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Fighting Against Corruption: Does Anti-corruption Training Make Any Difference?

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  • Christian Hauser

    (University of Applied Sciences HTW Chur)

Abstract

Corruption continues to represent a tenacious challenge to internationally active companies. According to prevailing international anti-corruption standards, a company can be held criminally liable if it does not put all necessary and reasonable organizational measures in place to prevent corruption. The regular training of employees is considered one of the most effective ways to prevent corruption. Employee training is considered helpful in efforts to minimize the risk of employees becoming involved in corrupt behavior. With this idea in mind and building on the fraud triangle model and neutralization theory, this paper examines whether business professionals who have undergone anti-corruption training are more likely to reject prevailing justifications of corrupt practices than are those who have not undergone such training. The empirical analysis in this paper is based on regression models using data obtained from a unique dataset that includes 200 business professionals. The findings provide evidence that training is positively linked to the likelihood of rejecting justifications of corruption. However, the research also suggests that methods of training must become more specific in order to tackle challenging questions regarding the gray areas of ethics and compliance.

Suggested Citation

  • Christian Hauser, 2019. "Fighting Against Corruption: Does Anti-corruption Training Make Any Difference?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 159(1), pages 281-299, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:159:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1007_s10551-018-3808-3
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-018-3808-3
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    Cited by:

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    2. Chen Ma & Maoyong Cheng & Gerald J. Lobo, 2024. "How Do Tax Agents Respond to Anti-corruption Intensity?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 190(1), pages 137-164, February.
    3. Christian Hauser, 2022. "Trade-Control Compliance in SMEs: Do Decision-Makers and Supply Chain Position Make a Difference?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 179(2), pages 473-493, August.
    4. Christian Hauser, 2020. "From Preaching to Behavioral Change: Fostering Ethics and Compliance Learning in the Workplace," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 162(4), pages 835-855, April.
    5. Michael A. Sartor & Paul W. Beamish, 2020. "Integration-oriented strategies, host market corruption and the likelihood of foreign subsidiary exit from emerging markets," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(3), pages 414-431, April.
    6. Carmen Tanner & Stefan Linder & Matthias Sohn, 2022. "Does moral commitment predict resistance to corruption? experimental evidence from a bribery game," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(1), pages 1-22, January.
    7. Tolu Olarewaju & Jagannadha Pawan Tamvada & Sharin McDowall, 2021. "Generalised Trust and Relation Centrism for Corruption: Evidence from Low- and Middle-Income Countries," Discussion Papers 21-01, Department of Economics, University of Birmingham.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Internationalization; Corruption; Corruption prevention; Business ethics; Ethics training;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D73 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Bureaucracy; Administrative Processes in Public Organizations; Corruption
    • L22 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Organization and Market Structure
    • M14 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Corporate Culture; Diversity; Social Responsibility
    • M16 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - International Business Administration
    • M53 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - Training

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