THEORIES OF CORRUPTION AND THEIR APPLICATIONS IN BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

Corruption, some people believe is becoming a culture but this paper admits that it is a culture in Nigeria and in other parts of the world as well. Culture is the way of life. Corruption is found and practiced everywhere and is even entrenched virtually in all segments of the society with many people (if not all) deeply involved in it, corruption then is a culture. Corruption is a global devil that has devoided human intelligibility in its social context. As an anti-social behavior and a plague that has eaten so deep into the entire Nigerian society, it confers undue benefits on few people contrary to legal and moral norms of the society. This paper then examines definitions of corruption, theories and concepts of corruption as a ‘die-hard’ phenomenon that has caused terrible retrogression in Nigerian society. The paper therefore concludes by saying that ‘due process’ and ‘fair play’ are the only antidotes that can fight this monster called corruption. The fight must be a genuine one (i.e. act what we preach and preach what we act) if Nigerians desire economic and democratic growth and this can only be possible by a determined, firm, organization (business) and resolved government.