U4 research & reports
This page presents research commissioned by the Utstein Agencies and U4 on corruption-related issues.
This paper is about limitations, implications and potential improvements of corruption indices. It emphasizes the importance of collecting information on corruption, while still stressing critical aspects of the cross-country composite corruption indices. It summarizes the main limits of Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), underscores the problem of expecting perceptions to be reliable, and discusses the problem of incorrect understanding and usage of the index, finally suggesting possibilities for its improvement. (2005)
Corruption in Bosnia and Herzegovina - 2005, Options for Swedish Development Cooperation 2006-2010
This report explores the root causes of corruption in Bosnia and Herzegovina and its current manifestations. Based on a thorough historical analysis and a review of institutional set-up, domestic responses, and donor interventions the report goes on to suggest future interventions for Swedish development support. (2005)
Measuring 'Success' in 5 African Anti-Corruption Commissions: Ghana, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda,Zambia
Pr. Robert Williams, together with Alan Doig and David Watt, has completed a research project based upon in-depth examinations of the operation, operating context and strategies of Anti-Corruption Commissions in Uganda, Ghana, Tanzania, Malawi and Zambia. While the findings suggest that the measurement of “success” by African ACCs is problematic in both concept and assessment, a presentation is given of the team’s view of what is often stated as the main inhibitors or drivers for success; factors reflecting the general governance infrastructure. The report outlines recommendations for governments and donors with respect to the future purpose and roles of ACCs. (2005)
U4 Report: Local corruption diagnostics and measurement tools in Africa
This report written by Anna Hakobyan and Marie Wolkers - researchers at Transparency International - assesses the value and usefulness of many attempts at measuring corruption and creating indexes at national or institutional level in developing countries. The research for this report has captured 22 measurement tools in 25 African countries. The report looks at these local alternatives as contrasts to the many international and comparative corruption surveys and indexes which are produced and widely quoted each year. (2004)
U4 Report: Local corruption diagnostics - overview matrix table
A tabular overview of the findings in the U4 Report above entitled 'Local corruption diagnostics and measurement tools'. (2004)
U4 Report: Estimating corruption - comments on available data
In this short article, Tina Søreide has provided an easy-to-read overview of the existing methods for estimating levels of corruption across countries. Thereafter she comments on the virtues and limitations of the various methods, like the TI Corruption Perceptions Index, the World Bank Control of Corruption Indicator, and various other indexes. Some national studies is also mentioned. (2003)
U4 Report: Fighting corruption the Utstein way
This article, written by Harald Mathisen (CMI), analyses the U4 project database and its content. First, it explores the size and nature of projects implemented by the different agencies across countries and regions. It then analyses whether the projects are aligned to the national and/or the anti-corruption strategy outlined in the Utstein partnership. Permeating the analysis will also be a concern for the level and form of donor co-ordination. (Nov. 2003) (2003)
U4 Report: Comments to NIS study on Zambia
A U4 commissioned expert group made these comments to the National Integrity System (NIS) study on Zambia. The main conclusion is that international donors and partners can and should do much to assist the government and various civil society organisations in Zambia in their anti-corruption efforts, given an expressed political will, the relative openness of Zambian media and the general public awareness of the problem. (2003)
U4 Report: UNDP roundtable conference report
This is a short conference report by Henrik Lunden, CMI, on the UNDP Roundtable “Fighting Corruption in Post-Communist States: Where are we now? Where do we go from here?”, held in Oslo, 3 september 2003. Among the point raised in the discussion: Corruption is one of the key obstacles to sustainable development, continuously deepening the region’s poverty and inequalities, endangering not only the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, but also national and regional stability and security. What matters now is political will to implement anti-corruption measures. (2003)
U4 Report: Fighting the bug within
What are the Utstein agencies doing to protect their own organisations from corrupt behaviour? This study looks at the inhouse mechanisms, and highlights comparative aspects of political commitment, the legal framework, codes of conduct, organisation and training. Author: Harald Mathisen, CMI. (2003)
U4 Report: Donor roles in face of endemic corruption - Albania in the policy debate
This article, written by Harald Mathisen (CMI), gives a candid look at the level and types of corruption in Albania, emphasising its generic causes. The questions are; do the donors address the causes or the effects of corruption, and does the present anti-corruption strategy take proper account of the distinct peculiarities of a country like Albania? It postulates that the present strategy misses the mark by some way. As corruption hampers the social and economic development of the country, breaks down public morale and is a threat to political stability and security, it should be made clear to the government that the continuing involvement of senior government officials and politicians in corrupt networks and organised crime will leave the country stranded without aid and outside the Euro-Atlantic realm. Thus, when the International Community (IC) has leverage over the government, a return to the now unfashionable concept of political and economical conditionality should be considered. (2003)
U4 Report: Decentralisation and corruption - a review of the literature
This literature review is written by Odd-Helge Fjeldstad, researcher at Chr. Michelsen Institute. Fjeldstad makes both a quantitative and qualitative assessment of existing, mostly published academic work, on the issue of decentralisation and related problems of corruption.
The review finds that despite 'decentralisation's' prominent place in recent development debate, fairly little research has been done on its relation to corruption problems. Some immediate needs for policy relevant research are identified in the final section - particularly dealing with the revenue generation sectors. (2003)
Utstein partners' anti-corruption policies
This is a presentation of the Utstein anti-corruption policies, based on a study of available documentation. The intention is to present policies and strategies in a comparative framework. This presentation does not review progress in terms of the contribution that the respective strategies have made to actually reduce corruption. An examination of the anti-corruption strategies of the four Utstein partners show that there is some variation with respect to how the respective partners have organised their responses to the challenges. DFID’s strategy is most explicit in its recognition of the importance of closely integrated and holistic approaches. Commissioned by U4. Author: Johan Helland, researcher at Chr. Michelsen Institute, Norway. (2002)