5-1

© 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., All Rights Reserved.

McGraw-Hill/Irwin

Chapter 5Chapter 5

Ethics in Ethics in Business Business ResearchResearch

5-2

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

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Learning Objectives

• differing ethical dilemmas and responsibilities of researchers, sponsors, and research assistants

• role of ethical codes of conduct in professional associations

5-4

Types of Ethical Violations

Violatingdisclosure

agreements

Violatingdisclosure

agreements

Breakingconfidentiality

Breakingconfidentiality

Misrepresentingresults

Misrepresentingresults

DeceivingparticipantsDeceiving

participants

PaddedinvoicesPaddedinvoices

Avoidinglegal liability

Avoidinglegal liability

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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

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Ethical Approaches

Ethical standards

Ethical standards

Ethical Relativism

Deontology

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Ethical Approaches

Ethical Relativism

Deontology

How would you assess the P&G case using the two ethical approaches?

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Ethical Codes of Conduct

5-9

Exhibit 5-1 Ethical issues at all stages of the research process

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Ethical Treatment of Participants

Explain study benefitsExplain study benefits

Explain participant rights and protections

Explain participant rights and protections

Obtain informedconsent

Obtain informedconsent

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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

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Characteristics ofInformed Consent

Elements

Competence

Informed

Knowledge Voluntary

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Ethical Responsibilities

• Special guidelines apply to children!– Informed

consent means parental approval

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Deception

Disguising non-research

activities

Camouflagingtrue research

objectives

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Debriefing

Explain any deceptionExplain any deception

Describe purposeDescribe purpose

Share resultsShare results

Provide follow-upProvide follow-up

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Participant 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

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Right to refuseRight to refuse

Right to Privacy

Prior permission to interview

Prior permission to interview

Limit time requiredLimit time required

5-18

Data Collection in Cyberspace

European Union

Data Mining

5-19

The U.S. Safe Harbor Agreement

SecuritySecurity Data Integrity Data Integrity

NoticeNotice AccessAccess

EnforcementEnforcement

ChoiceChoice

Onward Transfer

Onward Transfer

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Sponsor NondisclosureSponsor Nondisclosure

Confidentiality

Purpose NondisclosurePurpose Nondisclosure

Findings NondisclosureFindings Nondisclosure

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What to do if coerced?

Educateon

purpose

Emphasizefact-finding

role

Explain problems

Terminaterelationship

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Effective Codes of Ethics

EnforceableEnforceable

Specify Behavior

RegulateRegulate

ProtectProtect

5-23

Key Terms

• Code of ethics• Confidentiality• Debriefing• Deception• Ethics• Informed consent

• Nondisclosure– Findings– Purpose– Sponsor

• Right to privacy• Right to quality• Right to safety