Active and Passive Corruption: An Investigation of Individual Motivators of Corruption in the Public and Private Sectors

Molavi, Zeinab; Nayebi Movahed, Fatemeh

doi:10.48311/ormr.2025.107345.0

Active and Passive Corruption: An Investigation of Individual Motivators of Corruption in the Public and Private Sectors

Document Type : Original Research

Authors

zeinab molavi ¹

Fatemeh Nayebi Movahed ²

¹ Assistance Prof., ِِDepartment of Public Administration, Faculty of Management and Accounting, College of Farabi, University of Tehran, Qom, Iran.

² M.Sc. ُStudent, ِِDepartment of Public Administration, Faculty of Management and Accounting, Collage of Farab, University of Tehran, Qom, Iran.

10.48311/ormr.2025.107345.0

Abstract

Studies in the field of administrative corruption have focused more on the passive side of corruption, while corrupt interactions are two-way interactions between the public and private sectors. The aim of the present study was to study the individual motivators of corruption among employees and officials in the public and private sectors. The research was applied and conducted with a quantitative approach. The research strategy was correlational. Data were collected through the questionnaire of Gorsira et al. (2018). The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were examined through content validity and Cronbach's alpha coefficient. The study population was public or private sector employees who frequently interacted with people from the other sector; and had the option to interact. Participation in this study was voluntary and anonymous. In total, 367 questionnaires (187 from the public sector and 179 from the private sector) were analyzed using Pearson correlation and logistic regression methods. The findings showed that work experience and sector of activity (public/private) determine the propensity to corruption. The propensity to corruption is higher in the private sector. Although in the regression model only individual and social norms explained the propensity to corruption in general, all motivators in the public sector were related to the propensity to corruption, and in the private sector, individual and social norms, and the assessment of the cost of participating in corruption were related to the propensity to corruption. Finally, it can be said that given the difference in the motivators of corruption in the public and private sectors, there is a need for specific and distinct approaches to combat corruption in both sectors.

Keywords

Corruption

motivators of corruption

individual norms

social norms

opportunities for corruption

costs of corruption

Subjects