1. Structural roles and gender disparities in corruption networksArthur A. B. Pessa, Alvaro F. Martins, Mônica V. Prates, Sebastián Gonçalves, Cristina Masoller, Matjaž Perc, Haroldo V. Ribeiro, 2025, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Criminal activities are predominantly due to males, with females exhibiting a significantly lower involvement, especially in serious offenses. This pattern extends to organized crime, where females are often perceived as less tolerant to illegal practices. However, the roles of males and females within corruption networks are less understood. Here, we analyze data from political scandals in Brazil and Spain to shed light on gender differences in corruption networks. Our findings reveal that females constitute 10% and 20% of all agents in the Brazilian and Spanish corruption networks, respectively, with these proportions remaining stable over time and across different scandal sizes. Despite this disparity in representation, centrality measures are comparable between genders, except among highly central individuals, for which males are further overrepresented. Additionally, gender has no significant impact on network resilience, whether through random dismantling or targeted attacks on the largest component. Males are more likely to be involved in multiple scandals than females, and scandals predominantly involving females are rare, though these differences are explained by a null network model in which gender is randomly assigned while maintaining gender proportions. Our results further reveal that the underrepresentation of females partially explains gender homophily in network associations, although in the Spanish network, male-to-male connections exceed expectations derived from a null model. Ključne besede: gender disparity, corruption network, political scandal, social physics, social physics Objavljeno v DKUM: 25.04.2025; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 0
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2. Universality of political corruption networksAlvaro F. Martins, Bruno R. da Cunha, Quentin S. Hanley, Sebastián Gonçalves, Matjaž Perc, Haroldo V. Ribeiro, 2022, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Corruption crimes demand highly coordinated actions among criminal agents to succeed. But research dedicated to corruption networks is still in its infancy and indeed little is known about the properties of these networks. Here we present a comprehensive investigation of corruption networks related to political scandals in Spain and Brazil over nearly three decades. We show that corruption networks of both countries share universal structural and dynamical properties, including similar degree distributions, clustering and assortativity coefficients, modular structure, and a growth process that is marked by the coalescence of network components due to a few recidivist criminals. We propose a simple model that not only reproduces these empirical properties but reveals also that corruption networks operate near a critical recidivism rate below which the network is entirely fragmented and above which it is overly connected. Our research thus indicates that actions focused on decreasing corruption recidivism may substantially mitigate this type of organized crime. Ključne besede: corruption, network, politics, universality, social physics Objavljeno v DKUM: 15.07.2024; Ogledov: 119; Prenosov: 13
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3. Energy security of the European Union and corruption in Central Asia as the main challenges for the European sustainable energy futureBojana Vasić, Ivan Pekić, Goran Šimić, 2023, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Background
The main goal of the paper is to define, analyze and assess the basic security, development and institutional challenges faced by the Central Asian countries after 2022. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, and with the outbreak of the Ukrainian crisis, Europe faced problems in ensuring energy security, which were further complicated by its decision to stop importing natural gas from the Russian Federation. The Central Asian region is rich in energy resources, but at the same time, it is also a region of special geopolitical interest of often-conflicting parties, characterized by limited information and insufficient academic literature about development, various aspects of security, internal specificities and future challenges.
Methods
The research included qualitative and quantitative analyses carried out for Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Germany. Data processing was performed based on 16 selected indicators in the fields of economy, energy, governance and climate change, for the time period 2011 to 2021. Data processing was performed using correlation and regression analysis (ANOVA).
Results
The results showed that corruption represents one of the biggest problems faced by the countries of Central Asia, with the biggest variations in the calculated Standardized Confidence level, which shows that this indicator trend, in relation to the 16 indicators used, is the least predictable. This represents a significant problem for all countries that are supplied with energy products from this region, or plan to do so. Energy security is positive only in the case of Turkmenistan. Regression analysis shows that Kazakhstan reported the best positive trend for most indicators. Data for Germany show consistent values over the observed period.
