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