Dissertation Proposal

Introduction

            Corruption has always been and persists to be a global problem that affects the growth of nations. It has been considered as a major cause of poverty as evident in all the levels of the society. It is practiced in the local and national governments, civil society, judiciary functions, large and small enterprises, the military and other services. Corruption has been considered to undermine political development, democracy, economic development, environment, and health of the people. From a global perspective, the economic system that has shaped the form of globalization in the past decades requires scrutiny since it has created conditions for corruption to thrive. From a national perspective, the effective participation and representation of the people in the society is undermined by corruption and makes the day-to-day lives painful (Lambsdorff & Graf, 2007). Despite the impacts of corruption to the world, it remains difficult to measure and compare the effect of corruption on poverty alongside the effects of inequalities structured into law such as unequal agreements in trade, structural adjustment policies, and the free-trade agreements. Corruption is easier to identify, but it is difficult to see the formal and legal forms of corruption. The rising rates of corruption in various countries require that governments take the obligation of fighting it. In this dissertation proposal, the emphasis has been focused on the reasons of corruption being a global problem, whether the creator of corruption can fight it back, how to protect the economic, country, and society from corruption, and the successful ways of dealing with the vice.          

                          

Why corruption has become a global problem

            There is no country on a global scale, has ever succeeded to achieve a perfect score of 100% in the Corruption Perceptions Index. According to the findings by the Corruption Perceptions Index 2014, corruption is a problem that affects all the economies, and there is need to act together by all the growing economies to deal with it. The index based on expert opinion measures the perceived levels of global public sector corruption, and not a single country has achieved the perfect score. Economic growth is being undermined, and the attempts to stop corruption are suppressed when the people in positions of leadership abuse power for personal benefits (Ionescu &  Luminita, 2011).

            Corruption strikes both the development aid and the investors. It cripples the growth of business and also drains the returns of the investors thereby affecting the possibility of having social and environmental benefits. The sustainability of socially beneficial with is challenging with the rise in corruption. The investors across the globe get into risks that they may not understand whenever they put their money into corrupt systems without their knowledge. The fight against corruption has started to overcome the perception that has persisted for long on corrupt practices in the rich countries. On a global scale, corruption has been observed to undermine the rule of law, damaging trust, hurting the economy, and preventing governments from service delivery. The poor counties are seen as having high levels of corruption due to the underdevelopment of the governance frameworks and the judicial systems. The rich countries have robust structures thereby making their forms of corruption more complex than that of the emerging countries. There are illegal funds generated in the developing world which are widely used in non-transparent banking, corporate, and legal systems (Ionescu &  Luminita, 2011). Other players benefit from tax havens and bank secrecy laws which is a haven for the illegal fund's transactions.

            The presence of dysfunctional and oppressive regulations, as well as poor state of formulated policies, creates incentives for people and businesses to avoid them through the use of bribes. It is important to understand the consequences of corruption to by why it has become a global problem. Corruption undermines the level of government revenue and limits the ability to invest in the productive sectors. Since corruption has become endemic, may people perceive paying taxes as a questionable issue. It creates tension between the government role as the tax collector and the business entities and individuals as the tax remitters (Seligson & Mitchell, 2007). The existing challenge has a system that facilitates fast improvements in the infrastructure, schools, and a healthy workforce using the paid taxes. When corruption is allowed to thrive, the taxpayers find it justified to find other means of avoiding the payment of taxes, which usually involves corruption.   also creates uncertainty as there are no enforceable property rights that apply when dealing with a transaction involving bribery. The terms of a contract involving a corrupt deal are not binding and have to change severally with fresh negotiations on how to extend the duration of the benefits, or otherwise, it collapses. Corruption also betrays the level of trust which diminishes the legitimacy of the state and the stature of the bureaucracy.

            The outlined effects of corruption are experienced across the globe due to globalization which tends to shape the way nations operate. All the developed, developing, and underdeveloped nations suffer from the effects of corruption, hence necessary to strategize on effective ways of addressing it.                       

