ABSTRACT

The generation of a theory of suffering and academic corruption was initiated by asking how organisational stakeholders are impacted by corruption. At the time, within the academic business literature, a growing dialogue featured a macro-level organisational analysis about the consequences of corruption (e.g., impact on firm performance). However, I was employed at an institution that had experienced one of the most extensive cases of academic corruption in the history of intercollegiate athletics (National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Infractions Committee, 2000). I noticed a reoccurring theme of the effect of the corruption on various programme stakeholders (e.g., sanctions, negative reputation and consistent reference to the case). I therefore sought a micro-level organisational analysis to gain an understanding of how specific sport organisational stakeholders who were not involved in corrupt acts but were required to perform their roles and responsibilities post corruption were affected. I engaged in a conversation with a fellow university colleague, who at the time was my doctoral student and worked as the academic counselor for men’s basketball (MBB), about my observations and how the MBB programme at the University of Minnesota was impacted by the 1999 case of academic fraud (details of the case are presented later in the chapter). The result of that conversation was his offer to ask the head coach if he would grant us access and participate in a study about how the programme was impacted by the academic corruption. Three months later we were granted access to conduct our research!