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Corruption Arts in Third World International Business: Traps, Swizzles, and Swindles Used by the Master Players by Rich Gottbreht. $34.95 hardcover, ISBN: 0-9766996-0-5, published by Global Insights Education, LLC., 558 Castle Pines Pkwy, B4 #148, Castle Rock, CO 80108-8854.

(303) 660-6435.

Bribes. Kickbacks. Facilitation payments. More than likely, many businesspeople would not be surprised to learn that these are all part of the business environment of a Third World Country. But they might be shocked to discover just how organized and far-reaching such corruption is. In his riveting book, Corruption Arts in Third World International Business: Traps, Swizzles, and Swindles Used by the Master Players, American businessman and consultant Rich Gottbreht, who spent over two years working in Indonesia, describes it as "the discovery that shook my soul."

Gottbreht writes: "When I look back to the beginning of my first ever international business assignment, I remember that I went to Indonesia with a sincere and strong desire to help people in that country create a better life for themselves by building new infrastructure capabilities and fixing old problems. I returned two and one-half years later knowing that I had minimal impact on anything meaningful. But I also had an education in Third World international business that forever changed the way I see the entire world."

The book tells of the demise of Gottbreht's home company, WestCo, Inc., tracing it to the political, economic, and cultural structures of Indonesia. It begins with an in-depth Introduction and Overview that examine the author's personal beliefs and how living and working in Indonesia challenged everything he thought he knew about himself and the world. Gottbreht's honesty is at once refreshing and disturbing; he himself acknowledges that his experience is part reality and part perception. But he makes it very clear that the groups of clever, wealthy people who take cash through corrupt activities are indeed factual.

The book is divided into five logical sections: Part I is the "who, what, when, where, and why" of Gottbreht's Indonesian business experience, presented without the real names of companies or individuals. It also provides an introduction to the Indonesian and Chinese-Indonesian businesspeople behind the business venture.

Part II discusses how corrupt Indonesian and Chinese-Indonesian owners and their associates seduced WestCo into investing, then took most of the money out of the country through corrupt practices while at the same time convincing WestCo all was well. The author points out that this basically reduced WestCo to the status of an unsecured debt holder without the company ever knowing what happened. This section also provides insight about the wealthy families and individuals who set up and control Indonesia's permissions and corruptions business environment.

Part III describes the four-phase macro and micro game corruption approach used by individuals and groups. This approach enabled corrupt individuals and groups to take cash out of WestCo so cleverly, that even its best auditors did not detect it. This portion of the book also defines and ties each corruption activity to business phases and functions to give readers a feel for the extent of the corruption problem.

Part IV contains an overview of the damage done to the business and Indonesia by corrupt business and government leaders through the dishonest practices they and their associates employ.

The final section, Part V, offers recommendations to help businesspeople succeed in Third World Countries and suggestions aimed at helping aid agencies and reconstruction organizations protect their dollars from corrupt master players, which is particularly important in post-tsunami south Asia. There are also some high-level recommendations for Third World Countries as to what it might really take to achieve the status of developing countries. A comprehensive glossary helps readers keep track of terminology. More than forty illustrations clarify the book's sometimes complex concepts.

Corruption Arts in Third World International Business is required reading for any American businessperson, educator, or student interested in doing business in or with third world countries. It is also a key component in Global Insights overall product line, which includes: 

• Half-Day Introduction to International Business Seminar
• Full-Day International Business Seminar
•  Two-Day International Business Seminar
• Xemorpheum® Board Game
•  Xemorpheum® Facilitator Guide
• Understanding and Managing Corruption Kit