The perpetuation of bribery–prone relationships: A study from Vietnamese public officials

Studies of bribery have not adequately considered individual psychological processes in the development of bribery–prone relationships. We propose an integration of moral disengagement and the norm of reciprocity as a theoretical lens to explain the evolvement of bribery–prone relationships. Based on qualitative data from a sample of government officials in Vietnam, we found that public officials normally go through a “calculative judgment”, experience a certain level of emotional discomfort and then use rationalization strategies to decide whether to engage in a bribery–prone exchange or relationship. Furthermore, these psychological processes are distinctive in the initiation and perpetuation stages of a bribery–prone relationship. The study suggests that interactions of the norm of reciprocity and wider ethical norms in governing bribery should be further addressed by both researchers and practitioners.