nepotismi

Nepotismi, also known as nepotism in English, is the practice of giving preferential treatment to relatives in appointments, hiring, promotions, or other opportunities. The term derives from Latin nepos, meaning nephew, and entered several European languages through Italian nepotismo, with historical associations to the papal practice of appointing relatives to high church offices.

Modern nepotismi encompasses both explicit decisions that favor kin and subtler forms shaped by family networks. It can operate in government, business, religious institutions, education, and media, including direct hiring of relatives, appointing relatives to influential positions, or granting opportunities through referrals, contracts, or insider access. The practice often reflects broader systems of patronage, influence, and trust within organizations or networks.

Impacts of nepotismi are debated but commonly noted as reducing merit-based recruitment and fair competition, lowering morale, and eroding public trust. Critics argue that it can produce inefficiency and distort incentives, while defenders may claim it leverages trusted relationships or local knowledge; however, these justifications are contested in many professional and public contexts.

Regulation and policy responses vary widely. Many organizations impose ethics rules, conflicts-of-interest policies, or recusal requirements to manage or prevent nepotisti practices. In the public sector, formal bans or disclosure obligations are common in some jurisdictions, while private organizations may implement internal guidelines with varying strictness. Transparency, merit-based recruitment, and independent review are typical countermeasures intended to reduce undue influence by relatives.

See also: cronyism, patronage, favoritism.