IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/vrs/seejeb/v12y2017i2p20-34n2.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The nature of corruption affecting entrepreneurship in transition economies: Some lessons from Montenegro

Author

Listed:
  • Williams Nick

    (Associate Professor in Enterprise, Centre for Enterprise and Entrepreneurship, Studies, Business School, The University of Leeds)

  • Radevic Dragana

    (Associate Professor in Institute for Entrepreneurship and Economic Development, University of Donja Gorica, Montenegro)

  • Gherhes Cristian

    (Centre for Regional Economic and Enterprise Development, Management School, The University of Sheffield)

  • Vorley Tim

    (Professor of Entrepreneurship, Centre for Regional Economic and Enterprise Development, Management School, The University of Sheffield)

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to examine how the institutional environment impacts the nature of corruption affecting entrepreneurship in transition economies. Drawing on a survey and in-depth interviews with entrepreneurs in Montenegro, the paper finds that corruption is a pervasive presence which has not been ameliorated despite economic reforms. Montenegro is a transition economy which has made significant strides in terms of creating a more open market economy. However, reforms have often overlooked corruption which remains prevalent, and the institutional environment has left space for officials and entrepreneurs to engage in corrupt practices. The paper shows that although it takes different forms, corruption can be viewed as a cultural impediment even if the majority of entrepreneurs are not exposed to it.

