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Lecture 4Lecture 4

Ethics in Business Ethics in Business ResearchResearch

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EthicsEthics

Norms or standards of behaviorNorms or standards of behavior Guide moral choicesGuide moral choices Behavior and relationships with Behavior and relationships with

othersothers Ethics and legalityEthics and legality

ETHICAL ISSUESETHICAL ISSUES

PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTIONSPHILOSOPHICAL QUESTIONS SOCIETAL NORMSSOCIETAL NORMS CODES OF BEHAVIORCODES OF BEHAVIOR

44

Types of Ethical ViolationsTypes of Ethical Violations

Violatingdisclosure

agreements

Violatingdisclosure

agreements

Breakingconfidentiality

Breakingconfidentiality

Misrepresentingresults

Misrepresentingresults

DeceivingparticipantsDeceiving

participants

PaddedinvoicesPaddedinvoices

Avoidinglegal liability

Avoidinglegal liability

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Ethical issues at all stages of Ethical issues at all stages of the the researchresearch process process

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Ethical Treatment of ParticipantsEthical Treatment of Participants

Explain study benefitsExplain study benefits

Explain participant rights and protections

Explain participant rights and protections

Obtain informedconsent

Obtain informedconsent

Rights and Obligations of the Respondent

The obligation to be truthful

• Privacy

• Deception

• The right to be informed

Rights and Obligations of the Researcher

The purpose of research is research

• Objectivity

• Misrepresenting research

• Protect the right to confidentiality

of both subjects and clients

• Dissemination of faulty conclusions

• Advocacy research

Rights and Obligations of the Client Sponsor (User)

Ethics between buyer and seller

• Open relationship with research suppliers

• Open relationship with interested parties

• Privacy

• Commitment to research

• Pseudo-pilot studies

1010

Components of Informed Components of Informed ConsentConsent

Identify researchersIdentify researchers Describe survey Describe survey

topictopic Describe target Describe target

samplesample Identify sponsorIdentify sponsor Describe purpose of Describe purpose of

researchresearch Promise anonymity Promise anonymity

and confidentiality and confidentiality

Give “good-faith” Give “good-faith” estimate of estimate of required time required time commitmentcommitment

State participation State participation is voluntaryis voluntary

State item-non State item-non response is response is acceptableacceptable

Ask for permissionAsk for permission

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Characteristics ofCharacteristics ofInformed ConsentInformed Consent

Elements

Competence

Informed

Knowledge Voluntary

1212

Ethical ResponsibilitiesEthical Responsibilities

Special guidelines Special guidelines apply to children!apply to children!• Informed Informed

consent means consent means parental parental approvalapproval

1313

DeceptionDeception

Disguising non-research

activities

Camouflagingtrue research

objectives

1414

DebriefingDebriefing

Explain any deceptionExplain any deception

Describe purposeDescribe purpose

Share resultsShare results

Provide follow-upProvide follow-up

1515

Participant ConfidentialityParticipant Confidentiality

Minimize instruments requiring ID

Minimize instruments requiring ID

Non-disclosure of data subsets

Non-disclosure of data subsets

Restrict access to ID

Restrict access to ID

Obtain signednondisclosure

Reveal only with written

consent

1616

Right to refuseRight to refuse

Right to PrivacyRight to Privacy

Prior permission to interview

Prior permission to interview

Limit time requiredLimit time required

1717

Sponsor NondisclosureSponsor Nondisclosure

ConfidentialityConfidentiality

Purpose NondisclosurePurpose Nondisclosure

Findings NondisclosureFindings Nondisclosure

1818

What to do if coerced?What to do if coerced?

Educateon

purpose

Emphasizefact-finding

role

Explain problems

Terminaterelationship

1919

Effective Codes of EthicsEffective Codes of Ethics

EnforceableEnforceable

Specify Behavior

RegulateRegulate

ProtectProtect

ADVOCACY RESEARCHADVOCACY RESEARCH

RESEARCH TO SUPPORT A SPECIFIC RESEARCH TO SUPPORT A SPECIFIC LEGAL CLAIMLEGAL CLAIM

PSEUDO-PILOT STUDIESPSEUDO-PILOT STUDIES

THE RESEARCHER IS TOLD THAT THE THE RESEARCHER IS TOLD THAT THE STUDY IS THE FIRST OF MANY IN A STUDY IS THE FIRST OF MANY IN A MORE COMPREHENSIVE STUDYMORE COMPREHENSIVE STUDY

MISSION STATEMENTMISSION STATEMENT

IDENTIFIES THE RESEARCH IDENTIFIES THE RESEARCH DEPARTMENT’S PURPOSE WITHIN DEPARTMENT’S PURPOSE WITHIN THE ORGANIZATIONTHE ORGANIZATION

Stage of developmentStage of intuitivedecision making

Stage ofsophistication

Intuition-Centered Decision Making

Research-CenteredDecision Making

Continuum of Business Research Sophistication

Managers Researchers

1. Decision oriented 1. Technique oriented

2. Intuitive 2. Analytical

3. Managers like to confirm 3. Researchers like to explore4. Time orientation toward: a. project immediacy (“I need it now.”) b. results about future behavior (“what will sales be next year?”)

4. Time orientation toward: a. Prolongation of project (“later when we have time for a complete study”) b. results about past behavior (“our trend has been . . .”)

5. Frugal (“keep the cost down”)5. Not cost conscious (“you get what you pay for”)6. Results orientation:

a. managers do not like surprises--when they are surprised they tend to reject the results b. concern (“aren’t we number one yet?”) c. certainty (“is it or isn’t it?”)

6. Results orientation: a. researchers love surprises b. abstraction (“our exponential gain. . .”) c. probability (“may be”)

7. Proactive 7. Reactive

Probable Areas of Top Management-Business Research Conflict

Research responsibility

Research personnel

Budget

Assignments

Problem definition

Research reporting

Use of research

RESEARCH SUPPLIERRESEARCH SUPPLIER

A COMMERCIAL RESEARCH SERVICE A COMMERCIAL RESEARCH SERVICE THAT CONDUCTS BUSINESS THAT CONDUCTS BUSINESS RESEARCH ACTIVITIES FOR CLIENTSRESEARCH ACTIVITIES FOR CLIENTS

SYNDICATED SERVICESYNDICATED SERVICE STANDARDIZED SERVICESTANDARDIZED SERVICE PROVIDES CUSTOMIZED RESEARCHPROVIDES CUSTOMIZED RESEARCH

CONSIDERATIONS FOR HIRING OUTSIDE SUPPLIERS

•Expertise

•Urgency of the decision

•Personnel resources

•Economic factors

•Objectivity

•Confidentiality

•Quality control