The Corruption Phenomenon: A Short Introduction to the World

: The aim of this article is to present the semantics of the corruption phenomenon in order to establish corruption as a multidimensional phenomenon which is directly linked with various fields of knowledge. In this article, the definition of corruption is presented, the meaning of a form of corruption is analyzed along with its physical and its immaterial forms, as well as the impact of its repercussions. The article concludes with the presentation of the code of the forms of corruption, as well as the crucial matter of understanding scientific application of the calculation indexes of the repercussions of the forms of the corruption phenomenon. The aim of this article is binary. On the one hand, a first exposure to the subject so as the scholar can understand the corruption phenomenon as a whole, through a scientific approach. On the other hand, to aid a member of the administration to better understand the scientific methodology in order to shape their own system of ideas and suggestions towards the crucial issue of dealing with different kinds of corruption in the specific framework in which the person operates.

The term corruption refers to a manmade phenomenon which we come across in all countries of the world, no matter the geographical space, historical period of time and cultural example (Prontzas, 2017).Thus, we have to understand the term through its definition: corruption has to do with the human phenomenon of a sum of forms, diverse from country to country when it comes to their source, their dimension and their results (Prontzas, 2023).This definition suggests three things: First, the unveiling of the phenomenon.More specifically, the forms of corruption are manmade actions which constitute an inextricable part of global human history and not just some exceptions of it.Secondly, the definition establishes the basis for the theory of the corruption phenomenon (Prontzas, 2023), as a particular scientific process.A process which derives from the understanding and validation of documenting and discussing the corruption phenomenon as well as sorting the phenomenon in the fields of social as well as some hard sciences, regulating the tools used to study and analyze it, along with the interpretation and the conditional inferential conclusions of the scholar.Third, it states the independence of the phenomenon.An independence which, along with the two concepts of the term, that is, the research conducted by the scholar and the forms of corruption in the social framework of focus, is an utterly scientific process (Prontzas, 2023).A scientific process which does not allow the identification of the phenomenon with any of the forms it takes throughout space and time.
Every past or future form of the phenomenon is linked with a reality which is specifically placed in time and space.It refers to a human and at the same time a cultural creation, specifically placed in time and geographical space.All this is due to the fact that this phenomenon is not static but it keeps evolving just like the humans who create it.The above dictate two strict scientific requirements to the scholar of the phenomenon.First, specific conditions must exist in order for a human action to be considered as a form of corruption.Secondly, a specific scientific methodology must be implemented so as for the human action to be integrated in the field of the unveiling of the phenomenon, more specifically, to the code of forms of the corruption phenomenon (Prontzas, 2023).
The scientific issues which dictate the requirements, the criteria and the methodology to characterize a human action as a form of corruption are three.First, there is the issue of dealing with each form of corruption.A process which will be followed by the same population that created this form of corruption and that will suffer its consequences.Second, the necessity to examine the purpose behind such an action before characterizing it as corruption, in order to avoid traps such as identifying this phenomenon with one of its forms.Third, the so called identities of the consequences of a form of corruption (Prontzas, 2023).
What does a form of corruption consist of and what does it have to do with?It has to do with a human action, an action which indicates the fulfillment of a person's pursuit.The byproduct of this fulfillment is the crucial consequence.Thus, in order for a form of corruption to come to existence the presence of at least two people who will actualize the fundamental equation of every form of corruption is required.According to this equation, the pursuit of one member through their action creates repercussions for the other member (Prontzas, 2023).This dualistic action, as an isolated occurrence, does not lead to the corruption phenomenon.If a form of corruption is confined to its beginning, it will be considered as a personal conflict which does not affect or has any consequences for the organized social union.
So, the fundamental equation of a form of corruption, should not only just exist, but also evolve inside a civilized social union, overcoming the limits of its duality (Prontzas, 2023).The aspects of space and time exist.These aspects require the scholar's undivided attention.As depending on the placement of a form of corruption in time and space of a specific social union, it might hold a different meaning for its population, the scholar, the population outside and around the union.In order for the scholar to understand the direction of the repercussions of a form of corruption, they must understand in which specific social union it appears, where its pursuit derives from, why it exists and evolves, what its impact is (Prontzas, 2023).So, we can talk about the phenomenon of corruption, the existence of its revelations, only when we have the repercussions of its forms.Repercussions of the same or different identity from its pursuits.Pursuits which are only achieved through the forms of the phenomenon, without the pursuit and simultaneously the repercussion, physical or immaterial, the corruption phenomenon and its forms do not exist (Prontzas, 2014(Prontzas, , 2013)).As a result, when there is no pursuit peaking with the repercussions to somebody or something else, we can not talk about a form of corruption.This is the concluding point of the fundamental equation of a form of corruption: an action is added to the pursuit which leads to the repercussion (Prontzas, 2023).
Why though should a scholar of the phenomenon or an administrative member be concerned with the identity of the repercussions of a form of corruption?The first reason is that these repercussions might have four types of impact.The meaning of impact here has to do with whether the effects of a form of corruption are positive or negative.Thus, there might be a negative impact, a positive impact, a "balance producing" impact and a last but complicated category, in which, all of the above are produced simultaneously.The second reason is even more demanding.With the attribution of the term form of corruption to a human action, the questions of what to do with this form of corruption, how to deal with it and what is our aim, rise.
These issues are linked with the severity of the repercussions of a form of corruption.A form of corruption may have material or immaterial aspects or both at the same time.When there is a material aspect there is a specific outcome e.g.money.With the immaterial aspect the reflection or the pursuit will be produced as a matter of mentality, culture, civilization, as well as the realization of the identity of the repercussion by a specific social union.Through this scientific frame work of discipline, prerequisites, requirements and steps, the code of the forms of corruption is shaped (Prontzas, 2023).A code, which is open, due to the ever changing nature of the phenomenon and the forms that it takes in every social union.This code is depicted in the following graph.In order to find out if it is possible for a human phenomenon like corruption, to become measurable, we need to look at the corresponding measurement index.Two crucial scientific points should be highlighted, though.The first one is that when we say measurement index of the corruption phenomenon we refer to the index which assesses the repercussions of some forms of the phenomenon or all of them, according to the methodology of each indicator.The second point has to do with the fact that the conversion of the phenomenon into a measurable amount does not make it comparable as well.The use of the one measurement index in order to compare populations of a different profile is not scientifically correct, homo corruptus (Prontzas, 2017), or to compare countries with different archetypes of corruption (Prontzas, 2017), when it comes to their forms of corruption and their repercussions.These indexes refer to the Corruption Perceptions Index-C.P.I (Transparency International, 1996), the Corruption Footprint Index-CFI (Prontzas 2014(Prontzas , 2015) ) the Bribe Payers Index-BPI (Transparency International, 1999) and the Global Corruption Barometer-GCΒ (Transparency International, 2003).Each index which reflects the forms of the phenomenon and evaluates their repercussions is not just a method of evaluating and depicting, but its purpose is to transform the scientific understanding of the forms of the phenomenon into a number.

Forms of corruption
In conclusion, as the roots of the corruption phenomenon exist inside of every social union, in a specific space and time, its civilization will either create or not the equilibrium of the opposite trends among its people, in order to determine the final variation of a form of corruption.For this form, the scholar of the phenomenon is obligated to pose the right questions with the most appropriate criteria, in the framework of scientific rules that the study of the corruption phenomenon and the application of its theory require (Prontzas, 2023).