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Causes of Corruption: Evidence from Sub-Sahara Africa

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  • Forson, Joseph Ato
  • Baah-Ennumh, Theresa Yabaa
  • Buracom, Ponlapat
  • Chen, Guojin
  • Peng, Zhen

Abstract

This study explores the causes of corruption for Sub-Sahara Africa in a panel of 22 countries from 1996 to 2013. The sources of corruption are grouped under three main thematic areas – historical roots, contemporary causes and institutional causes to make way for both subjective and objective measures. The subjective measures allow this paper to gauge the effectiveness of anticorruption policies. Focusing on three estimation strategies and using the perceived level of corruption as dependent variable, we find ethnic diversity, resource abundance and educational attainment to be markedly less associated with corruption; whereas wage levels of bureaucrats and anticorruption controls using government effectiveness and regulatory quality breeds substantial corruption. Press freedom was variedly associated with corruption. As a policy implication, the fight against corruption on the continent needs to be reinvented through qualitative institutional reforms. Existing educational systems should be used as medium to intensify awareness on the devastating effects of corruption on national development.

Suggested Citation

  • Forson, Joseph Ato & Baah-Ennumh, Theresa Yabaa & Buracom, Ponlapat & Chen, Guojin & Peng, Zhen, 2014. "Causes of Corruption: Evidence from Sub-Sahara Africa," MPRA Paper 102431, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 20 Mar 2016.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:102431
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    Cited by:

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    2. Abdelhak Senadjki & Samuel Ogbeibu & Chee Yin Yip & Hui Nee Au Yong & Mourad Senadjki, 2021. "The impact of corruption and university education on African innovation: evidence from emerging African economies," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 1(5), pages 1-26, May.
    3. Fabio Monteduro & Ilenia Cecchetti & Ylenia Lai & Veronica Allegrini, 2021. "Does stakeholder engagement affect corruption risk management?," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 25(3), pages 759-785, September.
    4. Forson, Joseph Ato & Opoku, Rosemary Afrakomah & Peng, Zhen, 2017. "Innovation, Institutions and Economic Growth in Sub-Sahara Africa – an IV Estimation of a Panel Threshold Model," MPRA Paper 103063, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 15 Mar 2018.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Corruption; Democracy; Institutional Quality; Sub-Sahara Africa; Governance.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H0 - Public Economics - - General
    • I0 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - General
    • Z1 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics
    • Z10 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - General

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