The Impact of Culture on Whistleblowing Behavior in Iran

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Table of content:

• Effects of the cultural orientation on whistleblowing

• Support for Whistleblowers of Economic and Administrative Corruption

• Corruption Perceptions Index in Iran

• Whistleblowing against the chief of the Judiciary

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Photo by Nazanin Tabatabaee Yazdi

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Effects of the cultural orientation on whistleblowing:

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Analysis indicated that cultural orientation has the strongest impact on whistleblowing, behavior, given evidence of the effect of culture on business ethics. It was revealed that personality traits positively influence whistleblowing behavior in Iranian public service organizations, also supporting Individual item analysis shows that the ethical position is an important antecedent of whistleblowing behavior in Iranian public service organizations. According to justice theory, would want to comply with the reporting requirements and ensure that all individuals received fair and equitable treatment. It was found that cultural orientation has a positive influence on whistleblowing behavior in Iranian public service organizations.

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Photo by Shutterstock

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Support for Whistleblowers of Economic and Administrative Corruption:

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While some Iranian lawmakers’ efforts to help whistleblowers expose corruption should be welcomed, such initiatives are not likely to achieve their stated goals as long as a comprehensive strategy is not defined and implemented. With the signatures of 94 lawmakers, a bill has been presented to the Iranian parliament’s presiding board, titled, “Support for Whistleblowers of Economic and Administrative Corruption.” If approved by the presiding board, the bill could become law and facilitate the government campaign to fight corruption. Reports and corroborating information on the extent of corruption and efforts to combat it in Iran were limited among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

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Photo by Mohammad Reza Domiri Ganji

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Corruption Perceptions Index in Iran:

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In its 2005 Corruption Perceptions Index, Transparency International placed Iran 93rd out of 159 countries in terms of the degree of corruption and gave it a score of 2.9 on a scale from zero (highly corrupt) to ten (spotless). A senior “lawmaker” cited in Iran Daily, estimated that approximately “90 per cent of economic corruption cases in Iran involved the authorities” (19 Dec. 2005).

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) stated that, while reports of corruption were common in Iran, the lack of follow-up on these cases could be attributed to “a general lack of accountability,” weaknesses in legislation and the fact that the press is “heavily politicized” (5 Apr. 2005). 

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Iranian MP Mahmood Sadeghi

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Whistleblowing against the chief of the Judiciary:

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Once, it was just a rumor published by an Iranian source that professional journalists had a problem believing: Every year, millions of dollars of the Judiciary's income poured into the private accounts of judiciary chief Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani.

However, it became top news when an MP, Mahmoud Sadeghi, spoke of it in a public session of the Iranian Parliament and requested the judiciary come clean on the allegations.