ABSTRACT
Gifts of type illustrate how even things of low economic value can be loaded with implications of corruption. This chapter discusses even more strategic, but in bribery terms unimpeachable, presents in working life. Bribery is, however, just one possible meaning; when alternative meanings are proposed, the variation of gifts offered in social contexts is also discerned. The meanings given to gifts depend on whether they are involved in a greetings ceremony, expressions of gratitude, for the purposes of aid and assistance, and so on. While the gift giver uses emotional expressions such as "happy" and "elated," the recipient uses words such as "unpleasant" and "disagreeable." The time when a gift is given is important in discussions of whether an object is constructed as a gift or as a bribe. A woman who works for a Swedish aid organization talks about her moral policy regarding gifts to those she works with in the field.