Conclusions
The main conclusions of the paper indicate that the countries of Central Asia have certain specificities when it comes to sustainable development, where energy security, corruption and government efficiency can be considered the biggest problems. The European Union must find ways and mechanisms to overcome these and many other impediments if they decide to import energy products from the aforementioned region. Ključne besede: energy security, corruption perception, governance efectiveness, Central Asia, Germany Objavljeno v DKUM: 15.04.2024; Ogledov: 257; Prenosov: 12
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4. Crime as a business, business as a crimeJosip Kregar, Antonija Petričušić, 2010, pregledni znanstveni članek Opis: Purpose:
This paper endorses the claim that in transitional societies the line between business and crime is elusive because weak states foster a legal order that is formalistic, bureaucratic, politically biased and prone to corruption.
Design/Methods/Approach:
Three elements are discussed in the paper. First, the paper briefly analyses legal and institutional state of affairs in transitional Western Balkans societies that condone organised crime. Secondly, it investigates the phenomenology of the (corruptive) crime behaviour, explaining how it managed to integrate into society in the context of a weak state. Thirdly, the paper investigates why state policies and measures fail to fight crime as the business. In this part the paper contests a traditional definition of criminal organisation as a hierarchical one, claiming that mafias are not organizations in a traditional sense.
Findings:
The paper emphasizes that the fight against organised crime is not just a fight against individuals or individual criminal behaviour; but a fight to increase the efficiency of the government. The paper furthermore asserts that better understand of the organised crime problem can occur only if its fighting and addressing happens from the point of view of a good governance. Namely, the precondition to fight against organised crime or parallel activity requires increased efficiency and capacity of governmental institutions.
Originality/Value:
This paper adds to the academic and practical understanding of the organised crime in the post-transitional settings. Apart from being instructive and up-todated source of information for the regional setting it deals with, the paper sheds a new light on understanding of organised crime. Ključne besede: organised crime, organisation, transition, money laundering, corruption, good governance, South-Eastern Europe Objavljeno v DKUM: 12.05.2020; Ogledov: 1062; Prenosov: 92
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5. The significance of studying and investigation art crime : old reasons, new worldBojan Dobovšek, Boštjan Slak, 2011, pregledni znanstveni članek Opis: Purpose:
The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the basic importance of studying and investigating art crime.
Design/Methods/Approach:
This paper presents a literature review with new commentary.
Findings:
Art crime has a long history and there has been some good research done on the topic. However it is still unrecognised in broader circles, even among professionals, and only a portion of the importance of art crime has been studied, often without a strong analysis of the complexities of the field. This paper will seek to fill in some of the gaps in scholarship, while summarizing much of the available literature.
Research limitations/implications:
A lack of proper and comprehensive academic literature limits the extent of this study, but this is the very reason why this paper is important.
Practical implications:
This paper represents a summary of the significance of art crime studies and investigation.
Originality/Value:
The main value is to those who are not yet familiar with art crime. This paper will further bring in some new views to complement the existing scholarship, and will be of interest to those who are keen on knowing about art crime. Ključne besede: art crime, insurance premiums, looting, war art crime, organised crime, money laundering, corruption Objavljeno v DKUM: 12.05.2020; Ogledov: 1109; Prenosov: 63
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6. Assessing the preventive anti-corruption efforts in SloveniaJasna Fedran, Bojan Dobovšek, Brane Ažman, 2015, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Purpose:
Corruption is one of the greatest and most serious social problems our country faces today. Slovenia was found to be burdened with systemic or structural corruption; therefore, one of its priority efforts should be establishing a more effective national structure and taking the most appropriate systemic anti-corruption measures. According to the fact that the previous repressive reactions against corruption have proven ineffective, it is necessary to pursue the objective of its anti-corruption measures aimed at its prevention. One of the major measures is the integrity plan, representing a successful breakthrough in the area of prevention of corruption, as Slovenia is the first in the European Union to have implemented it. Consequently, a research on integrity plans was conducted.
The purpose of the article is to highlight or emphasize the meaning of the topical preventive measure in curbing corruption in Slovenia from the perspective of public sector institutions which are obliged to elaborate the integrity plan.
Design/Methods/Approach:
This contribution is based on methods specific to qualitative research, particularly comparative and descriptive ones. Further, the methods of analysis and examination of relevant domestic and foreign primary and secondary resources and legal acts are used. As a data collection technique, the authors take interviews with integrity plan planners and producers.
Findings:
With regard to the issue at hand, aversion or unwillingness of integrity plan producers to participate in our research was found, generally. However, the detailed results of the research not only show that the current concept of integrity plan should be partially upgraded, but they also reveal that only few leading employees participate in elaborating their integrity plan.
