The objective of this master thesis is to depict the energy environment regarding the various sources of energy, the correlation of energy mixes, various trends of transition and mainly corruption of these preceding aspects. An insight of successful and failing counter-measures is also provided.
Along the analysis of numerous case studies a focus on “Extracted Key Factors” of the explored and evaluated characteristics of corruption and the energy sector is placed upon. The term corruption in an economic environment is defined as fraud, bribery, immorality and misuse of power, however the actual scope is greater, as the interdependencies of nations, economies and their corresponding interactions create disruptions and discrepancies – especially when lobbying is exploited. Misinformation and the corruption of data are the most difficult research topics, as science should not be misused in forcing an opinion with falsifying facts for instance and must not lead to technical provable contradictions.
The approach to fight corruption is most likely to be efficient and successful if performed supranational on all public sectors - with adaptations to the energy sector - by all means with high collaborative efforts.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1 Foreword
1.2 Side Remark on Deregulation and Corruption
1.3 Regulatory Agencies – under constant pressure
1.4 When Structures are reshaped
2. The Effects of Corruption
2.1 Definition Area of Corruption
2.2 Measurement of Corruption
2.3 Area of Impact
3. Role of Regulation and its Methods
3.1 Rate of Return Regulation – ROR
3.2 Revenue Cap
3.3 Incentive Regulation
3.3.1 Price Cap
3.3.2 Yardstick Regulation – Benchmarking
3.3.3 Earnings Sharing
4. General Structure of Energy Markets
4.1 Outline of the U.S Market
4.2 Outline of the EU Market
5. Geographical Analysis of Significant Factors
5.1 Analysis of the Corruption Perception Index (CPI)
5.2 Correlation of the CPI and the respective Energy Sector Performance
5.3 Bribe Payer’s Index 2011
6. Case Studies of Corruption and Counter-Measures
6.1 Speculation and Artificial Shortages – Case of California
6.1.1 History in a nutshell
6.1.2 Enron – ask why.
6.2 Theft of Power – Case of Turkey
6.3 Integrity loss by Alienation – Case of Argentina, Nigeria etc.
6.4 Cash Flow Redirection – Case of Ukraine
7. Extracted Key Factors
7.1 Subsidies and Social Welfare
7.2 Financial Innovations
7.2.1 Market Trade
7.2.2 Mark to Market – Accounting Methods
7.2.3 Advancement into New Sectors
7.3 The Finiteness of Resources
7.4 Misinformation - Corruption of data
7.5 Lobbying as a Destabilizer
8. Application of Counter-Measures
8.1 The U.K. Bribery Act as a showcase model
8.2 Code of Conduct – Lessons (to be) Learned
9. Recap
Objectives and Core Topics
The primary objective of this master thesis is to analyze the energy sector's environment, specifically focusing on the intersection between various energy sources, energy market trends, and the prevalence of corruption. It aims to explore how corruption affects the sector and evaluates the efficacy of different regulatory and counter-measure strategies globally.
- Corruption mechanisms within the energy sector.
- The influence of deregulation and market restructuring on corruptive opportunities.
- Comparative analysis of energy markets and corruption indices (CPI/BPI).
- Case studies of major energy sector failures and scandals (e.g., Enron, Turkey, Ukraine).
- The role of regulatory methods, subsidies, and lobbying as potential drivers or mitigators of corruption.
Excerpt from the Book
1.1 Foreword
The energy sector is figuratively seen the motor of not only (real-) economy, technology, machinery, but life itself depending of the definition of standards of society. In such an important field corruption leads to multiple negative results such as a decreased speed in technology research, health issues, decreased life standards, monetary losses, (partially permanent) damages to the environment and also spreads out to other sectors (as higher prices for energy may enforce less competition in various business areas, which is less beneficial from the point of view of total social welfare).
The incentive to use corruption methods is rather high reasoned by (mostly) ineffective counter-measures, powerless regulation agencies, inadequate penalties (or even immunity), a history of “corruption culture” and mostly a disrupted government.
The objective of this master thesis is to depict the energy sector environment regarding the various sources of energy, the correlation of energy mixes, various trends of transition and mainly corruption of these preceding aspects. A view of successful probable and failing counter-measures will also be provided.
