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Abstract
This article is a partial requirement in research dynamical units and links describe relationships
proposal development and describes the structure among units.
and properties of complex social networks,
research approach, methodology, scope and The approach presented here is not interested in
preliminary expected results dealing with pointing particular persons or companies but
corruption phenomena. understanding corruption phenomenon as a
systemic problem in our country and perhaps
Traditional corruption index and measurements exhibiting and epidemic behavior. The proof of
are presented as a mechanism to highlight the last hypothesis could be accomplished through a
differences with the complex network perspective. comparative analysis of biological epidemic
networks, their structure, dynamics, patterns and
Comparing epidemic network features and the properties.
influence theory is foreseen.
2. Corruption phenomena
As may be seen data gathering is faced with a new
approach and processed with advanced software Although everybody talk about corruption and
tools. subjective opinions are given, a formal approach
to this subject will be done through the following
Keywords: Corruption, social networks, agents, definitions:
computer simulation, artificial intelligence,
system dynamics. According to Merriam-Webster dictionary
Corruption is an impairment of integrity, virtue,
1. Introduction or moral principle: DEPRAVITY.
Corruption is not about names, countries or Corruption “is the abuse of public power for
companies, it is an old world class undefeated private profit” [1].
problem. This research is essentially This definition is accepted and used by the World
interdisciplinary and disciplines like complex Bank (WB) and Transparency International (TI).
systems theory, networks theory, graph theory,
systems dynamics and advanced statistical Corruption “is a transaction between private and
methods can be used to find properties and public sector actors through which collective
dynamics in corruption related networks. goods are illegitimately converted into private-
Structural and dynamic characteristics of complex regarding payoffs” [1].
networks are covered, emphasizing in social
networks. Corruption is “behavior that deviates from the
formal rules of conduct governing the actions of
Things like the World Wide Web, neural someone in a position of public authority because
networks, the internet, epidemic behavior and of private-regarding motives such as wealth,
sexual contacts are system made of many power, or status” [1].
interacting and dynamical units that can be
represented with graphs, where nodes represents
1
Globalization offers short path for bribery and the latter involves risk and offers less
illegal contracts between government agents, stability. Risk neutral agents behave
especially in third world countries, and opportunistically. They may or may not
transnational firms but also is a straight way to engage in corruption and mayor may not
force them to design and apply policies against move to the private sector depending on the
corruption as a requisite to access to international circumstances. The principal has a probability
funds and bilateral cooperation programs. q > 0 of discovering any agent's abuse of
entrusted power for personal gains:
Corruption is not a new problem but it is a corruption” [2].
retarding factor of social and economic growth
and for that reason new methods to face it have to
be devised. 3. Network theory review
International community is spending enormous It is devoted to the study of patterns and
efforts and resources trying to defeat or relationships between entities (agents) conforming
substantially reduce this phenomenon. networks (represented by graphs). It has a wide
scope, including: Computer networks, social
Entities like the World Bank and Transparency networks, biological networks, neural networks,
International have developed indices for paper citations networks, cellular networks, etc
corruption measuring. Those metrics are used to [4].
assess countries and construct corruption ranks.
A network is a structure containing abstract
Scientific community is questioning the validity objects and a set of relationships between them.
of perception indices and rankings due the general These objects could be: persons, organizations,
treatment of data arguing that this approach hide agents, etc.
specific corruption practices and neglects the Entities are represented by nodes (vertices) and
particularities of each country; hence there is a big relationships with edges (bonds, links, and ties).
chance to do important contributions in this field.
2.1. Corruption metrics The basic unit of a network is called vertex and its
denomination could vary with context. In
“Agents can be of two types: risk averse with sociological context vertices are called agents or
probability γ, or risk neutral with probability actors, in computer science analysis are known as
1−γ. Risk adverse agents dislike any type of nodes while in physics are denominated sites.
risk and as a result will never engage in
corruption as corruption involves the risk of An edge is the link connecting two vertices and
being caught. In that sense we also refer to represents relationships among agents. According
them as honest. In this model, risk averse to the context edges denomination can varies: tie
agents also prefer the public to the private (sociology), bond (physics) and link (computer
sector regardless of wage differential because science). Edges can be directed if they run only in
2
one direction or undirected when they run in both
directions. Directed edges end up with arrows.
