Ending Corruption: The Interplay Among Institutional Logics, Resources, and Institutional Entrepreneurs

Abstract

We draw from theories of institutions and collective identities to present a threefold framework of institutional change-involving institutional logics, resources, and social actors-that furthers our understanding of the mitigation of corruption. Those social actors intent on reforming corruption function as institutional entrepreneurs, and their success depends both on articulating an anticorruption institutional logic that incorporates corruption-disabling identities, cognitive schemas, and practices and on having or developing the resources necessary to propagate the new anticorruption institutional logic. We thank Sandra Robinson and three anonymous reviewers for their insightful comments.

Gift Giving and Corruption

“…For example, it was a common aphorism in many socialist countries the "those who do not steal from the state steal from their families" (Misangyi et al 2008). Such general "Robin Hood" attitudes still exist in the postcommunist period and makes 'stealing back' from the state perfectly legitimate or even obligatory for major part of society (Jancsics 2015).…”

“…Crossing the line between bureaucratic gift and bribe is often authorized by managers (Misangyi et al 2008). Here the formal organizational rule bans the exchange while informal norms legitimated by authorities allow it.…”

“…Setting up unrealistic service and financial targets and turning a blind eye to the tools employees use to make deals is a typical means of facilitating bureaucratic bribe (Ashforth and Anand 2003;Vaughan 1992). Emphasis on ends rather than means, supported by strong incentives for attaining may be a clear signal of an unethical climate (Misangyi et al 2008;Brief et al 2001). When bribery is an unofficial organizational policy, the practice may become routinized and embedded into the organization's normal…”

An Identity-Based Approach to Social Enterprise

“…Capturing this relationship directly, Misangyi, Weaver, and Elms (2008: 754) note that, "institutions provide the shared meaning that gives coherence to social life through the creation of social identities… that define the cognitive schemas and roles governing behavior in a given situation." Offering an illustration, Lok (2010) showed that the manager identity in the United Kingdom is tied to a commercial logic and carries behavioral expectations related to profit-maximization.…”

Varieties of corruption control: introduction to special issue

“…Our focus on corruption control also ties in with the growing interest among scholars of management, organization, communication and international business studies in exploring corruption and corruption control mechanisms at the firm or industry levels. This includes a focus on the relationship between corruption control in organizations and the wider corporate social responsibility agenda [4,37,40,44]; between forms of hidden or anonymous organizing [52] and the project of accountability and transparency so characteristic of our times [19,31,32]; and, not least, between corruption and aspirations of moral learning and education at universities and business schools [54,56].…”