CORRUPTION: A DEVIANCE, OR CHANGE IN ECONOMIC NORMS OF PAKISTANI SOCIETY

The major objective of this research study was to assess the impact of corruption upon the prevalent social values in Peshawar city, Pakistan. A sample size of 150 respondents was selected through stratified random sampling to ascertain respondent’s attitudes towards phenomena under investigation through Likert scale as measurement tool. Both uni-variate and bi-variate analyses were carried out to determine outcomes. The dependent variable’s (corruption perception) effects were assessed on the independent variable (Social Values in Economic Institutions) by using Chi-square test. In addition, Gamma () statistics were applied to determine the strength and direction of the relationship. The study found a significant and positive association of corruption perception with fair chances of employment (P=0.000), punishment of corrupt people (P=0.000), transparency in government departments (P=0.000), religious practices like “Ushr” and “Zakat (P=0.000) and promotion of religious teachings in economic institutions (P=0.000) as strongly associated with corruption perception. Some of the additional contributing factors included insufficient salaries of government servants (P=0.000), fair and just distribution of family resources (P=0.047). It is concluded that the social values are deteriorating, being replaced by corruption which is getting the rank of a rising social value and is largely in practice amongst members of society, especially in various economic aspects of social life. Nevertheless, people still believed that prevalent social order is strong enough to combat this shifting dynamics, by generating a morality based environment.