Explaining the Corruption Diffusion in Public Organizations by Analyzing the Individual and Organizational Variables with the Bandwagon Effect

This inquiry has attempted to explain the diffusion of corruption in public organizations by the Bandwagon Effect and the individual and organizational factors that affect it. For this purpose, the qualitative approach has been pursued and data has been collected by the interviews conducted with employees of public organizations and organizational experts. Accordingly, Grounded Theory has been adopted as the methodology of the research through which the data has been analyzed in three phases: open coding, axial coding and selective coding. In open coding phase the ideas of interviewees have been conceptualized and categorized; in phase of axial coding the phenomenon, casual conditions, contexts, intervening conditions, action strategies and consequences are determined; finally, the relationships of these elements, the core category and the storyline of the corruption diffusion by the Bandwagon Effect have been introduced in selective coding stage. In conclusion, the main questions of this inquiry have been answered.