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Cultural Discrepancy and National Corruption: Investigating the Difference between Cultural Values and Practices and Its Relationship to Corrupt Behavior

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 May 2016

Katja Gelbrich ,
Yvonne Stedham  and
Daniel Gäthke
Katja Gelbrich
Affiliation:
Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt
Yvonne Stedham
Affiliation:
University of Nevada, Reno
Daniel Gäthke
Affiliation:
Roland Meinl Musikinstrumente GmbH & Co. KG
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Abstract:

The relationship between culture and corruption has been the focus of various studies, producing inconsistent results. We suggest that these inconsistencies might be due to the conceptualization and measurement of culture. Drawing on the possible value/fact dichotomy discussed in ethical philosophy, we introduce the construct of cultural discrepancy—the difference between cultural values (“ought”) and practices (“is”)—as a predictor of pervasive (i.e., fully institutionalized and predictable) and arbitrary (i.e., uncertain and relatively unorganized) corruption. Examining the relationship between the discrepancies observed in the GLOBE cultural dimensions and the Corruption Perception Index shows that in-group collectivism discrepancy is negatively related to pervasive corruption; future orientation discrepancy is positively related to arbitrary corruption. Further, we show that these relationships are contingent on national wealth. The negative relationship for in-group collectivism discrepancy is most pronounced in poor and moderately wealthy countries, and the positive relationship for future orientation discrepancy is most pronounced in rich countries.

Keywords

corruptionculturecultural discrepancyvalue/fact dichotomycross-cultural managementnational wealth
Type
Articles
Information
Business Ethics Quarterly , Volume 26 , Issue 2 , April 2016 , pp. 201 - 225
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Business Ethics 2016 

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