Who benefits most from grease payments?

The correct choice highlights that lower-level foreign officials performing routine actions benefit most from grease payments. Grease payments, often viewed as a form of facilitation payment, are typically made to expedite processes or actions that government officials are already legally required to undertake, such as issuing permits, passing inspections, or providing access to services.

These payments can significantly influence the speed and efficiency with which these officials perform their duties. For businesses seeking to navigate complex bureaucratic systems in foreign countries, making a grease payment can facilitate quicker approvals or faster processing, thereby reducing delays and operational inefficiencies. Consequently, the individuals who have direct control over these routine actions stand to gain from receiving additional incentives to enhance their performance in their roles.

In contrast, high-level government officials may already possess significant authority and may not require additional payments to perform their essential functions, as they typically have the power to make larger decisions without the day-to-day interactions that characterize lower-level officials. Local businesses might also benefit indirectly but do not directly receive or engage in grease payments for facilitation like public officials might. International trade organizations, focused on broader trade practices and regulations, are not involved in the periphery of facilitating specific bureaucratic steps at a local level. Thus, the primary beneficiaries of grease payments