Title: Management involvement in financial crime: an empirical study of white-collar crime

Authors: Petter Gottschalk, Hans Solli-Saether

Addresses: Norwegian School of Management, Nydalsveien 37, Oslo 0484, Norway. ' Norwegian School of Management, Nydalsveien 37, Oslo 0484, Norway

Abstract: The term financial crime expresses different concepts depending on the jurisdiction and the context. Financial crime generally describes a variety of crimes against property, involving the unlawful conversion of property belonging to another to one|s own personal use and benefit. A special kind of financial crime is labelled white-collar crime, where characteristics of the offender include position, power, relationships and social status. The purpose of this empirical study of white-collar crime in business organisations was to create insights into perceptions of magnitude, attitude, risks and offenders. The study identified financial misconduct by chief executives in the company as the crime associated with the most serious consequence for the company. Based on this finding, business positions were applied as determinants of the extent of misconduct by chief executives in the company. Statistical analysis suggests that the extent of misconduct by chief executives is positively related to the extent a person from external auditing is involved in white-collar crime.

Keywords: financial crime; white collar crime; survey research; management positions; enterprise development; management involvement; business; financial misconduct; chief executives; CEOs; external auditing.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMED.2010.035309

International Journal of Management and Enterprise Development, 2010 Vol.9 No.1, pp.76 - 86

Published online: 21 Sep 2010 *

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