Administrative Culture and Incidence of Corruption in Bangladesh: A Search for the Potential Linkage

Abstract

This article analyzes the possible link between administrative culture of Bangladesh and corruption. Hofstede's four cultural dimensions—power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism vs. collectivism and masculinity vs. femininity—have been used to search for the link between administrative culture and corruption and to examine the norms, values, and customs as visible in the Bangladeshi administrative culture. The history, evolution of administrative system and institutions of Bangladesh have therefore, been investigated to validate the assumption. There are mixed findings on the possible link of cultural dimensions embodied in Hofstede's model with corruption. Bangladesh's high level of uncertainty avoidance and relatively high collectivism largely account for breeding corruption embedded in administrative culture in the form of mechanistic adherence to hierarchy, centralization, abuse of discretionary power, nurturing tadbir and sycophancy. The other two dimensions, power distance and masculinity-femininity, could also be used to explain the pervasiveness of corruption in some cases.