Suggested Citation

  • Williams Nick & Radevic Dragana & Gherhes Cristian & Vorley Tim, 2017. "The nature of corruption affecting entrepreneurship in transition economies: Some lessons from Montenegro," South East European Journal of Economics and Business, Sciendo, vol. 12(2), pages 20-34, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:vrs:seejeb:v:12:y:2017:i:2:p:20-34:n:2
    DOI: 10.1515/jeb-2017-0014
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1515/jeb-2017-0014
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1515/jeb-2017-0014?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Rajeev K. Goel & Michael A. Nelson, 2005. "Economic Freedom Versus Political Freedom: Cross‐Country Influences On Corruption," Australian Economic Papers, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(2), pages 121-133, June.
    2. Zoltán J. Ács & Colm O'Gorman & László Szerb & Siri Terjesen, 2015. "Could the Irish Miracle be Repeated in Hungary?," Chapters, in: Global Entrepreneurship, Institutions and Incentives, chapter 30, pages 584-603, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    3. Williams Colin C. & Yang Junhong, 2017. "Evaluating the Use of Personal Networks to Circumvent Formal Processes: A Case Study of Vruzki in Bulgaria," South East European Journal of Economics and Business, Sciendo, vol. 12(1), pages 57-67, April.
    4. Montinola, Gabriella R. & Jackman, Robert W., 2002. "Sources of Corruption: A Cross-Country Study," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 32(1), pages 147-170, January.
    5. Gary S. Becker, 1974. "Crime and Punishment: An Economic Approach," NBER Chapters, in: Essays in the Economics of Crime and Punishment, pages 1-54, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Susan Rose‐Ackerman, 2001. "Trust and Honesty in Post‐Socialist Societies," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(2‐3), pages 415-443, May.
    7. Swamy, Anand & Knack, Stephen & Lee, Young & Azfar, Omar, 2001. "Gender and corruption," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(1), pages 25-55, February.
    8. Aidis, Ruta & Adachi, Yuko, 2007. "Russia: Firm entry and survival barriers," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 31(4), pages 391-411, December.
    9. Tyler Cowen & Christopher Coyne, 2005. "Postwar Reconstruction: Some Insights from Public Choice and Institutional Economics," Constitutional Political Economy, Springer, vol. 16(1), pages 31-48, January.
    10. Anokhin, Sergey & Schulze, William S., 2009. "Entrepreneurship, innovation, and corruption," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 24(5), pages 465-476, September.
    11. Adnan Efendic & Tomasz Marek Mickiewicz & Anna Rebmann, 2013. "Growth Aspirations and Social Capital: Young Firms in a Post-Conflict Environment," UCL SSEES Economics and Business working paper series 122, UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES).
    12. Nick Williams & Tim Vorley, 2017. "Fostering productive entrepreneurship in post-conflict economies: the importance of institutional alignment," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(5-6), pages 444-466, May.
    13. Aidis, Ruta & Estrin, Saul & Mickiewicz, Tomasz, 2008. "Institutions and entrepreneurship development in Russia: A comparative perspective," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 23(6), pages 656-672, November.
    14. Hudson John & Williams Colin & Nadin Sara & Orviska Marta, 2012. "Evaluating the Impact of the Informal Economy on Businesses in South East Europe: Some Lessons from the 2009 World Bank Enterprise Survey," South East European Journal of Economics and Business, Sciendo, vol. 7(1), pages 99-110, April.
    15. Koman, Matjaž & Lakićević, Milan & Prašnikar, Janez & Svejnar, Jan, 2015. "Asset stripping and firm survival in mass privatization: Testing the Hoff-Stiglitz and Campos-Giovannoni models in Montenegro," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 43(2), pages 274-289.
    16. Estrin, Saul & Korosteleva, Julia & Mickiewicz, Tomasz, 2013. "Which institutions encourage entrepreneurial growth aspirations?," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 28(4), pages 564-580.
    17. Ruta Aidis & Julia Korosteleva & Tomasz Marek Mickiewicz, 2008. "Entrepreneurship in Russia," UCL SSEES Economics and Business working paper series 88, UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES).
    18. Garry D. Bruton & David Ahlstrom & Krzysztof Obloj, 2008. "Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies: Where Are We Today and Where Should the Research Go in the Future," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 32(1), pages 1-14, January.
    19. Treisman, Daniel, 2000. "The causes of corruption: a cross-national study," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 76(3), pages 399-457, June.
    20. Andvig, Jens Chr. & Moene, Karl Ove, 1990. "How corruption may corrupt," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 13(1), pages 63-76, January.
    21. Friederike Welter, 2011. "Contextualizing Entrepreneurship—Conceptual Challenges and Ways Forward," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 35(1), pages 165-184, January.
    22. Luo, Yadong, 2005. "An Organizational Perspective of Corruption1," Management and Organization Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 1(1), pages 119-154, March.
    23. Besnik A. Krasniqi & Muhamet Mustafa, 2016. "Small firm growth in a post-conflict environment: the role of human capital, institutional quality, and managerial capacities," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 12(4), pages 1165-1207, December.
    24. Tatiana S. Manolova & Rangamohan V. Eunni & Bojidar S. Gyoshev, 2008. "Institutional Environments for Entrepreneurship: Evidence from Emerging Economies in Eastern Europe," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 32(1), pages 203-218, January.
    25. Sheila M. Puffer & Daniel J. McCarthy & Max Boisot, 2010. "Entrepreneurship in Russia and China: The Impact of Formal Institutional Voids," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 34(3), pages 441-467, May.
    26. Swati Basu & Saul Estrin & Jan Svejnar, 2005. "Employment Determination in Enterprises under Communism and in Transition: Evidence from Central Europe," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 58(3), pages 353-369, April.
    27. Adnan Efendic & Geoff Pugh & Nick Adnett, 2011. "Confidence in formal institutions and reliance on informal institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina," The Economics of Transition, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, vol. 19(3), pages 521-540, July.
    28. Baumol, William J., 1996. "Entrepreneurship: Productive, unproductive, and destructive," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 11(1), pages 3-22, January.
    29. Vartuhí Tonoyan & Robert Strohmeyer & Mohsin Habib & Manfred Perlitz, 2010. "Corruption and Entrepreneurship: How Formal and Informal Institutions Shape Small Firm Behavior in Transition and Mature Market Economies," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 34(5), pages 803-832, September.
    30. David Ahlstrom & Garry D. Bruton, 2002. "An Institutional Perspective on the Role of Culture in Shaping Strategic Actions by Technology-Focused Entrepreneurial Firms in China," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 26(4), pages 53-68, July.
