Corruption: Measuring the Unmeasurable

Zaman, Asad and Rahim, Faizur (2008): Corruption: Measuring the Unmeasurable.

Abstract

While the strategy of measuring and quantifying has been extremely successful, and valuable in the progress of science, it does not follow that it is universally useful. We argue that attempts to measure corruption can be counterproductive in several different ways. Qualitative and action oriented approaches may prove more valuable. A political economy explanation of why extremely distorted and biased measures of corruption continue to be used is also offered.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Corruption, measurement, quantitative imperative, corruption perception index
• Subjects: B - History of Economic Thought, Methodology, and Heterodox Approaches > B4 - Economic Methodology > B40 - General; A - General Economics and Teaching > A1 - General Economics > A14 - Sociology of Economics

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