Corruption has become one of the most notoriously persistent and progressively worsening social problems afflicting Zimbabwe today, and this is indisputable. Corruption is most unwanted in the society especially by those not involved, but it is blamed by those who practice it, just to divert attention. Important to note is that corruption is as old as the government, total elimination is impossible, but it should be barred to reach serious levels. This study seeks to empirically investigate the nature of corruption in Zimbabwe. The study uses a questionnaire approach to explore various dimensions of existing corruption and its impact on the society. A total of 835 participants countrywide correctly completed the questionnaire and electronically submitted. Included in this total are questionnaires that were hand distributed. The study utilises the weighted average approach to design various indices for policy derivation. On a scale of 1-10, the corruption index intensity was found to be 6.8 indicating serious levels of corruption in the economy. Nepotism/Favouritism/Cronysim and bribery/kickbacks/gifts have been found to be the major corruption forms in the society. Corruption networks have been confirmed to exist in society and commonly emanates from school and work; this is in line with the Social Learning theory. The study also found out that the Anti-Corruption body is ineffective to address corruption issues, and it is not autonomous from politics, and therefore concentrate on petty corruption rather than grand corruption. Determinants of corruption include poor remuneration, income inequality, job insecurity, greediness and economic instability. The best ways to harness corruption is to improve the political will, individual solutions and law enforcement.
Table of Contents
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY
1.2 RESEARCH PROBLEMS
1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1.4 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
1.5 HYPOTHESIS
1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
1.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
1.8 OUTLINE OF THE STUDY
2.0 INTRODUCTION
2.1 CONSEQUENCES OF CORRUPTION
2.2 BASIC CORRUPTION MODEL
2.3 CORRUPTION LEVELS IN AFRICA
2.4 CORRUPTION LEVELS IN ZIMBABWE
2.5 ZIMBABWE ANTICORRUPTION COMMISSION
2.6 DEFINITIONS AND TYPES OF CORRUPTION
2.6.1 SYSTEMIC CORRUPTION
2.6.2 SPORADIC (INDIVIDUAL) CORRUPTION
2.6.3 POLITICAL (GRAND) CORRUPTION
2.6.4 PETTY CORRUPTION
2.6.5 LEGAL AND MORAL CORRUPTION
2.7 FORMS OF CORRUPTION
2.7.1 BRIBERY
2.7.2 GHOSTING
2.7.3 NEPOTISM
2.7.4 PATRONAGE
2.7.5 BID-RIGGING
2.7.6 GRAFT
2.7.7 EMBEZZLEMENT
2.7.8 BLACKMAILING
2.7.9 CRONYISM
2.7.10 EXTORTION
2.7.11 KICKBACK
2.7.12 FRAUD
2.7.13 KLEPTOCRACY
2.7.14 SPOILATION
2.7.15 GIFTS
2.7.16 CARTELS AND COLLUSION
2.7.17 LENIENCY
2.7.18 TRADING IN INFLUENCE/INFLUENCE PEDDLING
2.7.19 CLIENTELISM
2.7.20 FAVOURITISM
2.8 CONCLUSION
3.0 INTRODUCTION
3.1 THEORETICAL LITERATURE REVIEW
3.1.1 X-INEFFICIENCY THEORY
3.1.2 NEOCLASSICAL THEORY
3.1.3 DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATION THEORY
3.1.4 SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY
3.1.5 A PRINCIPAL-AGENT MODEL OF CORRUPTION
3.2 EMPIRICAL LITERATURE
3.3 CONCLUSION
4.0 INTRODUCTION
4.1 RESEARCH DESIGN
4.2 QUALITATIVE APPROACHES
4.3 SUBJECTS/POPULATION
4.4 RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS
4.5 DATA COLLECTION AND COLLECTION PROCEDURE
4.6 PRESENTATIONS AND ANALYSIS PROCEDURE
4.7 QUESTIONNAIRE DISCUSSION
4.8 CONCLUSION
5.0 INTRODUCTION
5.1 SAMPLE SIZE
5.2 DEMOGRAPHICS
5.3 NATURE OF CORRUPTION
5.4 SECTORAL CORRUPTION
5.5 CORRUPTION AND AGE GROUPS
5.6 CORRUPTION AND GENDER
5.7 CORRUPTION NETWORKS
5.8 CURBING CORRUPTION
5.9 DETERMINANTS OF CORRUPTION
5.10 IMPACT OF CORRUPTION
5.11 ANTI-CORRUPTION BODY EFFICIENCY ASSESSMENT
5.12 CONCLUSION
6.0 INTRODUCTION
6.1 SUMMARY
6.2 CONCLUSION
6.3 RECOMMENDATIONS
6.4 FUTURE AREAS OF RESEARCH
Research Goals and Themes
This thesis aims to empirically investigate the nature, intensity, and underlying causes of corruption in Zimbabwe across various economic and social sectors. The research seeks to identify prevalent corruption forms, analyze the role of corruption networks, and evaluate the effectiveness of existing anti-corruption institutions to provide evidence-based policy recommendations for economic stability and development.
