Croatia, which ranked first in the 2015 survey, was fifth this year with 79% of respondents agreeing that bribery and corruption was rife against 92% two years ago, according to the EY survey.
Of the major European economies, Italy ranked 13th this year (71%), Germany was 25th (43%), France 32nd (28%) and the UK 34th (25%). In 41st place was Denmark, with only 6% agreeing that bribery and corruption was commonplace.
The ‘Human instinct or Machine logic’ report reveals that bribery and corruption cases are higher in Africa at 77 percent, compared to other regions included in the survey which rank lower.
The study surveyed 4,100 employees from large businesses in 41 countries across Europe, the Middle East, India and Africa.
Of the 41 countries that participated in the survey, Ukraine was ranked first, against seventh in 2015, with 88% of respondents agreeing that bribery/corrupt practices were perceived as widespread across the country’s businesses. Cyprus (82%) and Greece (81%) were second and third respectively.
The survey reveals a tension between the use of technology and the monitoring of employees' private data. Seventy-five percent of respondents say their companies should monitor sources such as emails, calls or messaging services. Despite this, 89% feel monitoring data, such as instant messenger accounts, would constitute an invasion of privacy.