The socio-economic impacts of construction corruption in emerging economies: a case study of Vietnam

Corruption in construction is widely recognized as a major obstacle to development in emerging economies; however, there remains a significant gap in understanding its specific socio-economic impacts and effective strategies for mitigation. This study seeks to address this gap by empirically examining the 16 potential impacts of corruption in construction projects. Data collected from 71 construction professionals in Vietnam were analysed using various statistical methods, including Cronbach’s alpha for internal consistency, the Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin measure for sampling adequacy, Bartlett’s test of sphericity, factor loadings, and ranking by mean scores. The findings highlighted that the most significant consequence of corruption is the erosion of fair competition, followed by hindered company development, construction monopolies, diminished government revenue, and increased income inequality. Theoretically, this study deepens the understanding of how corruption distorts construction dynamics in emerging economies, contributing to the broader academic discourse on its social and economic consequences. By demonstrating how corruption undermines fair competition, hinders company development, and exacerbates income inequality, it also highlights the detrimental impact on social equity and economic inclusion. Furthermore, the findings support policymakers and industry stakeholders in addressing systemic corruption, ensuring that the benefits of construction projects are distributed more fairly across society.