AF releases findings of annual Mongolian study of private perceptions of corruption

Society
en_khuder@montsame.mn
2015-11-19 18:01:22

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ The Asia Foundation (AF), in collaboration with the Sant Maral Foundation, Wednesday released findings of the sixth Study of Private Perceptions of Corruption (STOPP) as part the Transparency in Mongolia project supported by Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, says the AF’s website.

Building on the earlier surveys under the AF’s Strengthening Transparency and Governance Project since December 2012, the STOPP survey presents important perceptions of corruption issues by the business community to find out how corruption debilitates the business environment. The sixth survey interviewed 330 senior-level managers of Mongolians businesses in Ulaanbaatar in September 2015. Although the distribution of companies’ dates of establishment is similar to the fifth study in September 2014 many of the smaller companies interviewed last year were found to have gone out of business.

The sixth installment of the study was conducted at a time of economic downturn and government initiatives to improve the business environment under the Economic Transparency Law and the Amnesty Law, which in many ways affect anti-corruption efforts in Mongolia. The study provides a unique and robust tool to raise awareness and further encourage the business community, policymakers, and especially government service providers to continue improving good governance practices, changing attitudes, and preventing corruption.

In an effort to learn more about corruption in the private sector, the AF has also commissioned an in-depth, qualitative study focused on particular business sectors such as mining, and construction. The findings of that study are being released through roundtable discussions organized together with the business community in the coming weeks.

Additionally, the STOPP survey is complemented by the AF’s other survey on the public’s perception and knowledge of corruption, (SPEAK) which is designed to capture data on perceptions and knowledge of administrative practices and grand corruption. Together, these surveys provide a broad picture of the level of corruption in Mongolia.