Purpose – The literature states that rationalization strategies contribute to a spread of corruption in organizations. They are supposed to serve not only as post hoc justifications but also as ex ante determinants of corrupt behavior. This empirical study aims at challenging this theoretical...

Purpose – Based on social identity theory, the purpose of this paper is to explore how detrimental allegations of corruption are to potential applicants’ organizational attraction and how potential harm can be absorbed by choosing an appropriate response strategy. Design/methodology/approach...