Can the creator of the corruption fight it back?

            The concept of corruption has remained immeasurable due to the complexity, secrecy, and political sensitivity associated with it. There has been increased movement of capital and business operations that has prompted investors to think through governance and corruption issues due to its widespread practice. Corporate accountability has been a major considerate in the private sector due to the increased rate of corruption scandals alongside the risk of exposure to countries with systemic corruption. International donors encounter the risk of giving aid to dysfunctional governments, hence the need to assess the nature of corruption in the region.

            Corruption originates from the same people who are tasked with fighting it back making it very challenging to erode the vice from the world. Addressing corruption involves the improvement of governance for effective use of scarce resources. For the public corruption and governance challenges, the citizens can utilize the measures of governance to hold governments accountable for what they do both at the micro level and aggregate level of service delivery. Fighting corruption requires a differently new perception of how the evolution of the global problem since it is bigger than mere bribery and use of crooked deals. The adoption of new anti-corruption laws, establishing commissions, and launching anti-corruption campaigns are good, but not the best solutions to the problem of corruption (Persson, Anna, Bo Rothstein & Teorell, 2013). Corruption ought to be considered as a symptom of a larger disease, usually, the failure of the governance structures that result to poor revenue and resource management and lack of efficient public service delivery (Mackey, Tim K., et al., 2016). There is need to think beyond anti-corruption methods and traditional ways of dealing with it, by being more strategic in identifying and addressing the causes and weaknesses of major institutions and government policies and practices. Most of the emphasis should be placed on the broad context of governance and accountability if at all the other ways will address the epidemic.         

            The fight against corruption has been misunderstood as the mere policies of avoiding giving and taking bribes, as well as engaging in transparent deals. However, such efforts are only a part of a larger problem which requires a total overhaul of the efforts of fighting corruption. In essence, the fight against corruption ought not to be a cosmetic operation aimed at only the change of practices. The corruption vice is entrenched into systems that do not seem to engage in corruption that makes it challenging to address it from basic policies. The source of corruption is not systems, but individuals who strategize on how to benefit from certain deals and loopholes. As such, the approach of using the same people to fight corruption does not see the light of day. A system where individuals are both the cause of corruption and also the people entrusted with addressing it requires delicate balancing acts to realize tangible impacts (Martinez-Vazquez, Jorge, Boex & Arze del Granado, 2007). The persons entrusted with formulating policies to stop corruption are the same people who seek for loopholes to corrupt the systems and structures in place. The appetite for corruption increases with increased exposure to corrupt systems in which individuals formalize it as a mode of operation despite the consequences. The various impacts of corruption are largely felt by the poor people in the society who are still required to facilitate corruption by the people in positions of influence. As such, without a delicate balancing act and goodwill from different individuals across a system, the fight against corruption could remain a dream for several decades from now. As such, the fight against corruption cannot be effectively realized since the creator of corruption is the same player entrusted with fighting it back.        

How governments can fight corruption and how to protect their economic, country and society

            It is important to realize that there lacks a silver bullet for fighting corruption. However, many countries across the globe have made significant progress in dealing with corruption which can be used as best practices in other countries. There have been progressive attempts to seek for solutions that can be effective in fighting back corruption. Despite the challenges of fighting back corruption, some strategies can be put in place to reduce the high rate of its spread across the nations. First is ending impunity through effective law enforcement as crucial in ensuring that corrupt officials are punished for breaking the cycle of impunity. The successful enforcement methods require the support of strong legal framework, law enforcement branches, and independent and effective court systems. The civil society also needs to support the government in pushing for initiatives for fighting corruption (Persson, Anna, Bo Rothstein & Teorell, 2013). Secondly are the reforms in public administration and finance management since they are largely used by corrupt officials to facilitate their deals. The reforms that aim at improving financial management and also strengthening the role of auditing firms can help to achieve significant impacts in the public sector initiatives of dealing with corruption. The government can push for the implementation of reforms such as disclosure of budget information thereby preventing wastage and possible misappropriation of funds. The involvement of the local communities in the budgeting processes helps to enhance the different government entities utilizes transparency on the way resources.

