Impoverished People: A Phenomenological Study of the Effects of Organizational Culture and Corruption on Class Poverty

Researchers have established that corruption adversely affects economic growth and development and deters resources from the most vulnerable. When viewed through the lens of public administration, corruption can create financial burdens and hinder the delivery of essential services, such as criminal justice, healthcare, education, and social programs. However, the dynamic effects of organizational culture and corruption on class poverty are still unknown. This phenomenological study fills this gap. The researcher employed a case study methodology to achieve this goal, using a semi-structured interview format, a focus group, and a document analysis of an administrative court. The population for the interview consisted of public sector employees with at least ten years of experience and a college degree. Five of the participants were invited to the focus group. The study results indicate that low salaries, poverty, and lack of ethics are significant economic factors contributing to corruption in public administration; social factors, including social behavior and culture, significantly contribute to public sector corruption as they breed skepticism and erode trust, generating a social problem; and organizational behavior, lack of leadership, and dysfunction are significant organizational factors influencing corruption in Haiti’s public administration.