Corruption attracts scholar attention due to its harsh impact on people and institutions, especially in nonprofit organizations traditionally associated with altruistic intents. Although many scandals have shaken the third sector, rare are the studies that offer a true understanding of how corruption occurs. Our research provides insights into the corruption phenomenon in the context of the Syrian refugee crisis in Lebanon. The findings show the powerlessness of public institutions, the chaotic working environments of humanitarian organizations, managerial malpractices, and inefficiencies in projects, all leading to unethical choices and to corrupt behaviors perpetrated by humanitarian agencies. The theoretical model that we propose brings new understanding of the relationships between nonprofit management, coordination, and corruption in the aid sector. On the practical front, it offers suggestions to public policy makers and practitioners about preventing corruption even during crisis situations.

腐败因其对人和机构的严重影响而引起学者的关注，特别是在传统上与利他意图相关的非营利组织中。尽管许多丑闻动摇了第三部门，但很少有研究能够真正了解腐败是如何发生的。我们的研究提供了对黎巴嫩叙利亚难民危机背景下腐败现象的见解。调查结果表明，公共机构的无能为力、人道主义组织混乱的工作环境、管理不当和项目效率低下，所有这些都导致人道主义机构做出不道德的选择和腐败行为。我们提出的理论模型带来了对非营利管理、协调、和援助部门的腐败。在实践方面，它为公共政策制定者和从业者提供了即使在危机情况下也能预防腐败的建议。