Understanding Corruption and Social Norms: A Case Study in Natural Resource Management

A unique governance structure successfully mitigated corruption risks in the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, despite significant challenges. The study, conducted through site visits, key informant interviews, and document analysis, found that while direct social norms did not drive corrupt decision-making, indirect norms fostered inaction or silence in response to abuses of power for personal gain. This highlights the importance of clearly defining 'corruption' and conducting systems analyses that account for the influence of social norms on behavior within governance frameworks.

Nash, R., Scharbatke-Church, C., Toribio, Z., Woodrow, P., & Brinkerhoff, D. W. (2023). Understanding Corruption and Social Norms: A Case Study in Natural Resource Management (, Ed.). RTI Press. https://doi.org/10.3768/rtipress.2023.op.0089.2309