1. 5-1

2. Part One
INTRODUCTION TO
BUSINESS RESEARCH
5-2
McGraw-Hill/Irwin © 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.,All Rights Reserved.

3. Chapter Five
ETHICS IN
BUSINESS RESEARCH
5-3

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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
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7. Issues Related to Protecting Participants
• Informed consent
• Debriefing
• Right to Privacy/Confidentiality
• Data Collection in Cyberspace
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8. Ethical Issues related to the Client
• Sponsor non-disclosure
• Purpose non-disclosure
• Findings non-disclosure
• Right to quality research
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9. 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

10. Ethical Issues related to
Researchers and Team Members
• Safety
• Ethical behavior of assistants
• Protection of anonymity
5-10