The introduction enables a broad outline of deregulation, regulatory agencies and the process of restructuring in aspect to corruption.
A unique part will be the comparison of the general corruption in the public sector of various countries and the perceived corruptive behavior in the energy sector. Considering the setting of the energy sector, namely the attribute of supra nationality and its cross-linking to the financial sector, the greater cases cannot be limited to countries (or even small time frame).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the importance of the energy sector, the prevalence of corruption, and the thesis's objective to examine regulatory challenges and corruption within this field.
2. The Effects of Corruption: Defines corruption in an economic context, discusses measurement difficulties, and analyzes its broad impact on social welfare and technology.
3. Role of Regulation and its Methods: Reviews regulatory frameworks like ROR, Revenue Cap, and Incentive Regulation, highlighting the struggle of balancing fair pricing and quality.
4. General Structure of Energy Markets: Provides an overview of the U.S. and EU energy markets, contrasting their regulatory policies, efficiency, and transition goals.
5. Geographical Analysis of Significant Factors: Uses the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) and Bribe Payer’s Index (BPI) to correlate general corruption with energy sector performance across selected nations.
6. Case Studies of Corruption and Counter-Measures: Investigates specific instances of market failure and corruption, including California's energy crisis, power theft in Turkey, and cash flow mismanagement in Ukraine.
7. Extracted Key Factors: Consolidates findings on subsidies, financial innovation, resource finiteness, data misinformation, and lobbying as destabilizing factors.
8. Application of Counter-Measures: Examines the U.K. Bribery Act as a model for anti-corruption and discusses the necessity of codes of conduct and transparent information access.
9. Recap: Summarizes the necessity for consistent, supranational anti-corruption strategies and underscores that history often repeats itself due to the neglect of learned lessons.
Keywords
Corruption, Energy Market, Regulation, Deregulation, Social Welfare, Lobbying, Enron, Sustainability, Bribery, Energy Policy, CPI, Transparency, Financial Innovation, Resource Finiteness, Counter-measures.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this master thesis?
The thesis focuses on examining the relationship between the energy sector and corruption, analyzing how regulatory frameworks fail or succeed in preventing corruptive behavior across different countries and regions.
What are the central thematic fields addressed?
The main themes include energy market deregulation, the role of regulatory agencies, the impact of subsidies and lobbying, and the critical influence of financial innovation on market stability.
What is the primary objective or research question?
The research aims to depict the energy sector environment, identify how corruption disrupts this system, and provide an overview of successful and failing counter-measures against these corruptive practices.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The thesis utilizes a mix of comparative analysis, examination of indices like the CPI, and case study evaluations of market failures, supported by an overview of existing regulation theory.
What topics are discussed in the main part?
The main part covers the role of regulatory methods, global market structures (U.S./EU), geographical analysis of corruption, specific case studies (California, Turkey, Ukraine), and a discussion of key factors like resource scarcity and misinformation.
Which keywords define this work?
Key terms include corruption, energy market, regulation, sustainability, lobbying, and financial innovation, reflecting the thesis's focus on the intersection of economics and ethics in energy.
How did the California energy crisis illustrate regulatory failure?
The crisis demonstrated how deregulation without adequate monitoring, combined with Enron's manipulative financial practices, created artificial shortages and led to a complete market breakdown.
What role does 'lobbying' play as a destabilizer according to the author?
The author identifies lobbying as a factor that is often difficult to distinguish from bribery, noting that it leads to market distortions by securing subsidies that may not be aligned with long-term efficiency or sustainability.
How does the U.K. Bribery Act serve as a showcase model?
It acts as a model by broadening the jurisdictional reach of anti-bribery laws, capturing both private sector corruption and overseas bribery, which provides a framework that other nations can adapt.
What is the author's conclusion on the future of energy regulation?
The author concludes that history often repeats itself and that responsive, supranational regulatory mechanisms are essential to combat corruption and maintain a steady, fair energy supply.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Marc-Joel Fortelny (Autor:in), 2013, The effects of corruption and counter-measures in the energy market on a regional, national and supranational level, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/264033
