The perception of corruption across Europe, Middle East and Africa

Purpose - – This paper aims to examine the perception of corruption across Europe, Middle East and Africa across a small population of Compliance employees within a global organisation. Design/methodology/approach - – An online survey consisting of 18 open and closed style questions and those using the Likert scale to measure perceptions was used in this research. Some of the questions were designed to enable supporting commentary to be provided. Findings - – This paper has only compounded the general published view of non-governmental organisations and academics that corruption is real and widespread and affects society, irrespective of age, culture or geographic location. Research limitations/implications - – This study was targeted at a Compliance function within one organisation. Even though all the respondents would have had the same training, their perception might not be the same as individuals in the same country who were not employed within the same organisation. Practical implications - – This may benefit companies from a training perspective, as it demonstrates the variety of opinions that exist within one organisation. It may also be of interest to organisations such as Transparency International, who conduct periodic research into the perception of corruption. Social implications - – This research highlights the differences of opinion just within one organisation and thereby demonstrates the difficulties faced in tackling corruption. Originality/value - – As this research was conducted from an internal perspective within one organization, it provides a unique insight into the views and opinions of employees across Europe, Middle East and Africa.