ABSTRACT
Many countries in transition suffer from chronic and systemic corruption that compromises governance and slows economic growth. As a primary manifestation of corruption, this chapter conceives bribery as a classic negotiation transaction between public officials and citizens, but one that exists in an illegal context. The satisfaction of interests through bribery negotiations may serve personal goals, but subvert the larger system of governance. While governments and international donor organizations have been seeking effective approaches to fight or prevent bribery and corruption through stricter law enforcement, administrative and institutional reforms, and public education strategies, one novel approach may be to deconstruct the bribery negotiation process to eliminate the opportunity for such transactions. The chapter analyzes this particular negotiation context in relation to Zartman’s ripeness theory to identify ways to change the process and alter incentives, making negotiations concerning bribery a rare and high risk activity.