    31. Andrew Spicer, 2009. "The Normalization of Corrupt Business Practices: Implications for Integrative Social Contracts Theory (ISCT)," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 88(4), pages 833-840, October.
    32. Gerring, John & Thacker, Strom C., 2005. "Do Neoliberal Policies Deter Political Corruption?," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 59(1), pages 233-254, January.
    33. Broadman, Harry G. & Recanatini, Francesca, 2000. "Seeds of corruption - Do market institutions matter?," Policy Research Working Paper Series 2368, The World Bank.
    34. Williams Colin C. & Franic Josip & Dzhekova Rositsa, 2015. "Explaining the Undeclared Economy in Bulgaria: an Institutional Asymmetry Perspective," South East European Journal of Economics and Business, Sciendo, vol. 9(2), pages 33-45, March.
    35. Henrekson, Magnus, 2007. "Entrepreneurship and Institutions," Working Paper Series 707, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
    36. Zoltan Acs & Sameeksha Desai & Jolanda Hessels, 2008. "Entrepreneurship, economic development and institutions," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 31(3), pages 219-234, October.
    37. Imami Drini, 2012. "Corruption, Licensing and Elections - A New Analysis Framework," South East European Journal of Economics and Business, Sciendo, vol. 7(1), pages 93-97, April.
    38. Smallbone, David & Welter, Friederike, 2001. "The Distinctiveness of Entrepreneurship in Transition Economies," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 16(4), pages 249-262, June.
    39. Jelena Budak & Edo Rajh, 2011. "Corruption as an Obstacle for Doing Business in the Western Balkans: A Business Sector Perspective," Working Papers 1104, The Institute of Economics, Zagreb.
    40. Jack, Sarah L. & Anderson, Alistair R., 2002. "The effects of embeddedness on the entrepreneurial process," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 17(5), pages 467-487, September.
    41. Paldam, Martin, 2002. "The cross-country pattern of corruption: economics, culture and the seesaw dynamics," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 18(2), pages 215-240, June.
    42. Monder Ram & Nicholas Theodorakopoulos & Trevor Jones, 2008. "Forms of capital, mixed embeddedness and Somali enterprise," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 22(3), pages 427-446, September.
    43. Hunt, Jennifer & Laszlo, Sonia, 2012. "Is Bribery Really Regressive? Bribery’s Costs, Benefits, and Mechanisms," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 40(2), pages 355-372.
    44. Rose-Ackerman, Susan, 2001. "Trust and Honesty in Post-socialist Societies," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(2-3), pages 415-443.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Fadil Sahiti, 2021. "Institutions and entrepreneurial activity: a comparative analysis of Kosovo and other economies," Journal of Entrepreneurship and Public Policy, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 10(1), pages 98-119, February.
    2. Vartuhí Tonoyan & Robert Strohmeyer & Mohsin Habib & Manfred Perlitz, 2010. "Corruption and Entrepreneurship: How Formal and Informal Institutions Shape Small Firm Behavior in Transition and Mature Market Economies," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 34(5), pages 803-832, September.
    3. Kiss, Andreea N. & Danis, Wade M. & Cavusgil, S. Tamer, 2012. "International entrepreneurship research in emerging economies: A critical review and research agenda," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 266-290.
    4. Vershinina, Natalia & Rodgers, Peter & Tarba, Shlomo & Khan, Zaheer & Stokes, Peter, 2020. "Gaining legitimacy through proactive stakeholder management: The experiences of high-tech women entrepreneurs in Russia," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 111-121.
    5. Estrin, Saul & Korosteleva, Julia & Mickiewicz, Tomasz, 2013. "Which institutions encourage entrepreneurial growth aspirations?," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 28(4), pages 564-580.
    6. Aleksandrova, E. & Verkhovskaya, O., 2015. "Institutional determinants of necessity-driven entrepreneurship," Working Papers 6434, Graduate School of Management, St. Petersburg State University.
    7. Besnik A. Krasniqi & Sameeksha Desai, 2016. "Institutional drivers of high-growth firms: country-level evidence from 26 transition economies," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 47(4), pages 1075-1094, December.
    8. Traikova, Diana, 2013. "Determinants of non-farm entrepreneurial intentions in a transitional context: Evidence from rural Bulgaria," Studies on the Agricultural and Food Sector in Transition Economies, Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO), volume 72, number 72.
    9. David Urbano & Sebastian Aparicio & David Audretsch, 2019. "Twenty-five years of research on institutions, entrepreneurship, and economic growth: what has been learned?," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 53(1), pages 21-49, June.
    10. Zhe Cao & Xianwei Shi, 2021. "A systematic literature review of entrepreneurial ecosystems in advanced and emerging economies," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 57(1), pages 75-110, June.
    11. Eugen Dimant & Guglielmo Tosato, 2018. "Causes And Effects Of Corruption: What Has Past Decade'S Empirical Research Taught Us? A Survey," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(2), pages 335-356, April.
    12. Ivano Dileo & Thaís García Pereiro, 2019. "Assessing the impact of individual and context factors on the entrepreneurial process. A cross-country multilevel approach," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 15(4), pages 1393-1441, December.
    13. Ratan J. S. Dheer, 2017. "Cross-national differences in entrepreneurial activity: role of culture and institutional factors," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 48(4), pages 813-842, April.
    14. Eva Christine Erhardt, 2022. "Prevalence and Persistence of High-Growth Entrepreneurship: Which Institutions Matter Most?," Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 297-332, June.
    15. Nick Williams & Adnan Efendic, 2019. "Internal displacement and external migration in a post-conflict economy: Perceptions of institutions among migrant entrepreneurs," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 17(4), pages 558-585, December.
    16. Shirokova, Galina V. & Sokolova, Liubov S., 2013. "Exploring the Antecedents of Entrepreneurial Orientation in Russian SMEs: The Role of Institutional Environment," Working Papers 819, Graduate School of Management, St. Petersburg State University.
    17. Jana Schmutzler & Veneta Andonova & Luis Diaz-Serrano, 2019. "How Context Shapes Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy as a Driver of Entrepreneurial Intentions: A Multilevel Approach," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 43(5), pages 880-920, September.
    18. Wyrwich, Michael, 2013. "Can socioeconomic heritage produce a lost generation with regard to entrepreneurship?," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 28(5), pages 667-682.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:vrs:seejeb:v:12:y:2017:i:2:p:20-34:n:2. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Peter Golla (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.sciendo.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.