The U.S. government's guide to complying with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act released Wednesday may not have answered every question for business, but could it or should it have? Gray areas may remain despite the new guidance. But a selection of commentators appeared to agree that the long-anticipated, 130-page document would be a valuable guide to following the law, even if it doesn’t offer the guarantees that industry advocates had been seeking.

Homer E. Moyer said his initial impression was that neither side had yet been the loser. "I don’t see this so far as a vehicle for either expanding the envelope or contracting it in light of criticisms or concerns," he said.