5-1

Part One
INTRODUCTION TO
BUSINESS RESEARCH

5-2
McGraw-Hill/Irwin © 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.,All Rights Reserved.
 Chapter Five
ETHICS IN
BUSINESS RESEARCH

5-3
 What are Research 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

5-4
 Ethical Treatment of Participants

• Begin data collection by explaining to

the participant the benefits expected
from the research
• Explain to the participants that their
rights and well-being will be adequately
protected, and say how this will be done
• Be certain that interviewers obtain the
informed consent of the participant

5-5
 Deception

• The participant is told only part of the

truth or when the truth is fully
compromised
• To prevent biasing the participants
before the survey or experiment
• To protect the confidentiality of a third
party

5-6
 Issues Related to Protecting Participants

• Informed consent
• Debriefing
– Explanation of deception, if any
– Description of hypothesis, goal or purpose of
study
– Post study sharing of results
– Post study follow-up medical or psychological
attention
• Right to Privacy/Confidentiality
5-7• Data Collection in Cyberspace
 Ethics and the sponsor

• Ethical Issues related to the Client

– Confidentiality
• Sponsor non-disclosure
• Purpose non-disclosure
• Findings non-disclosure
• Knowledge gap
– Training issues
• Job status and internal coalitions
– Threats to personal status
• Unneeded or inappropriate research
• Right to quality research
5-8
 Ethics Related to Sponsor

• Sometimes researchers will be asked by

sponsors to participate in unethical behavior.
• To avoid coercion by sponsor the researcher
should:
– Educate sponsor to the purpose of
research
– Explain researcher’s role
– Explain how distortion of the truth leads to
future problems
– If necessary, terminate relationship with
5-9 sponsor
 Ethical Issues related to
Researchers and Team Members

• Safety

• Ethical behavior of assistants

• Protection of anonymity

5-10
 Professional Standards

• Code of ethics
– American Society for Human Resources
– Academy of Management

5-11