Ethics in Business Research

Topic Four
Class Four

Todays Agenda
Review of Assignment RFP What is ethics? Stakeholders in Research I had taken a course in Ethics. I read a thick textbook, heard the class discussions and came out of it saying I hadn't learned a thing I didn't know before about morals and what is right or wrong in human conduct. Carl Sandburg

What is Ethics?
Some years ago, sociologist Raymond Baumhart asked business people: What does ethics mean to you? Among their replies were the following: Ethics has to do with what my feelings tell me is right or wrong Ethics has to do with my religious beliefs Being ethical is doing what the law requires

Ethics consists of the standards of behavior our society accepts

I don't know what the word means Ethics is the study of morality's effect on conduct: the study of moral standards and how they affect conduct

Importance of Ethics in Research

Research depends upon the willing co-operation of the public and business community Based upon confidence that research is carried out honestly, objectively and in a manner that protects participants rights to privacy

Stakeholders in Research
Sponsor

Researcher

Goal of no harm for all the stakeholders

Research

Subject

Types of Ethical Violations

Violating disclosure agreements Breaking confidentiality Padded invoices

Misrepresenting results
Deceiving participants Avoiding legal liability

Ethics Conceptual Approaches

Deontology

Ethical standards

Ethical Relativism

Business Research Ethics Our Routes to Understanding

Research Process Based Stakeholder Based

Issue Based

Ethical Approaches Recap of Research Process Research Process

Information Gathering Data Collection Phase

Pre-Research Designing & Planning Phase

Analysis, Interpretation and Reporting Phase

Ethical Approaches Research Designing & Planning Phase

Sponsor nondisclosure Sponsors right to quality research Sponsors right of purpose nondisclosure Researchers right to absence of sponsor coercion Subject deception Sponsors right to quality research Subjects right to informed consent Subjects right to privacy (refusal) Sponsors right to quality research Researchers right of absence of sponsors coercion Design Strategy Research Proposal Management & Research Questions

Sampling

Ethical Approaches Data Collection

Subjects right to privacy Subject deception Sponsors right of sponsor nondisclosure

Data Collection

Researchers right to safety

Ethical Approaches Data Analysis, Interpretation & Research Reporting

Sponsors right to findings nondisclosure Subjects right of confidentiality Sponsors right to quality research
Data Analysis and Reporting

Researchers right of absence of sponsor coercion

Ethical Issues and Stakeholders

Sponsor

Researcher

Subject

Ethical Issues Sponsor Related Obligations

1. Come to a consensus on the research objectives, i.e., the reason for the research. Set reasonable time and money budgets. Develop an understanding of the researcher and research project Give genuine consideration to the research results and be willing to use them to improve decision making

2. 3. 4.

5.

Pay the researcher fully and on time upon successful completion, regardless of whether or not the results are desirable

Ethical Issues Researcher Related Obligations

1.
2.

Develop a working knowledge of the situation. To do so, interview key decision makers
Communicate exactly what the research can do. Project deliverables Avoid conflicts of interest. Sometimes say no To Decision Makers: Be knowledgeable Interpret results honestly and fully Present limitations of research To Participants: Avoid coercing participants Avoid physical or psychological harm Protect Privacy Inform subjects

3. 4.

5.

Ethical Issues Respondent Related Obligations

1. Willful participation 2. Screening questions should determine whether participants qualify 3. Faithful participation 4. Participants must follow instructions and pay attention 5. Honest responses 6. Privacy

Ethical Treatment of Participants

Explain study benefits

Explain participant rights and protections

Obtain informed consent

Components of Informed Consent

Identify researchers

Describe survey topic

Describe target sample Identify sponsor Describe purpose of research Promise anonymity and confidentiality

Give good-faith estimate of required time commitment State participation is voluntary State item-non response is acceptable Ask for permission

Characteristics of Informed Consent

Competence

Knowledge

Elements

Voluntary

Informed

Deception
Disguising non-research activities Camouflaging true research objectives

Debriefing
Explain any deception
Describe purpose Share results Provide follow-up

Participants Confidentiality
Obtain signed nondisclosure Nondisclosure of data subsets Participant Minimize instruments requiring ID Restrict access to ID

Reveal only with written consent

Right to Privacy
Right to refuse

Prior permission to interview Limit time required

Effective Codes of Ethics

Enforceable

Regulate

Specify Behavior

Protect

Ethical Codes of Conduct

Research Assignment on Ethics

1. Pretests show that the average time to complete a particular telephone interview is 20 minutes. They also show a drop in the response rate if respondents are told in advance about the time. Telling them it will take 15 minutes does not reduce the response rate. The researcher: a) Does not provide any information on the length of the interview b) Tells the respondent it will take only few minutes

c) Tells the respondent it will take about 15 minutes

2. Researcher poses as graduate student working on a thesis in order to gain information that competitors might not otherwise give

Instructions: Develop a 10-point ethical-unethical scale of each of the above two situations and interview 10 students