Anticorruption strategies: The Hong Kong Model in international context

Hong Kong’s Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) often serves as an example and a model for an effective national anticorruption institution. It is characterized by its independence; its involvement in the public as well as the private sector; its combination of investigation, prevention, and education; and its resources. What can other countries learn from the ICAC? Expert panel data show that different countries can learn different lessons from the experiences of ICAC. No model is easily transferable; it is necessary to relate anticorruption strategies to characteristics of the countries or systems involved. For developing countries, the independence of institutions and the nonfinancial resources invested in the anticorruption struggle seem crucial. Higher-income countries can learn from ICAC's involvement in the public and private sector and the strengthening of prevention strategies.