Part 1 – Are we turning our back on fraud and corruption? If so, what are we turning away from?

In spite of copious new rules and guidance, are we that much closer to curbing corruption, bribery and fraud than we were ten years ago and if not, why not? Nigel Iyer and Øyvind Kvalnes start by looking at moral dissonance and how ordinary and respectable people take the first step into muddy waters. They examine the challenges of adopting a new moral responsibility and how to encourage willing commitment to ethical behaviour rather than having to rely on compelled compliance.

Øyvind Kvalnes (+47 46 41 08 08, oyvind.kvalnes@bi.no) is an associate professor at the BI Norwegian Business School working in the Department of Leadership and Organisational Behaviour. He conducts research into ethics and management and has written a number of books and articles on the subject. In 2006 he received an award (the Idunn prize) for his work “See the Gorilla – Ethics at work”. He also works as an adviser to companies on ethics and ethical dilemmas. Oyvind is responsible for the development of a new Applied Ethics Masters course at the BI Norwegian Business School.

A battle far from won

A few months ago, when commenting on the 10th anniversary of the war in Afghanistan, retired US General Stanley McChrystal said, “The US and NATO are only 50% of the way towards achieving their goals in Afghanistan.” He also issued a harsh indictment of his country’s campaign and Americans’ “frighteningly simplistic” view of the situation. [1]