2-1
2-1
Ethics in
Business
Research
2-3
Learning Objectives
Understand . . .
• What issues are covered in research ethics.
• The goal of “no harm” for all research activities
and what constitutes no harm for participant,
researcher, and research sponsor.
• Differing ethical dilemmas and responsibilities of
researchers, sponsors, and research assistants.
• Role of ethical codes of conduct in professional
associations.
2-4
PulsePoint: Research Revelation
89 The percent of consumer PCs
infected with spyware.
2-5
Data Collectors Face Responsibilities
“In the new e-frontier, one set of protagonists—
merchants—would like to be cowboys, free to
roam the range, and continue to share, rent or
sell information they’ve collected about citizens
without any fences or conditions.”
Robert E. Litan, director,
AEI-Brookings Joint Center
2-6
What is Ethics?
• Ethics are norms or standards of
behavior that guide moral choices
about our behavior and our
relationships with others
• The goal is to ensure that no one
is harmed or suffers adverse
consequences from research
activities
• Case of Germany
• Dr. Death – Jack Kevorkian
2-7
Types of Ethical Violations
Violating
disclosure
agreements
Breaking
confidentiality
Misrepresenting
results
Deceiving
participants
Padded
invoices
Avoiding
legal liability
2-8
Procter & Gamble
• Admits to competitive intelligence gathering
• Contracted BI firm took documents from Unilever trash receptacles
• Out-of-court settlement rumored (and reported) at $10m
2-9
Ethical Approaches
Ethical
standards
Ethical
Relativism Deontology
2-10
Ethical Approaches
Ethical
Relativism Deontology
How would you assess the P&G case using
the two ethical approaches?
2-11
Ethical
Codes of Conduct
2-12
PulsePoint: Research Revelation
76 The percent of employees who say
that during the past year they have
observed illegal or unethical
behaviors at their companies.
2-13
Ethical Issues
at all Stages of the Research Process
2-14
Ethical Treatment of Participants
Explain study benefits
Explain participant
rights and protections
Obtain informed
consent
2-15
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 to begin
2-16
Characteristics of
Informed Consent
Elements
Competence
Informed
Knowledge Voluntary
2-17
Ethical Responsibilities
Special guidelines
apply to children!
• Informed consent
means parental
approval.
2-18
Deception
Disguising
non-research
activities
Camouflaging
true research
objectives
2-19
Debriefing
Explain any deception
Describe purpose
Share results
Provide follow-up
2-20
Participant Confidentiality
Minimize
instruments
requiring ID
Non-
disclosure of
data subsets
Restrict
access to ID
Obtain signed
nondisclosure
Reveal only
with written
consent
2-21
Right to refuse
Right to Privacy
Prior permission to
interview
Limit time required
2-22
Sponsor Nondisclosure
Ethics and Sponsors
Confidentiality
Purpose Nondisclosure
Findings Nondisclosure
2-23
Sponsor-Researcher relationship
• Knowledge gap
• Job status and internal coalitions
• Unneeded or Inappropriate research
• Rights to quality research
– Appropriate research design for the research question
– Maximizing the sponsor’s value for the resources expended
– Provide data-handling and reporting techniques appropriate for the data handled
2-24
Sponsors Unethical Conduct
• Violating participant Confidentiality
• Changing data or creating false data to meet a
desired objective
• Changing data presentations or interpretations
• Interpreting data from a biased perspective
• Omitting sections of data analysis and
conclusions
• Making recommendations beyond the scope of
the data collected
2-25
1960: $1.00
1970: $1.60
1980: $3.10
1990: $3.80
Minimum Salary Minimum Salary
0
2
4
1960 1970 1980 1990
$
Example 1
2-26
A Grade by Year
0
100
200
300
1 2 3 4
Frequency
0%
10%
20%
30%
1 2 3 4
%
A Grade by Year
Example 2
2-27
Quarterly Sales Quarterly Sales
0
25
50
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
$
0
100
200
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
$
Example 3
2-28
Monthly Sales Monthly Sales
0
20
40
60
J M M J S N
$
36
39
42
45
J M M J S N
$
Marketing Production
Example 4
2-29
What To Do If Coerced?
Educate
on
purpose
Emphasize
fact-finding
role
Explain
problems
Terminate
relationship
2-30
Researchers and Team Members
• Safety
• Ethical behavior of assistants
• Protection of anonymity
2-31
Effective Codes of Ethics
Enforceable
Specify
Behavior
Regulate
Protect
2-32
What is Important in this Chapter?
• Definition of ethics
• Types of Ethical Violations Debriefing
• Ethical Treatment of Participants
• Components and Characteristics of Informed
Consent
• Participant Confidentiality
• Researcher-Sponsor-Team Member
Relationship