Ethical

considerations in
research

Scenario 1
Interviewer: Good afternoon, sir. My name is Mrs.
Johnson, and I am with Counseling Services. We are
conducting a survey concerning Memorial Park. Do you
own a funeral plot? Please answer yes or no.
Respondent: (pauses)
Interviewer: You do not own a funeral plot, do you?
Respondent: No.
Interviewer: Would you mind if I sent you a letter
concerning Memorial Park? Please answer yes or no.
Respondent: No.
Interviewer: Would you please give me your address?

Scenario 2
It is 7 pm, and John Hagen is in the middle of
a big family dinner. The phone rings, and the
caller is conducting a survey. The caller says,
Mr. Hagen, you are one of a scientifically
chosen few to participate in this extremely
important study dealing with It is critical that
you take just a few minutes now to respond to
my survey. Your refusal to participate now will
seriously affect the usefulness of the study.
Wont you please help us by participating?

Scenario 3
A researcher plans to invite consumers to be
test users in a simulated kitchen located in a
shopping mall and then to videotape their
reactions to a new microwave dinner from
behind a two-way mirror (one that an
observer behind the mirror can see through
but the person looking into the mirror sees
only the reflection).

Scenario 4
Suppose researchers were
experimenting with how much more
satisfied consumers are with a new
and improved version of some existing
product. Is using such a placebo ethical
or not?

Scenario 5
A researcher sends out 2000 questionnaires
via email. Fifty are returned because the
addresses are inaccurate. Of the 1,950
delivered questionnaires, 100 were
completed and e-mailed back. However, 40
of these respondents wrote that they did not
want to participate in the survey. The
researcher indicates the response rate was
5.0 percent. Is this the right thing to do?

Ethical Issues in Marketing

Research
Ethical Questions Are Philosophical Questions.
Marketing Ethics
The application of morals to behavior related to the
exchange environment.

Moral Standards
Principles that reflect beliefs about what is ethical
and what is unethical.

Ethical Dilemma
Refers to a situation in which one chooses from
alternative courses of actions, each with different
ethical implications.

Interaction of Rights and Obligations

I promise
* Purpose of research is
research
* to be objective
* not to misrepresent the
research findings
* avoid dissemination of faulty
conclusions
* protect privacy of client

I promise
* to protect the confidentiality of
subjects
* to protect respondents right to
be informed
* not to deceive the respondents
* no physical/psychological harm
* protect respondents privacy

I promise to be
open to the
researcher

Research Client

I promise to be
truthful

Researcher

Respondent

Subjects right to be informed

Participation w/o informed consent
hidden observer
participant observer
field experiment
Informed consent
explanation of procedures
description of the benefits and discomforts
give opportunity to ask questions
free to withdraw any time
informed consent give up legal rights

PRIVACY
Privacy is invaded when:
hidden observer
ask highly personal questions
use projective test in disguised fashion
inquire from 3rd party without consent
telephone to homes during private hours

Protect anonymity of subjects

= do not associate personal data (name and

address) with their responses

How Results Can Be Misrepresented in a

Report or Presentation

EXHIBIT 4.9