Consider the following scenario: As part of a team purchasing a new software as a service (SaaS) provider, you are privy to financial, contractual, and negotiation information. In the mail, you receive a fully paid ticket to an important technical conference taking place in Hawaii. All of the companies in the running for the SaaS provider contract will be present at the conference and will be giving presentations of their services. Attending the conference would help the team in understanding their options. You ask your manager if he knows where the ticket originated. He says something about a "favor" from one of the companies in question.

Write an essay (250-500 words) in which you address the following:

• What do you do? Provide a rationale for your decision.
• What are the potential legal ramifications for accepting the ticket?
• Is conflict-of-interest a legal issue, an ethical issue, or both? Provide a rationale for your opinion and support your response with at least one resource.
• What are some ethical and or moral considerations around the vendor offering the ticket?