A directed graph contains only directed edges.
A component is a set of vertices that can be Figure 4.Directed and undirected networks [5].
reached out trough paths running along edges of
the graph. According to [4], networks can be categorized in
four types: Social, information, technological and
An alternating sequence of vertices and edges biological networks.
where edges are incident to preceding and
succeeding vertices is called a walk. A walk The main concern of this work is concerned with
containing no repeated vertices is a path and that social systems and complex networks; hence some
containing no repeated links is called a trail. basic concepts are provided:
3
5. Research approach 7. Computational tools available
This research intends to gather and analyze social Here is a description of some of the many
networks data, specifically those related with software tools available and used for scientists and
corruption, study structural properties, find researchers to study and model networks:
patterns and suggest policies to fight corruption.
There are many different disciplines devoted to NetLogo is a multi-agent programmable modeling
these kinds of studies and each one with its own environment created by Uri Wilensky and
perspective and approach. developed at the Center for Connected Learning
(CCL) and Computer-Based Modeling.
Computer simulation is going to be used to
analyze structural and dynamical properties and Pajek is a program, for Windows, for analysis and
perhaps find similarities with existing network visualization of large networks having some
models from several fields, like biology or thousands or even millions of vertices. In
computer science. Slovenian language the word pajek means spider
[5].
Influence is another variable to be examined and
attacked with motivational or constraining UCINET is a social network analysis program
policies. developed by Steve Borgatti at the University of
Kentucky and distributed by Analytic
Artificial intelligence and systems dynamics Technologies.
approach can be used to model the dynamics of http://www.analytictech.com/
that kind of networks.
Artificial neural networks and fuzzy logic has
been used to model and analyze networks 8. References
involving people and its relationships.
[1]. J.C. Andvig, O.H. Fjeldstad, et al, “Research on
6. Data gathering Corruption: A policy oriented survey”, Chr. Michelsen
Institute (CMI) & Norwegian Institute of International
Affairs (NUPI), Norwegian Agency for Development
Along history, social researchers have used some Cooperation, 2000, pp. 11-12.
of the methods listed below to get data:
questionnaires, experiments, direct observation, [2]. J.F. Ruhashyankiko, E.B. Yehoue, “Corruption and
written records and derivation. Technology-Induced Private Sector Development”, IMF
Working Papers, International Monetary Fund Institute,
Network analysts rarely use samples in their work 2006, pp 5-15.
and census is preferred.
[3]. F. Caselli, J. Feyrer, “The Marginal Product of
Network research philosophy looks for the “whole Capital”, Quarterly Journal of Economics, MIT Press,
Cambridge-Massachusetts, 2007, pp 1-2.
picture” and relationships among agents must not
be broken because of data aggregation. [4]. M.E.J. Newman, “The Structure and Function of
Complex Networks”, SIAM Review, SIAM
Datasets in social networks are similar to those Publications, Ann Arbor-Michigan, 2003, pp 1-10.
used for traditional network and statistical
analysts and they are arranged in matrices. [5]. Finke, O. J., Lectures on complex systems,
Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Cali-Colombia, 2010,
“Network data (in their purest form) consist of a lectures 1-3.
square array of measurements. The rows of the
[6]. van Steen, M., Graph Theory and Complex
array are the cases, or subjects, or observations. Networks: An Introduction, Vrije Universiteit,
The columns of the array are -- and note the key Amsterdam, 2010, pp 1-20.
difference from conventional data -- the same set
of cases, subjects, or observations and each cell in [7]. Hanneman, R., Riddle, M, Introduction to Social
the array describes a relationship between actors” Network Methods, University of California, Riverside-
[7]. California, 2005, pp 1-30.