This work focuses on the relationship between national culture and corruption. After conducting a thorough study on the topic and taking insights from the interviews with experts, this paper aims to fill in this gap and make a contribution to the research topic by taking a cultural approach, in which determinants of corruption in are examined.
This paper will provide new findings how the cultural aspects interrelate with the two concepts, i.e. economic and institutional. The research will close the gap between the economic and institutional approaches that currently exist in the academic world. The relevance of this consideration is justified because the costs associated with corruption do not affect only the economic outcomes. Its impact on society is much wider, what makes it relevant to research the cultural aspect of corruption and, therefore, close this existing gap.
Corruption has become one of the forefront managerial issues both at the national and international levels. The concept of corruption is complex and multilateral and it varies across countries. Its different types of expressiveness and intensity can be felt all over the world and have the potential to cause severe complications for a country’s economy and environmental sustainability.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Literature Review
Research Method
Study 1: Quantitative Analysis
Sample
Data Analysis
Quantitative findings
Study 2: Qualitative Analysis
Sample approach
Data collection
Data Analysis
Qualitative findings
Discussion
Research Objectives and Themes
This research aims to investigate the influence of national culture on the levels of corruption at a country level, specifically focusing on the public sector. By utilizing a mixed methods approach, the study seeks to bridge the gap in existing academic literature which primarily emphasizes institutional and economic factors while neglecting cultural determinants.
- The role of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions in predicting corruption levels.
- The relationship between Power Distance and corruption.
- The impact of Masculinity versus Femininity on different types of corruption.
- Comparative analysis between quantitative findings and expert qualitative insights.
- The influence of socio-economic control variables such as GDP and democracy levels.
Excerpt from the Book
Research Method
The target of the research is to identify and explore whether national culture influences the level of corruption at a country level. To achieve this aim the mixed methods research has been chosen to analyze our topic. In particular, the fully mixed sequential dominant status design has been taken as the most appropriate type of mixed methods research for analyzing corruption at a country level (Leech & Onwuegbuzie, 2007: 271-272). The mixed method research applies to a methodology of research, which moves forward the systematic combination of quantitative and qualitative data within a distinct study “for the broad purposes of breadth and depth of understanding and corroboration” (Johnson et al. 2007: 123). Such integration allows a higher level of completeness and symbiotic utilization of available data than permit separate quantitative and qualitative data selection and analysis (Johnson et al., 2007; Wisdom, Creswell, 2013).
In this project quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analyzed in two phases accordingly; the emphasis is made on the qualitative phase primarily focusing on the data acquired from the experts’ interviews. As Johnson and Onwuegbuzie (2004) clarify, both research methods have their strengths and weaknesses. Quantitative research has a narrow focus and has a predefined structure and content. However, the quantitative method is not focused at clarifying the actual reasons behind the relationship and therefore building an in-depth explanation of the problem. In its turn, the qualitative research method is more convenient for clarifying the actual reasons behind the relationship with in depth interviews but lacks the ability to clarify the strength of the relationship (Johnson et al., 2007; Wisdom, Creswell, 2013).
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: This chapter introduces the global issue of corruption, provides definitions, and establishes the research gap regarding the cultural perspective of corruption.
Literature Review: This section reviews existing academic theories on culture, focusing on Hofstede's six cultural dimensions and their potential theoretical links to public sector corruption.
Research Method: This chapter outlines the chosen mixed methods approach, justifying the use of a fully mixed sequential dominant status design to integrate quantitative data and qualitative expert interviews.
Study 1: Quantitative Analysis: This section details the statistical analysis of corruption indices across 96 countries, incorporating GDP and democracy levels as control variables.
Study 2: Qualitative Analysis: This chapter presents the methodology and findings from semi-structured interviews with four anti-corruption experts, providing nuanced context to the quantitative data.
Discussion: This final chapter synthesizes the results, offering theoretical and practical implications for organizations operating internationally and suggesting directions for future research.
Keywords
Corruption, National Culture, Hofstede, Power Distance, Masculinity, Femininity, Mixed Methods Research, Public Sector, Transparency International, Corruption Perception Index, Qualitative Analysis, Quantitative Analysis, Governance, Institutional Theory, Anti-Corruption.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The research explores the influence of national culture on the level of corruption within the public sector at a national level.
What are the primary themes discussed in this work?
The study centers on the relationship between Hofstede's cultural dimensions—specifically Power Distance and Masculinity/Femininity—and corruption, while also considering institutional factors.
What is the main research objective?
The objective is to identify and explore whether national cultural aspects serve as determinants for corruption, filling a gap left by purely economic or institutional studies.
Which methodology is employed in the study?
The authors use a mixed methods research design, specifically a fully mixed sequential dominant status design, combining statistical analysis with semi-structured expert interviews.
What does the main body of the work cover?
It covers a literature review on culture and corruption, a quantitative regression analysis of 96 countries, and a qualitative analysis involving interviews with corruption experts.
Which keywords best describe this research?
Key terms include Corruption, National Culture, Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions, Mixed Methods Research, and Transparency International.
Why did the authors choose to include a qualitative study alongside the quantitative one?
The authors found that quantitative data alone lacked the depth to explain the "why" behind the identified relationships, necessitating expert interviews to uncover contextual nuances.
How does the distinction between 'grand' and 'petty' corruption affect the findings?
The qualitative results suggest that different cultural dimensions may stimulate different types of corruption: Masculinity might be linked to grand corruption, while Femininity may be correlated with petty corruption or favouritism.
What is the significance of the 'control variables' in the quantitative study?
GDP and the Democracy Index were used as control variables to account for the economic and political context of corruption, allowing for a more accurate assessment of the relationship with cultural factors.
- Quote paper
- Anonym (Author), 2019, The Relationship between National Culture and Corruption. A mixed Methods Research, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/494508
