Fighting corruption in a knowledge-based manner: What role for research?

Abstract

Knowledge may be embodied tacitly in the experience of an organisation’s members, as well as explicitly in its files and records. Government and non-government organizations may need to manage their stocks of knowledge differently. The paper compares the knowledge management tasks facing government and non-government organizations in the field of anti corruption. The NGO Transparency International has generated an array of indices, tools, and websites to give authority to its advocacy. Its task is to package and repackage existing information. An Independent Commission Against corruption draws on the same pool of information to create useful knowledge about subjects of investigation, recommendations for prevention, and lessons for education. Government agencies also must deliberately keep some knowledge secret. More knowledge is not always a good thing, and may inhibit effective action. Show more