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The situation that arises when the norms of society become unclear or are no longer applicable; normalization of deviance in terms of corruption: disjunction between means and goals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