I am studying corruption. Why do people participate in corruption and does participating in corruption benefit individuals and firms?
My first qualitative study explored what motivates U.S. executive expatriates who work in environments of pervasive corruption to decide whether to participate or not participate in corruption. My quantitative paper used World Bank data to explore how, in the former Soviet republics, external constraints affect bribing activity and firm performance, and how bribing activity affects firm performance. For my second qualitative paper, I will travel to Kyrgyzstan and Georgia to interview executives of local companies and add color to findings of my quantitative paper.
I presented my first qualitative paper at the Academy of Management in August, 2017, and published it in the Journal of Global Mobility in November, 2017.
As a global supply chain management consultant, I lived and worked for three years in corrupt countries – Pakistan, Taiwan, India, Armenia, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan. I speak working Russian and understand the local cultures. In these countries, I faced numerous situations of corruption and became skilled at avoiding corruption and having people who work for me avoid corruption. I will apply my research on corruption to my consulting and help companies reduce the frequency and severity of corrupt acts by employees.