The Swiss International Corruption Survey: the Experience of Bribery Requests and the Corruption Perception of Swiss Firms

• In Event: Corruption and State-Corporate Crime

Abstract

Corruption and corruption perception go hand in hand. The definition of corruption depends on social and cultural factors and so does corruption perception. Even when corruption perception may strongly differ from the level of corruption, the latter influences the former. High levels of corruption perception can have negative if not devastating effects than corruption itself as the distrust towards institutions may in turn raise corruption and create a culture of “paying”, considering this act as justifiable. The Swiss International Corruption Survey presents the results of a study completed in 2015 regarding Swiss firms’ corruption perception in international business activities. Through regression models, the paper illustrates circumstances in which corruption perception might vary as well as the influence of different sources of information on corruption perception (characteristics of the firm, types of activity, foreign countries of business operations, etc.). Furthermore, the paper provides an empirical analysis of the association between the experience of bribe requests, the willingness to pay bribes and the corruption perception.

Authors

• Giang Ly Isenring, University of St. Gallen Switzerland

• Giulia Mugellini, University of St. Gallen Switzerland

• Martin Killias, University of St. Gallen Switzerland