- Empirical analysis of corruption intensity and prevalent forms in Zimbabwe.
- Evaluation of corruption networks and their impact on administrative and economic efficiency.
- Assessment of the effectiveness and political autonomy of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission.
- Identification of key socio-economic determinants of corruption, including greed, income inequality, and job insecurity.
- Development of strategic policy recommendations to mitigate systemic corruption.
Excerpt from the Book
2.6.1 SYSTEMIC CORRUPTION
Systemic or endemic corruption is when corruption is an integrated and essential aspect of the economic, political and social system, when it is implanted in a wider situation that helps sustain it. Systemic corruption is not a special type of corrupt practice, but rather a situation in which the key institutions and processes of the state are routinely conquered and used by corrupt people and groups, and in which most people have no options to dealing with corrupt officials. In Zimbabwe it now seems a right to undertake corrupt activities to earn a living. Some bribes are demanded openly for a service to be rendered. Individuals who do not want to pay bribes usually suffer delays or risk losing the service. In some organisation there is now a standard fee for an act to be done e.g fee for obtaining a driver’s licence, public drinking, overloaded vehicles, traffic fines, jumping ques at the clinic or customs duty violation. It seems there is a designed formula to calculate the amount of bribe needed.
Summary of Chapters
CHAPTER ONE: Provides an introduction to the research, defining the scope, problem statement, and objectives regarding the corruption crisis in Zimbabwe.
CHAPTER TWO: Establishes the background of the study, detailing various definitions, types, and consequences of corruption within the Zimbabwean and broader African context.
CHAPTER THREE: Reviews the relevant theoretical frameworks and empirical literature, including X-inefficiency theory, social learning theory, and principal-agent models.
CHAPTER FOUR: Outlines the research methodology, describing the qualitative approach, data collection via questionnaires, and variables used to investigate the nature of corruption.
CHAPTER FIVE: Presents the analysis of the gathered data, utilizing tables and figures to interpret the intensity and determinants of corruption in Zimbabwe.
CHAPTER SIX: Summarizes the study's findings, draws final conclusions, and offers policy recommendations for curbing corruption and future areas of research.
Keywords
Corruption, Zimbabwe, Systemic Corruption, Bribery, Nepotism, Economic Development, Anti-Corruption Commission, Social Learning Theory, Public Administration, Political Economy, Corruption Networks, Fraud, Governance, Economic Instability, Institutional Reform.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this thesis?
The thesis conducts an empirical investigation into the nature, intensity, and impact of corruption within the Zimbabwean economy across both public and private sectors.
What are the central themes explored in the study?
Central themes include the forms of corruption (such as nepotism, bribery, and fraud), the role of social networks, the impact of economic indicators like unemployment and income inequality, and the efficiency of the Anti-Corruption Commission.
What is the core objective of the research?
The primary objective is to explore the intensity and types of corruption in Zimbabwe and determine how these factors can be harnessed through effective policy intervention.
Which methodology does the author apply?
The study utilizes a qualitative approach, employing questionnaires to collect primary data from 835 participants across various institutions in Zimbabwe, analyzed through weighted index methods.
What topics are covered in the main body of the work?
The work covers theoretical frameworks of corruption, empirical evidence from various countries, detailed survey analysis of the Zimbabwean context, and an assessment of anti-corruption strategies.
What are the defining keywords for this research?
Keywords include Corruption, Zimbabwe, Systemic Corruption, Bribery, Nepotism, Economic Development, Anti-Corruption Commission, and Institutional Reform.
Why are corruption networks considered a significant focus in this study?
The study highlights how corruption networks—formed via friends, schoolmates, and workmates—serve to lower the probability of corruption detection, thus perpetuating its cycle.
How does the study evaluate the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission?
The study concludes that the Commission is largely ineffective and often perceived as lacking autonomy from political interference, concentrating on petty rather than grand corruption.
What does the study identify as major determinants of corruption?
The most significant determinants identified are greed, lower salaries, income inequality, and job insecurity.
- Citation du texte
- Wellington Garikai Bonga (Auteur), 2014, An Empirical Investigation of the Nature of Corruption in Zimbabwe, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/282390
