Paying this "advisory fee" is 100% a bribe and is not an acceptable cost of doing business in that area of the world. Just because it is common and may happen frequently, does not make it right or acceptable. The executives should avoid paying this "advisory fee" and tell the politician that they must first consult with their legal counsel and conduct their due diligence first in making sure this is legitimate business.

I think this is a very relevant topic in our world today due to the situation and events that have occurred in the Red Sea over the past year. It is a clear example of how terrorism impacts global trade by introducing a security threat in a critical shipping corridor for global commerce. The result of this globally (and for us, stateside) is that costs get raised, trade movement slows which results in supply chain delays, and companies have to rethink their global strategies to mitigate risk as globalization continues to grow.