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Measurements and markets: deconstructing the corruption perception index

Measurements and markets: deconstructing the corruption perception index Purpose – The paper aims to examine how the measurement of African “corruption” has been manipulated to serve western economic interests. Design/methodology/approach – In depth secondary source analysis within a post‐colonial framework. Findings – The most popular measure of corruption, Transparency International's corruption perception index (CPI), is a flawed instrument. Capable only of calculating proxies of corruption, the measure is oblivious to cultural variance and is business‐centric in style. The CPI is embraced in good faith by African governments and donor organisations oblivious to its deeper purpose of serving western economic and geo‐political interests under the guise of weeding out something falsely portrayed as a universal negative. Practical implications – The paper will assist efforts to ground the anti‐corruption effort in the realities of Africa. Originality/value – The paper is part of a minority scholarship that seeks to provide space for the consideration of alternatives to the dominant conceptions of corruption and its measurement. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png International Journal of Public Sector Management Emerald Publishing

Measurements and markets: deconstructing the corruption perception index

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Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
Copyright © 2008 Emerald Group Publishing Limited. All rights reserved.
ISSN
0951-3558
DOI
10.1108/09513550810904569
Publisher site
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Abstract

Purpose – The paper aims to examine how the measurement of African “corruption” has been manipulated to serve western economic interests. Design/methodology/approach – In depth secondary source analysis within a post‐colonial framework. Findings – The most popular measure of corruption, Transparency International's corruption perception index (CPI), is a flawed instrument. Capable only of calculating proxies of corruption, the measure is oblivious to cultural variance and is business‐centric in style. The CPI is embraced in good faith by African governments and donor organisations oblivious to its deeper purpose of serving western economic and geo‐political interests under the guise of weeding out something falsely portrayed as a universal negative. Practical implications – The paper will assist efforts to ground the anti‐corruption effort in the realities of Africa. Originality/value – The paper is part of a minority scholarship that seeks to provide space for the consideration of alternatives to the dominant conceptions of corruption and its measurement.

Journal

International Journal of Public Sector Management – Emerald Publishing

Published: Oct 3, 2008

Keywords: Corruption; Measurement; Africa

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