The Policy and Regulatory Engagement with Corruption: Insights from Complexity Theory

One of the few certainties we have in dealing with corruption lies in its adaptive nature. Over time, corruption has in fact proved to be able to change, evolve and adapt within all political systems. Such an adaptive nature calls for close scrutiny of the setting or space where corruption spreads out. Therefore, this raises questions about the unappreciated risks and immeasurable opportunities for corruption in the ever-changing and interconnected world of techno-social systems we live in. This article aims to advance the policy and regulatory debate surrounding corruption by focusing on its complex and adaptive nature. In applying the main tenets of complexity theory, the analysis builds on the well-known Cynefin framework. This decision-aiding framework proves to be an insightful tool for shedding light on some critical features of corruption (eg its perception and the affected confidence).