Corruption, Integrity, and Accountability

Issues with the Legal Definition of Corruption

Danger of assuming that everything legal is ethical Identical action in two nations can be considered different because of differences in laws

Comparative Reference

Denotes a group which is used by the person as a yardstick in making self-evaluation or judging others; people, such as celebrities and heroes, whom we aspire to be like.

Non-Mandatory Offenses

Trading and influence, Abuse of Function, Illicit Enrichment, Private-to-private corrupt practices

Bribery

Using rewards to change the judgment of a person in a position of trust

Legal Definition of Corruption

Using statutes and legal language in order to define corruption

absolute deprivation

an objective measure of poverty, defined by the inability to meet minimal standards for food, shelter, clothing, or health care

How Deviance Becomes Normalized

competitive business/egalitarian society --> normative and comparative groups --> end-legal means discrepancy --> perception of injustice, strain, and relative deprivation --> rationalization of deviant behavior / anonime --> deviant solution --> anonime (subculture of deviance is accepted) --> deviance without strain

Public Opinion Definition of Corruption

Looking at the public opinion to see how corruption is defined; Issue is that attitudes can change

Direct impact of silent corruption

Lower producitivty, lower human capital

White Corruption

Majority of elite and mass opinion probably would not support any attempt to punish

Indirect impact of silent corruption

Market concentration, poor resource allocation, disbelief in public institution

Reference Group Theory

Our wishes and values are shaped through our interactions with groups

Reasons why a Business will Commit Corruption

Pressure from the top to do well, unethical leadership and normative reference groups, regulatory environment impeding business, legitimacy and effectiveness of global rules/governance

Examples of Coercive Factors

Pressure, Matter of Survival, Strong Competition, Legal constraints, over-regulations, technological hurdle/non-capacity

Grey Corruption

Some elements may want to see the action punished and the majority will be ambivalent

Anonime

The situation that arises when the norms of society become unclear or are no longer applicable; normalization of deviance in terms of corruption: disjunction between means and goals

United Nations Provisions Against Corruption

A nation has to have their own national strategy in order to combat corruption; They have to have their own independent commission in order to combat corruption

United Nations Definition of Corruption

Abuse of power, trust, or authority for private gain

Black Corruption

Action is condemned by the majority and the elites and everyone wants to see punished

Mandatory Offenses

Active and Passive Bribery of national civil servants, public officials, and international organizations; Embezzlement, money laundering, Obstruction of Justice

Nye's Definition of Corruption

Behavior which deviates from the normal duties of a public role because of private-regarding (family, close private clique), pecuniary or status gains

Passa's Definition of Corruption

Corruption is when you breach the public or private trust in order to benefit yourself

Issues with Nye's Definition of Corruption

Corruption only involves the behavior of a public official in their public role Definition also requires that they go against normal duties or violate rules, but different nations see them different

Silent corruption

Corruption that involves no monetary exchange; rather, it's simply people who disserve the collective interest by giving lower level effort or not properly doing their job; examples include teacher and medical absenteeism

Normative References

Denotes a group which lays down standards for a person who wishes to gain acceptance; includes individuals or groups that you directly interact with that influence your norms, attitudes, values and behavior.

Nepotism

Giving family positions in lieu of giving them to people with more merit

Misappropriation

Illegal appropriation of public resources

Effects of widespread corruption in a country

Interstate relationships, quality of life, brain-drain, unrest

Coercive Factors

Structural conditions may compel illegal acts by organizational actors and those they come in contact with. Acts often further organizational goals [instrumental deviance]; Laws that alter the business environment that create a problem for the execution of the business

Facilitiative Factors

Structural conditions may encourage illegal acts by organizational actors and those they come in contact with. Acts often incidental to organizational goals [unless we have normative problems/breakdown]; They don't force you to break the law, but they make it easier to do it

Examples of Facilitiative Factors

Temptations Legal Asymmetries Complex formal rules Illicit opportunities Low risk (real and percieved) Complex / multinational corporate structures Incompetent staff Over-controlling leadership

Public Interest Definition of Corruption

Whatever is in the public interest is not corruption

Criminogenic asymmetries

structural disjunctions, mismatches, and inequalities in the spheres of politics, culture, the economy, and the law that create crime because they: Create opportunities for illicit profit Produce or strenghten the demand for illegal goods and services Generate incentives for particular actors to participate in illegal transactions Reduce the ability of authorities to control illegal activities

Relative deprivation

the perception that one is worse off relative to those with whom one compares oneself