Managerial attitudes towards corruption: A pilot study

Abstract

This is basically a preliminary study on the measurement of attitudes vis-a-vis deviant behaviour (corruption). Respondents have been presented with a series of scenarios which reflect fraudulent or deviant practice. Respondents were asked three questions: (i) Their own disapproval of such practice; (ii) how they perceived friends and colleagues to view such practices; and (iii) how they anticipated that management would respond to such practices. The study was conducted with a sample size of 149 respondents. While most generally condemned corrupt practices, the perceived participation of the peer group was higher than expected. Legal action was not perceived as appropriate, and top management was considered to be responding only to the more severe transgressions.