            The government can also fight corruption through enhanced transparency and increased access to information to all the relevant bodies. The countries that are successful in curbing corruption have a practice of having openness, freedom of the press, as well as public access to government-related information. The increased transparency measures and access to information enhance the response rate of the government bodies and has a positive impact on the levels of public participation in the country. The government can also empower its citizens to demand anti-corruption policies and hold the government accountable for enforcing sustainable approaches to creating mutual trust between citizens and the government. There can be community monitoring approaches that contribute to fast and efficient detection of corrupt deals, reduced funds leakages, and enhanced quality and quantity of public services Kaufmann & Daniel, 1999). The empowerment of the citizens ensures that any cases of misusing public finds are reported, and action is taken promptly.

            The fight against corruption, at a government level, cannot be effectively realized without closing the international loopholes. The limitation of access to the international financial system makes the corrupt officials not able to launder and hide the funds looted from the state assets on a global scale. The global financial centers require putting in place strategies for stopping their banks and other offshore financial centers to accept illicit flows of money (Kaufmann & Daniel, 1999). Government efforts in curbing corruption can bear fruits if there is political goodwill by the leaders.     

            The highlighted methods of curbing corruption are aimed at protecting the economic, country and society aspects at large. The economic suffers largely when the level of corruption is high. Investors are discouraged to put their money in countries that have a high risk of corrupt deals. As such, the economy hurts since less of revenue generating activities take place in the representative country. The country suffers from reduced productivity and challenges of resource sustainability due to reduced revenue base as a result of corruption. The effects of corruption on the economy and the society are largely felt by the society which has to come to terms with the reality. Gone are the days when public service implied patriotism. In the earlier days, it involved hard work with minimal pay and sacrifice for the sake of the nation and building the country (Transparency International, 2015). The private sector was considered corrupt, and the workers were viewed as hungry for money. However, there have been significant shifts, and the government operates as the ‘new private sector.’ Junior employees can comfortably engage in corrupt deals to live flashy lifestyles and actualize their dreams in life within a short of span of time. The key institutions mandated to fight corruption appear hopeless and incapable making it challenging to stop corruption. The society suffers the most from corruption as evident in poor infrastructure, poverty, strained lifestyles, and low level of access to quality education, poor health services, and high rates of mortality from preventable diseases. Corruption hampers the poor from accessing health services, hence contributing to negative health impacts. There are increased crime rates where funds are lost through illicit financial flows which are usually used in funding drug and human trafficking activities. Economic activities are gradually affected by corruption since it is a strong disincentive to foreign investment. The countries capable of dealing with corruption can utilize its human and financial resources efficiently and thereby attract more foreign and domestic investment.       

What are the successful ways to fight the corruption?

            Based on the gathered information on causes of corruption and how governments can curb it, it is necessary to establish the successful ways of fighting the vice. On a global perspective, the fight against corruption can be challenging, but the focus on individual countries can be more realistic and bear fruits (Transparency International, 2015). The different modes of corruption in practice require different strategies of curbing them. The failure of institutions and governance structures that cause poor management of revenues and resources requires a different approach to giving and taking bribes. On its part, legal corruption has not had sufficient attention despite it gaining widespread acceptance in the corporate sector. It is practiced through companies and persons of interest who tend to customize laws and policies to favor them through lobbying, exchange of favors with politicians, regulators, and government employees. This type of corruption is complex and multidimensional that requires being confronted at every level. The bottom line in curbing corruption is improving government institutions from one country to another and sealing the existing loopholes. Efficient governance starts with free and fair elections and promoting high levels of transparency. It also calls for transparency accompanied by no impunity to enhance justice and keep governments in check.

            The government reforms require deliberate and serious progress in the rule of law for any real and sustainable impact to be realized. Also necessary is having a free press and exercising democracy in various parts of the world. The media outlets need to be empowered to report subjectively based on the truth and expose all the corrupt deals in their knowledge. A fully democratic nation allows the scrutiny of its governance structures and systems by the media and all the interested agencies.

