Should I Accept or Refute? Understanding the Socio-Organizational Factors Influencing Corruption in Ghana’s Public Service

Abstract

Corruption remains endemic despite intensified global anti-corruption efforts, indicating a need to reassess current strategies. This study focused on how context-specific socio-organizational factors influence employees’ engagement in corrupt activities in Ghana’s public service. The sample for the study consists of 48 public service workers. This includes 26 middle-level management staff who participated in the focus group discussions and 22 directors who were interviewed individually. Additionally, 8 expert interviews were conducted to enhance comprehension and discussion of the findings. Key socio-organizational factors, including “opportunistic staffing,” “reciprocal appreciation,” “praise singing,” and “order from above” were identified. Formal rules and sanctions alone were found to be inadequate in addressing corruption due to the complex contextual nature of the socio-organizational factors. These factors could serve as a foundation for designing training programs and nudges that promote ethical behavior. Moreover, they offer valuable insights for developing anti-corruption interventions that align with the practical realities of ethical decision-making in Ghana’s public service.