Bribery and corruption – Challenges and potential solutions in multinational corporationsThis article draws on the author’s PhD thesis (2017) on Anti-Bribery Compliance Incentives submitted to the University of Kassel and published by Kassel University Press.Fabian Teichmann

Eastern European countries have been trying for decades to eliminate corruption. Potential solutions have included the self-regulation of markets; political reforms; legal requirements; and approaches based in ethics and in organisational theory. However, corruption continues to dominate the business sphere, and particularly in multinationals. This article takes an innovative approach, arguing that it is employees’ willingness to act in compliance that needs to be fostered. First, however, it highlights the recognition of the importance of the fight against corruption, and strategies to tackle this; and also introduces the OECD framework for combating bribery and the problems in practice which the implementation of this framework has frequently encountered. The OECD framework has led companies to argue that they want employees to act in compliance with the anti-bribery framework, but their bonus systems often incentivise employees towards bribery. This article argues that bonus systems should instead reward both compliance and productivity; and that such an innovative approach could help to eliminate bribery.