Conflict, Confusion, Choice: A Phenomenological Approach to Acts of Corruption
Public sector corruption has long-term and damaging
effects that are deep and broad. Addressing corruption relies on
understanding the drivers that precipitate acts of corruption and
developing educational programs that target areas of vulnerability.
This paper provides an innovative approach to explore the nature of
corruption by drawing on the perceptions and ideas of a group of
public servants who have been part of a corruption investigation. The
paper examines these reflections through the ideas of Pierre Bourdieu
and Alfred Schutz to point to some of the steps that can lead to
corrupt activity. The paper demonstrates that phenomenological
inquiry is useful in the exploration of corruption and, as a theoretical
framework, it highlights that corruption emerges through a
combination of conflict, doubt and uncertainty. The paper calls for
anti-corruption education programs to be attentive to way in which
these conditions can influence the steps into corruption.
[1] Jain, E.K. (2001). Corruption: A Review. Journal of Economic Surveys.
Vol. 15 (1) pp.71-116.
[2] Murphy, K. M. Shleifer, A. and Vishry, R. (1991). The allocation of
talent: the implications for growth. Quarterly Journal of Economics, Vol.
106. pp. 503-530.
[3] Bukovansky, B. (2010). The Hollowness of Anti-corruption Discourse,
in M. Johnston (ed), Public Sector Corruption, Sage Publications:
London.
[4] de Graaf, D., and Huberts L.W. J. C. (2008). Portraying the nature of
corruption using an explorative case study design, Public Administration
Review, July/August, pp. 640-653.
[5] Pellegrini, L. and Gerlagh, R. (2008). Causes of corruption: a survey of
cross-country analyses and extended results. Economics of Governance.
Vol. 9. pp. 245-263.
[6] de Graaf, D., and Huberts L.W. J. C. (2008). Portraying the nature of
corruption using an explorative case study design, p. 641.
[7] Alemann, U. von (2004). The unknown depths of political theory: the
case of multidimensional concept of corruption. Crime. Law and Social
Change. Vol. 42. p. 29
[8] Moustakas, C. (1994). Phenomenological Research Methods. Sage.
Thousand Oaks. California.
[9] Sarantakos, S. (2005). Social Research Methods. Macmillan, Melbourne.
[10] Eisenhardt, K. M. (1989). Building theories from case study research.
Academy of Management Review. Vol. 14 (4). pp. 532-550.
[11] Schön, D.A. (1983). The Reflexive Practitioner: How professionals
think in action. Basic Book. New York.
[12] de Graaf, D., and Huberts L.W. J. C. (2008). Portraying the nature of
corruption using an explorative case study design.
[13] Bourdieu, P. (1977). Outline of a Theory of Practice. Cambridge
University Press, Cambridge.
[14] Rose-Ackerman, S. (2010). The Economics of Corruption, Public Sector
Corruption, M. Johnston (ed.) Sage Publications: London.
[15] Collier, M. (2002). Explaining Corruption: An institutional approach.
Crime, Law and Social Change. Vol. 38 pp. 1-32.
[16] Punch, H. (2000). Police corruption and its prevention. European Journal
on Criminal Policy and Research. Vol 8. pp. 301-324.
[17] de Graaf, G. (2007). Causes of Corruption: Towards of contextual theory
of corruption. Public Administration Quarterly. Vol. 9. Spring. pp. 39-
86.
[18] Sarantakos, S. (2005). Social Research Methods. pp. 11-12.
[19] Transparency International Australia. www.tranparency.org.au
[20] Husserl, E. (1933). Ideas: General Introduction to Pure Phenomenology
and to a Phenomenological Philosophy. Allen and Unwin: London.
[21] Heidegger, M. (1962). Being and Time. Harper & Row: New York.
[22] Merleau-Ponty, M. (1965). The Structure of Behaviour. Methuen:
London.
[23] Levinas, E. Otherwise than Being or Beyond Essence. Martinus Nijhoff,
The Hague.
[24] Schutz, A. and Luckman, T. (1973). Structures of the Life World.
Northwestern University Press: USA.
[25] Darley, J. M. (1992). Organisation for the production of evil.
Psychological Inquiry. Vol. 3 (2) pp. 199-221.
[26] Doig, A., Watt, D., Williams, R. (2007). Why do developing country
anti-corruption commissions fail to deal with corruption? Understanding
the three dilemmas of organisational development, performance
expectation and donor and government cycles. Public Administration
and Development. Vol. 27 pp. 251-259.
[27] Gregory, R. J. (1999). Social capital theory and administrative reform:
maintaining ethical probity in public service. Public Administration
Review. Vol. 59 (1) pp. 63-76.
[28] Elder-Voss. D. (2007). Reconciling Archer and Bourdieu in an
emergentist theory of action. Sociological Theory. Vol. 25 (5) p.328
[29] Bourdieu, P. (1977). Outline of a Theory of Practice. p.56
[30] Schutz, A. (1970). Reflections on the Theory of Relevance, Yale
University Press, New Haven. p. 86.
[1] Jain, E.K. (2001). Corruption: A Review. Journal of Economic Surveys.
Vol. 15 (1) pp.71-116.
