Envy and Culture: Unusual Suspects in Corrupt Workplace Behaviors

Abstract

This paper explores the intersection of envy and culture in the perpetuation of corrupt workplace practices in Ghana. Drawing on Kleinian and Bionian psychoanalytic theories, particularly Bion's basic assumptions, we examine how unconscious group dynamics manifest as corruption across public, private, and religious organizations. Through detailed case studies of organizations in each sector, we illustrate how employees unconsciously attack the very institutions they depend on, driven by envy masked as entitlement or normalized by cultural practices and religious rationalizations. We argue that corruption is not merely a rational choice but a symptom of deeper psychological and cultural currents. To address this, we advocate for a psychoanalytic framework that brings unconscious processes into awareness, enabling targeted psychoeducation and systemic intervention. This study offers new insights into the psychosocial underpinnings of corruption and emphasizes the need for interdisciplinary strategies to address the colossal problem of corruption in organizations operating within similar cultures.