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Actual title: Dishonesty and Selection into Public Service: Evidence from India The link title: "Students who cheat on a simple task are more likely to prefer

Actual title: Dishonesty and Selection into Public Service: Evidence from India The link title: "Students who cheat on a simple task are more likely to prefer public sector jobs", implies that this is a global phenomenon. One might expect that the nature of the public sector in a given location might have an influence over the kinds of people it might attract. In a place where baksheesh is commonplace, and a small fortune can be amassed out of "facilitation payments" by a low-level civil servant, it would come as no surprise that such a position would be attractive to nefarious individuals. In a place where public sector workers earn marginally less than their private sector counterparts, and have no means of topping up that income, other than by taking a second job, one might imagine that such a position would be less attractive to cheaters, and more attractive to people who value mission over money. If I let the assumption of good faith slip, I would say that the link title has been deliberately crafted to cast aspersions on all public sector employees worldwide, or, at least in the OP's home country.

nanis 9y ago
There is an 80 character limit on titles. The title I used is an abbreviated version of the first line of the abstract: Students in India who cheat on a simple laboratory task are more likely to prefer public sector jobs. This paper shows that cheating on this task predicts corrupt behavior by civil servants, implying that it is a meaningful predictor of future corruption. Students who demonstrate pro-social preferences are less likely to prefer government jobs, while outcomes on an explicit game and attitudinal measures to measure corruption do not systematically predict job preferences. A screening process that chooses high-ability applicants would not alter the average propensity for corruption. The findings imply that differential selection into government may contribute, in part, to corruption. The OP is familiar with several countries, and he is an economist with Ph.D. in experimental economics. As such, the OP understands that researchers with limited budgets may choose to carry out their research in countries where smaller amounts of money can have salient effects. The OP believes the distribution of human capabilities and preferences is independent of national or racial origin, and understands the appeal of government positions to people who like to have power over others without being accountable.
- frobozz 9y ago
  > The OP believes the distribution of human capabilities and preferences is independent of national or racial origin, The OP has misinterpreted my comment as a racist attack on Indians. My point was that corruption (or perception thereof) in an organisation, sector, or industry breeds (or at least sustains) corruption, as corrupt individuals are attracted to it. Conversely, an apparently "clean" organisation, sector, or industry is less likely to attract corrupt individuals, and is more likely to stay clean. Looking at Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index: https://www.transparency.org/news/feature/corruption_perceptions_index_2016 https://www.transparency.org/news/feature/corruption_percept... In (e.g.) India, Turkey, Serbia, one would expect the test cheaters to be attracted to the civil service. In (e.g.) Russia, Iran, Mexico, even more so. In (e.g.) Denmark, New Zealand, Finland, one would not expect them to be attracted to the civil service. In those countries with less government corruption, one would expect corrupt individuals to be attracted to different sector.
- frobozz 9y ago
  "Dishonesty and Selection into Public Service: Evidence from India" is 66 characters.

nanis 9y ago

There is an 80 character limit on titles. The title I used is an abbreviated version of the first line of the abstract: Students in India who cheat on a simple laboratory task are more likely to prefer public sector jobs. This paper shows that cheating on this task predicts corrupt behavior by civil servants, implying that it is a meaningful predictor of future corruption. Students who demonstrate pro-social preferences are less likely to prefer government jobs, while outcomes on an explicit game and attitudinal measures to measure corruption do not systematically predict job preferences. A screening process that chooses high-ability applicants would not alter the average propensity for corruption. The findings imply that differential selection into government may contribute, in part, to corruption. The OP is familiar with several countries, and he is an economist with Ph.D. in experimental economics. As such, the OP understands that researchers with limited budgets may choose to carry out their research in countries where smaller amounts of money can have salient effects. The OP believes the distribution of human capabilities and preferences is independent of national or racial origin, and understands the appeal of government positions to people who like to have power over others without being accountable.

frobozz 9y ago
> The OP believes the distribution of human capabilities and preferences is independent of national or racial origin, The OP has misinterpreted my comment as a racist attack on Indians. My point was that corruption (or perception thereof) in an organisation, sector, or industry breeds (or at least sustains) corruption, as corrupt individuals are attracted to it. Conversely, an apparently "clean" organisation, sector, or industry is less likely to attract corrupt individuals, and is more likely to stay clean. Looking at Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index: https://www.transparency.org/news/feature/corruption_perceptions_index_2016 https://www.transparency.org/news/feature/corruption_percept... In (e.g.) India, Turkey, Serbia, one would expect the test cheaters to be attracted to the civil service. In (e.g.) Russia, Iran, Mexico, even more so. In (e.g.) Denmark, New Zealand, Finland, one would not expect them to be attracted to the civil service. In those countries with less government corruption, one would expect corrupt individuals to be attracted to different sector.
frobozz 9y ago
"Dishonesty and Selection into Public Service: Evidence from India" is 66 characters.