Fraud and corruption often go hand in hand. Transparency International publishes a Corruption Perception Index. This index shows the perceived corruption in the public sector by country. Actual levels may differ. Some think it may be much higher. The results may also be impacted by differences in what people consider corruption.
Transparency International defines corruption as the abuse of entrusted power for private gain. Two-thirds of the countries scored less than 5.0 on a scale of 1.0 to 10.0.Many developing countries do not have the infrastructure or political systems in place to counteract these types of activities. However, conflicts of interest abound in more affluent countries as well. Lobby groups can and do influence lawmakers, and money and power can be powerful motivators.
The best way to counteract this is transparency in government and business. A code of ethics is also valuable to ensure clarity on what is acceptable and what is not.
View the results here. How did your country fare?