[2] Murphy, K. M. Shleifer, A. and Vishry, R. (1991). The allocation of
talent: the implications for growth. Quarterly Journal of Economics, Vol.
106. pp. 503-530.
[3] Bukovansky, B. (2010). The Hollowness of Anti-corruption Discourse,
in M. Johnston (ed), Public Sector Corruption, Sage Publications:
London.
[4] de Graaf, D., and Huberts L.W. J. C. (2008). Portraying the nature of
corruption using an explorative case study design, Public Administration
Review, July/August, pp. 640-653.
[5] Pellegrini, L. and Gerlagh, R. (2008). Causes of corruption: a survey of
cross-country analyses and extended results. Economics of Governance.
Vol. 9. pp. 245-263.
[6] de Graaf, D., and Huberts L.W. J. C. (2008). Portraying the nature of
corruption using an explorative case study design, p. 641.
[7] Alemann, U. von (2004). The unknown depths of political theory: the
case of multidimensional concept of corruption. Crime. Law and Social
Change. Vol. 42. p. 29
[8] Moustakas, C. (1994). Phenomenological Research Methods. Sage.
Thousand Oaks. California.
[9] Sarantakos, S. (2005). Social Research Methods. Macmillan, Melbourne.
[10] Eisenhardt, K. M. (1989). Building theories from case study research.
Academy of Management Review. Vol. 14 (4). pp. 532-550.
[11] Schön, D.A. (1983). The Reflexive Practitioner: How professionals
think in action. Basic Book. New York.
[12] de Graaf, D., and Huberts L.W. J. C. (2008). Portraying the nature of
corruption using an explorative case study design.
[13] Bourdieu, P. (1977). Outline of a Theory of Practice. Cambridge
University Press, Cambridge.
[14] Rose-Ackerman, S. (2010). The Economics of Corruption, Public Sector
Corruption, M. Johnston (ed.) Sage Publications: London.
[15] Collier, M. (2002). Explaining Corruption: An institutional approach.
Crime, Law and Social Change. Vol. 38 pp. 1-32.
[16] Punch, H. (2000). Police corruption and its prevention. European Journal
on Criminal Policy and Research. Vol 8. pp. 301-324.
[17] de Graaf, G. (2007). Causes of Corruption: Towards of contextual theory
of corruption. Public Administration Quarterly. Vol. 9. Spring. pp. 39-
86.
[18] Sarantakos, S. (2005). Social Research Methods. pp. 11-12.
[19] Transparency International Australia. www.tranparency.org.au
[20] Husserl, E. (1933). Ideas: General Introduction to Pure Phenomenology
and to a Phenomenological Philosophy. Allen and Unwin: London.
[21] Heidegger, M. (1962). Being and Time. Harper & Row: New York.
[22] Merleau-Ponty, M. (1965). The Structure of Behaviour. Methuen:
London.
[23] Levinas, E. Otherwise than Being or Beyond Essence. Martinus Nijhoff,
The Hague.
[24] Schutz, A. and Luckman, T. (1973). Structures of the Life World.
Northwestern University Press: USA.
[25] Darley, J. M. (1992). Organisation for the production of evil.
Psychological Inquiry. Vol. 3 (2) pp. 199-221.
[26] Doig, A., Watt, D., Williams, R. (2007). Why do developing country
anti-corruption commissions fail to deal with corruption? Understanding
the three dilemmas of organisational development, performance
expectation and donor and government cycles. Public Administration
and Development. Vol. 27 pp. 251-259.
[27] Gregory, R. J. (1999). Social capital theory and administrative reform:
maintaining ethical probity in public service. Public Administration
Review. Vol. 59 (1) pp. 63-76.
[28] Elder-Voss. D. (2007). Reconciling Archer and Bourdieu in an
emergentist theory of action. Sociological Theory. Vol. 25 (5) p.328
[29] Bourdieu, P. (1977). Outline of a Theory of Practice. p.56
[30] Schutz, A. (1970). Reflections on the Theory of Relevance, Yale
University Press, New Haven. p. 86.
@article{"International Journal of Business, Human and Social Sciences:54964", author = "Yvonne T. Haigh", title = "Conflict, Confusion, Choice: A Phenomenological Approach to Acts of Corruption", abstract = "Public sector corruption has long-term and damaging
effects that are deep and broad. Addressing corruption relies on
understanding the drivers that precipitate acts of corruption and
developing educational programs that target areas of vulnerability.
This paper provides an innovative approach to explore the nature of
corruption by drawing on the perceptions and ideas of a group of
public servants who have been part of a corruption investigation. The
paper examines these reflections through the ideas of Pierre Bourdieu
and Alfred Schutz to point to some of the steps that can lead to
corrupt activity. The paper demonstrates that phenomenological
inquiry is useful in the exploration of corruption and, as a theoretical
framework, it highlights that corruption emerges through a
combination of conflict, doubt and uncertainty. The paper calls for
anti-corruption education programs to be attentive to way in which
these conditions can influence the steps into corruption.", keywords = "Phenomenology, choice, conflict, corruption.", volume = "7", number = "3", pages = "670-5", }
