Corruption in the health sector poses a significant threat to the common good. [96] It is widespread and yet little has been published in medical journals on the subject, and as of 2019 there is no evidence of what could reduce corruption in the health sector. [97] Corruption occurs in both the private and public health sectors and can take the form of theft, embezzlement, nepotism, bribery, extortion, or undue influence. [98] and occurs throughout the sector, whether in service delivery, purchasing, construction or leasing. In 2019, Transparency International described the 6 most common types of service corruption as follows: absenteeism, informal patient payments, embezzlement, bloating of services, as well as the cost of services, favoritism, and data manipulation (billing for goods and services that were never sent or performed). [99] Stephen D. Morris,[3] professor of politics, wrote that political corruption is the illegitimate use of public power for the benefit of private interest. Economist Ian Sr. has defined bribery as the act of secretly providing a good or service to a third party so that it can influence certain actions that benefit the corrupt, a third party or both, when the corrupt agent has authority. [4] World Bank economist Daniel Kaufmann[5] has expanded the concept to include “legal corruption,” in which power is abused within the limits of the law – since those with power often have the ability to legislate to protect it. Infrastructure corruption increases construction costs and time, decreases quality and diminishes benefits.
[6] This occurs when a company employee offers or receives bribes in exchange for confidential information, with corruption taking various forms. When confidential information forms the basis for trading in shares, bonds or other securities of a company, it constitutes a criminal offence known as “insider trading”. According to the modified Klitgaard equation,[113] limiting individuals` monopoly and regulatory discretion and a high level of transparency through independent oversight by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the media, as well as public access to reliable information, could reduce the problem. Djankov and other researchers[114] independently examined the role of information in fighting corruption based on evidence from developing and developed countries. Disclosure of government officials` financial information to the public is associated with improved institutional accountability and the elimination of misconduct such as vote buying. The effect is particularly noticeable when the data relate to politicians` sources of income, liabilities and assets and not just income level. Any extrinsic aspects that could reduce morale should be eliminated. In addition, a country should establish a culture of ethical behavior in society, with the government leading by example to improve intrinsic morality. Corruption in the economy is a universal problem that affects businesses of all sizes in all countries.
Companies could be both victims and perpetrators of corruption. In a business context, corruption can include false or misleading financial reporting, procurement fraud, embezzlement, bribery and a number of other acts. Here are some examples of common schemes and manifestations of corruption in business (see Martini, 2014, and this article U4 by Rose-Ackerman, 2007): While these examples of corruption in the private sector are not exhaustive, they show that corruption in business is much more than mere bribery. Contrary to popular belief, corruption in the private sector is usually not a suitcase or envelope full of money. The examples listed above show that there are many grey areas where business practices may be legal but at risk of being abused, such as gifts and hospitality. Political donations and sponsorships can also be misused for private purposes. Some illegal business practices, such as bribes or petty bribes, may be so common in some countries that they are perceived as normal and are no longer questioned. Bribery is a form of dishonesty or a crime committed by a person or organization in a position of authority to gain an illegal advantage or abuse their power for personal gain. Corruption can involve many activities, including bribery and embezzlement, and it can also involve legal practices in many countries.
[1] Political corruption occurs when a current public servant or other government employee acts in an official capacity for personal gain. Corruption is more prevalent in kleptocracy, oligarchies, narco-states and mafia states. [ref. needed] As a country of the post-Soviet Union, Armenia also faces problems related to corruption. This was transferred as a legacy to Armenia and other member republics of the Soviet Union. Armenia was a pleasant exception. After the Armenian Velvet Revolution in 2018, the new government made the fight against corruption a top priority. [23] The “anti-corruption strategy” seemed to be paying off, moving from 105th place in the CPI to 60th place in just two years.
[24] Political corruption is the use of authority by government officials or their network contacts for illegitimate personal gain. Political corruption undermines democracy and good governance by ignoring or even undermining formal processes. Corruption in elections and legislatures reduces accountability and distorts representation in policy-making; Corruption in the judiciary threatens the rule of law; and corruption in public administration leads to inefficient service delivery. For the republics, it violates a fundamental principle of republicanism concerning the centrality of bourgeois virtue. [6] In general, corruption undermines the institutional capacity of government when procedures are ignored, resources are depleted, and public positions are bought and sold. Corruption undermines the legitimacy of government and democratic values such as trust and tolerance. Recent evidence suggests that differences in the level of corruption in high-income democracies can vary considerably depending on the degree of accountability of decision-makers. [6] Evidence from fragile states also shows that corruption can affect trust in institutions. [7] [8] Corruption can also affect the government`s provision of goods and services. It increases the cost of goods and services resulting from inefficiencies. In the absence of corruption, government projects could be profitable at their actual cost, but once corruption costs are included, projects may not be profitable, so they are not executed, distorting the provision of goods and services.
[9] The history of religion contains many examples of religious leaders who drew attention to the corruption that existed in the religious practices and institutions of their time.
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