'.