Does the CPI’s prominence influence respondents?
The CPI has gained wide prominence in the international media since its first publication in 1995. This has raised concerns that respondents’ judgements may be overshadowed by the data reported by TI, which would introduce a problem of circularity. This hypothesis was tested in 2006 using a survey question posed to business leaders around the world. Based on more than 9,000 responses, knowledge of the CPI does not appear to induce business experts to ‘go with the herd’. Rather, knowledge of the CPI may motivate respondents to determine their own views, and there is therefore little indication of circularity in the present approach.
