A Behavioural Approach to Administrative Corruption Prevention
in A. Cerrillo i Martínez and J. Ponce, eds, Preventing Corruption and Promoting Good Government and Public Integrity, Bruyland (2017), Forthcoming
28 Pages Posted: 8 Dec 2016
There are 2 versions of this paper
A Behavioural Approach to Administrative Corruption Prevention
A Behavioural Approach to Administrative Corruption Prevention
Date Written: 2016
Abstract
A deterrence-based approach to corruption based on rationality emphasizes the role of adequate sanctions and controls to prevent corruption. This traditional approach is questioned by the cognitive sciences which describe real people whose decision are affected by bias, heuristics and the choice of peers.
The paper shows that both pillar of corruption prevention through regulation - good quality regulation and strict anti-corruption rules such as whistle-blower protection, staff rotation, and transparency in the public sector - should be enriched by findings about how real people think and behave.
In order to create a more effective legislative framework of corruption prevention, two questions will be explored:
How should regulatory impact assessment tool evolve in order to take into account people’s cognitive limitations? Examples of a cognitive-based RIA of whistle-blower and staff rotation regimes will be given.
How should transparency in the public sector - including disclosure compliance records - be provided in order to contribute to limiting administrative corruption?
Keywords: administrative corruption, transparency, whistleblower, compliance, cognitive sciences, regulatory impact assessment
JEL Classification: K23
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation