Whistleblowing in Norwegian Municipalities—Can Offers of Reward Influence Employees’ Willingness and Motivation to Report Wrongdoings?

Jarle Løwe Sørensen, Ann Mari Nilsen Gaup and Leif Inge Magnussen
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Jarle Løwe Sørensen: USN School of Business, University of South-Eastern Norway, 3603 Kongsberg, Norway
Ann Mari Nilsen Gaup: USN School of Business, University of South-Eastern Norway, 3603 Kongsberg, Norway
Leif Inge Magnussen: USN School of Business, University of South-Eastern Norway, 3603 Kongsberg, Norway

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 8, 1-12

Abstract: This organizational study aims to explore whistleblowing in Norwegian Municipalities. The purpose is to explore whether employees perceive that their workplace has a well-functioning reporting system, to investigate what kind of rewards, if any, the employees considered most desirable, and to map, if any, the relationship between all types of compensation and the willingness to notify within one’s own organization. This study reports on 2018 interview data from a medium-sized Norwegian municipality. The main findings indicated that the municipally exhibits little perceived every-day focus on fighting corruption and that the employees have limited knowledge of the systems and routines available to them. Further, results showed that multiple factors influenced the employee’s willingness to report and receive compensation. Especially was increased management recognition and a more clearly formalized reporting processes perceived as important motivation factors. This study contributes to organization and leadership studies and identifies problem areas, possibly helping managers and organizers focus further on the importance of anti-corruption work and whistleblowing processes within organizations. Further studies are recommended to increase the field of knowledge related to employees’ willingness and motivation to notify when they witness workplace corruption.

Keywords: corruption; whistleblowing; organizational culture; reward (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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