Insider’s corruption versus outsider’s ethicality? Individual responses to conflicting institutional logics

Abstract

In this article, we seek to understand whether and to what extent the sense of belonging to a powerful network affects individual decision-making in terms of ethicality with regard to a corrupt situation. We study the behaviour of insiders (individuals who belong to a power network, i.e. a network of individuals connected by interpersonal relationships to a person in a position of power) and outsiders in a corrupt versus non-corrupt environments using the theoretical frameworks of institutional logics and informal networks. Our hypotheses were tested with the help of a vignette-based experiment with 464 participants from countries considered as corrupt (Kazakhstan and Russia) and non-corrupt (UK and USA).

Keywords:

• Institutional logic
• informal network
• corruption
• ethical logic
• corrupt environment

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Funding

This research has been funded by the UK government’s Department for International Development (DFID) and the British Academy through the British Academy/DFID Anti-Corruption Evidence Program. However, the views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the British Academy or DFID.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the authors upon reasonable request.

Notes

1 Conversion at the exchange rate of R$3.7996 to the dollar as of the day of the news. Source: Brazil’s central bank - https://www4.bcb.gov.br/pec/taxas/port/ptaxnpesq.asp?id=txcotacao