Corruption and Management in International Business: Can Organizations Devise Realist Strategies Providing Managers Assigned to International Operations the Means to Effectively Deal with Corruption?

Corruption is a major issue for managers operating in emerging markets. The multidimensional aspect of corruption significantly complicates managerial decision-making and increases business risks. Unfortunately, there is a deficit of objective research that can provide guidance to managers in recognizing, understanding and effectively dealing with the complexities associated with the types of corruption likely to be encountered in the global business environment. This research blends quantitative and qualitative techniques into a research methodology that focuses on identifying and analyzing the various dimensions of corruption that impact management decision-making. This unique methodology effectively surmounts the inherent difficulties in researching the subject of corruption from an applied management perspective by providing clarity, meaning and applied functionality to this complex international business issue. Based on the results of this research and a comprehensive assessment of available alternatives, this research proposes a realistic and viable solution to the long-standing management problem of how to effectively deal with corruption in international business.