Business without Corruption: An Action Guide

Introduction

Set in the context of the Russian experience, this brochure is the result of a joint effort by two non-profit organizations that are well-known to entrepreneurs: the All-Russian Non-Governmental Organization of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (OPORA) and the Information Science for Democracy (INDEM) Foundation. OPORA is well-known as a business association not only for its research, but also for its extensive practical work to improve the business climate. The INDEM Foundation is known for its research on corruption. For the last three years it has been involved in projects to study small business.

The authors of this brochure faced a complex task: to give small business owners tools to resist corruption and strategies to survive and grow in an extremely aggressive environment. These strategies are not easy to use, because they are often in tension with your previous experience. They involve rejecting corrupt ways of doing business. Our suggestions are based on the results of research, an analysis of positive experience (however limited), and extensive interviews with representatives of small and medium-sized enterprises throughout the country. Our analysis of the situation and proposals are accompanied by specific examples and quotations from anonymous interviews with businesspeople.

We do not see this text as a final truth. On the contrary, we hope this brochure will be the starting point of a discussion with the active participation of its readers. This will help us correct mistakes and inaccuracies and gather additional information. With your help, we will then update the text with a new level of understanding.

Produced by INDEM and OPORA with the support of CIPE and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).