Corruption is defined as the abuse of entrusted power for private gain, and its study can be approached from multiple disciplines, such as political science, economics, anthropology, etc. From the mid-1990s, an international anti-corruption regime has emerged based on the shared understanding that corruption is a major hindrance to economic development, democratic stability, rule of law, and social trust. For these reasons, the study of this phenomenon attracts increasing attention in academia and the public and private sectors. However, much of what corruption is, such as its nature, historical evolution, measurement, dynamics, etc., remain well underdeveloped, leaving empirical progress unable to inform proper policy measures. My research on this research topic aims to construct a comprehensive theoretical model to describe the critical elements and interactions reflected by corrupt activities, both at macro and micro levels of analysis.