Corruption in Business and International Development (936M9)

15 credits, Level 7 (Masters)

Spring teaching

This module will explore the day-to-day realities of operating in difficult environments, as well as how governments have tried to control corruption using laws and enforcement, with mixed results. 

We'll explore:

• the main patterns of corruption in international business and international development
• the latest research to identify where the key risks lie and discusses what data sources can be used to investigate corruption in this area
• anti-bribery laws such as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and UK Bribery Act
• how the legal and regulatory framework is developing, including patterns of enforcement
• risks that arise in certain sectors, such as construction, pharmaceuticals and defence
• the corruption risks that face organisations operating internationally and especially in high-risk contexts, and how those are dealt with both in theory and in practice
• anti-bribery legislation, enforcement around the world, and how organisations have responded to this by putting into place anti-bribery and corruption compliance procedure
• the particular risks which surround public procurement and government contracts, and zoom in on key sectors
• a range of tools that can be used to manage and mitigate the risks, notably collective action.

 

Contact hours and workload

This module is approximately 150 hours of work. This breaks down into about 22 hours of contact time and about 128 hours of independent study. The University may make minor variations to the contact hours for operational reasons, including timetabling requirements.

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2024/25. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum.

We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.