Managing the link between bribery and wealth based on Corruption Perception Index (CPI) and Gross National Product (GNP) per Capita

Corruption is a reality of life in all countries. However, some countries seem to have more widespread and higher levels of illegal and unethical behavior than others. Corruption typically is viewed in the context of culture. Yet might the wealth of a society be another determinant of corruption? Accordingly, the authors wanted to ascertain if there is a relationship between gross national product (GNP) per capita and the corruption perception index (CPI) of various countries. Through ANOVA and regression analysis, the authors found that there is a significant linear relationship between wealth generation of a country and the country's level of corruption; and in addition the results of the 10 ASEAN countries and the 66 regional countries demonstrated that there is a significant linear relationship between the independent variable GNP (or CPI) and the dependent variable CPI (or GNP).Wealth, therefore, as a component of a societal culture, emerges as a significant aspect of corruption. The implications of these findings as well as suggestions for future research are provided.