Ethics, Corruption and Transparency

  • Credits: 3
  • Ending: Examination
  • Range: 2C
  • Semester: winter
  • Faculty of Economics and Finance

Teachers

Included in study programs

Applied Economics

Law and Economics

Management of Public Policies

Teaching results

The student will gain knowledge about theoretical aspects of corruption, corrupt practices and anti-corruption strategies in Slovakia and in the world.
The student will acquire skills associated with the analysis of public policy, comparing the effectiveness of public policies and public policy making with an emphasis on the fight against corruption.
The student is able to use knowledge, skills and personal, social and / or methodological abilities in work or study situations and in professional and personal development (e.g. the student acquires the ability to identify and prevent corruption risks, create and analyze anti-corruption strategies for public institutions, applicable also in the private sector.).

Indicative content

The course focuses on a comprehensive view of the issue of corruption and transparency, primarily within the public sector, but also on the broader ethical aspects of society. Students will learn about corruption in the economic and political context, definitions of corruption, measurement of corruption, types of corruption (e.g. political vs. administrative corruption), the causes and consequences of corruption. The course also introduces students to possible ways to fight corruption, anti-corruption reforms and the international context of the fight against corruption.
1. Introduction - corruption in the economic and political context.
2. Defining corruption and measuring it, Principal-agent theory. Positive, normative definition of corruption. Boundaries between gifts, bribes, lobbying, clientelism.
3. Corruption contract - advantages, disadvantages, conditions. Political and administrative corruption. Official statistics, perceptual methods.
4. Causes of corruption and their analysis. Impact of formal and informal rules.
5. Demand and supply side of corruption. The problem of state capture.
6. Interests and their analysis. Externalities versus internalities. Risks of decision-making in the public sector.
7. Consequences of corruption. Economic, political, social consequences.
8. Trust, Anti-corruption tools: Addressing bottlenecks, monopolies, reducing discretion. Information, transparency, accountability.
9. Public finances and their transparency, Ethical reform in the public sector and in the business sector, Solving conflict of interest, Financing of political parties. Functionality of the repression system.
10. Decentralization and its corruption risks, Corruption sensitive areas and possibilities of their analysis,
11. Anti-corruption reforms. Experience from Slovakia and abroad, Prerequisites for success,
12. International context of the fight against corruption, Activities and programs of international institutions, Slovakia's commitments in this area.

Support literature

Core:
1. Hough, D., 2013: Corruption, Anti-Corruption and Governance (Political Corruption and Governance). Palgrave Macmillan.
Recommended:
2. Peters, B. G., Pierre, J., eds. 2004: The Politicization of the Civil Service in Comparative Perspective: A Quest for Control. Routledge.

Requirements to complete the course

100% work:
• 20% discussion contributions to the given literature (essays) and active participation in seminars.
• 20% test
• 60% final exam

Student workload

78 hours:
• 26 hours participation in seminars,
• 26 hours of regular homework for seminars - essays,
• 26 hours of preparation for the test and final exam.

Date of approval: 10.02.2023

Date of the latest change: 21.12.2021