            The management of the global natural resources should be a top priority in the efforts of curbing corruption. Many people live in poverty despite having billions of dollars in the form of oil, gas, and minerals (Schütte & Arjon, 2012). The life in poverty with the abundance of natural resources requires to be addressed. Many of the people living in poverty come from countries with poor governance structures and with low rates of corruption control, transparency, and accountability. The wealth generated from the resources can either make or break the state of development, with the social, economic, political and security effects at play.

            The developing and middle-income countries struggle with the fight against corruption as evident in the challenges of designing, implementing, and defending anti-corruption institutions. There are valuable lessons on the global efforts of ensuring transparency in the public dealings and the fight against corruption. With such lessons, the governments need to strategize on the effective ways of dealing with corruption.

            One of the successful ways of fighting corruption is generating strength from within. There need to be strong internal controls and methods of accountability that enable anti-corruption bodies to carry out their mandate and avoid the internal abuses. Among the beneficial procedures include the focus on recruitment, training, and management of workforce integrity as well as ensuring high ethical standards (Eicher & Sharon, 2016). Different countries also require developing influential alliances through increased external support that is crucial for anti-corruption agencies in fostering effective alliances. It can be through training of prosecutors and investigators on how best to handle corruption and the involvement of the media in all the efforts of curbing corruption.

            The major players in corruption are civil servants who need to be appropriately compensated for them to avoid engaging in corrupt deals. When the public sector wage is low, the staff tends to give in to the pressure of supplementing their income with other ways.  However, the level of compensation is not a sure guarantee for curbing systemic corruption. The creation of transparency and openness in government spending can help to realize success in fighting corruption, but requires the political goodwill of the people in positions of leadership and the corporate sector (Kaufmann & Daniel, 1999). The government manages public resources through subsidies, tax exemptions, soft credits, and the budgeting of funds, which fall under the control of politicians. The government collects revenue, receive foreign aid, and also establish mechanisms of allocating resources to meet the various needs. Some countries operate using transparent means and also ensure that all the resources are used in the public interest. With transparent processes, there is less likelihood of abuse and corruption. There are significant benefits to countries where the citizens are allowed to carry out oversight on the government activities and also deliberate on the benefits of various public policies (Transparency International, 2015). Countries such as New Zealand, with active civil society and culture of participating in government policy formulation process, have reduced levels of corruption in comparison to those without.       

            National governments ought to operate on a targeted cash transfer policy other than regressive and distorting subsidies. Government subsidies have always been abused where key players distort the incentives and create opportunities for corrupt proceeds. Subsidies have been reported to lead to smuggling, goods shortage, and the emergence of black markets. The subsidies can subject the government to corruption-centers in consideration of the benefits of opportunity cost and the environmental implications of artificially low prices (Shah, Anwar & Schacter, 2004).

            Smart technology can also be used to fight corruption since it limits the direct contact with government officials and citizens that acted as an avenue for eliciting transactions. An appropriate way of dealing with the challenge is using the available technologies to reduce the frequent and direct contact of the public and the government staff. The use of the internet through the online platforms is in widespread use by the government to interact with the civil society and the business community. Technology can guarantee a high level of transparency especially in purchasing activities where certain procedures guarantee openness, competition, level playing field, and fair bidding procedures. An example is Chile that adopted the world’s most transparent public procurement system in the world referred to as ChileCompra.

            In conclusion, the measures discussed above are aimed at addressing the problem of corruption. However, the bottom line lies in the change of human perception towards funds and resources utilization. The efforts such as change of incentives, the closing of loopholes, use of technology and doing away with unrealistic rules can be appropriate, but not the only mechanisms of curbing corruption. There needs to be supportive of such efforts by a moral and ethical understanding of human behavior when dealing with public and private funds.

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Sherry Roberts is the author of this paper. A senior editor at MeldaResearch.Com in legitimate custom writing services Texas. If you need a similar paper you can place your order from research paper writing service Florida services.