Originality/Value:
An issue arising from the paper reflects the exceptional endeavor to establish a stable prevention national policy. Ključne besede: integrity, integrity plan, integrity plan producers, corruption, prevention of corruption, Commission for the Prevention of Corruption, Slovenia Objavljeno v DKUM: 16.04.2020; Ogledov: 1008; Prenosov: 48
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7. Inoculation of safety in healthcareBojan Dobovšek, Boštjan Slak, 2017, pregledni znanstveni članek Opis: The purpose of this paper is to analyse - through a prism of informal institutions - the role and importance of security in healthcare and the manner in which healthcare sector copes with security threats in postmodern society. We note that bad informal institutions are differently reflected in Slovenia. In the forefront are the problems of systemic corruption, various forms of clientelism and nepotism. This is (in)directly reflected in the (lack of) quality of Slovenian healthcare system. Inadequate public procurement system and conflicts of interest in healthcare sector are causing inferior quality of the healthcare system, while informal institutions in politics and economics are weakening Slovenian economy, consequently affecting the funding of Slovenian healthcare system which is also undermined by the financial crisis. Additionally, globalisation, which has a (negative) impact on human health, has caused the importation of improper business practices into healthcare system. It is therefore necessary to develop a preventive action that will inoculate the idea of a safe country for the benefit of people and not for the benefit of bad informal networks. Ključne besede: informal institutions, corruption, health systems, security Objavljeno v DKUM: 09.10.2018; Ogledov: 1442; Prenosov: 224
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8. The analysis of active bribery in positive criminal law of Germany and AustriaMijo Galiot, 2017, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: The criminal policy of preventing the commission of crimes, especially corruption and bribery, is of great importance for every regulated legal system. The success of the named policy depends largely on the overall political and economic development of each country. In support of the existing scientific debate, this paper analyses the positive criminal law regulation of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Republic of Austria with regard to the question of active bribery as one of the main forms of corrupt behaviour. The author will comparatively present the German and Austrian criminal systems, which, same as the Croatian, belong to European continental criminal legal system, and will thus address the fundamental similarities and differences between the legal regulations of active bribery within the named legislations. Ključne besede: benefit, corruption, active bribery, prosecution, punishment, criminal sanctions Objavljeno v DKUM: 02.08.2018; Ogledov: 1113; Prenosov: 99
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9. Corruption in public administration units and organizational measures to prevent and fight corruptionAndrejka Mevc, Milan Pagon, 2008, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: This paper presents the results of a study that investigated the attitudes of civil servants in public administration units in Slovenia regarding corruption at work. The results show that civil servants employed in public administration units take corruption seriously. The employees' perceptions of corruption and their willingness to report the offender are closely connected to their opinion on how others - their colleagues - perceive it (i.e., how serious they find corruption and whether they are willing to report the offender). There are important gender differences regarding the perceptions of corruption, as well as differences in the function they have and their membership in organizational units. The authors conclude that it is necessary to develop and strengthen the feelings of the employees' security and increase the link between perceiving corruption and one's own judgment of the seriousness of corruptive behaviour, as well as to decrease the tolerance regarding corruption. Ključne besede: administrative corruption, corruptive behaviour, code of silence, anticorruptive measures, offender, management, civil servant, public administration unit Objavljeno v DKUM: 29.11.2017; Ogledov: 1176; Prenosov: 363
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10. An analysis of corruption in microenterprisesMladen Tomašič, 2009, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: The purpose of this study is to present the research work made whilst studying the presence of corruption in the operations of Slovenian micro-enterprises. Our study builds on research which we carried out in 2005 and compares the findings of both studies. We wish to present our findings to public experts for a professional assessment and provide a basis for further work. We hope that in this way we can contribute to the development of new guidelines for the preparation of further analysis, the causes and elimination or at least limitation of corruption in business operations. Notable studies, which address corporate corruption in Slovenia, are non-existent. The results have confirmed the basic research hypothesis that the presence of corruption in the micro-business environment compared to a previous study in the last five years has increased. Ključne besede: micro-enterprise, micro-entrepreneur, corruption, corruptness Objavljeno v DKUM: 28.11.2017; Ogledov: 1011; Prenosov: 300
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