Chapter 5

Business Research
Methods
Donald Cooper
Pamela Schindler

Irwin/McGraw-Hill ©The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2001

 Chapter 5

Ethics in Business
Research

Irwin/McGraw-Hill ©The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2001

 What
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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

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 Ethical Treatment of Respondents
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and Subjects
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Begin data collection by explaining to the

respondent the benefits expected from the
research
Explain to the respondents 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 respondent
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 Click to editDeception
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The respondent is told only part of the truth

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

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 Issues Related to Protecting
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Respondents
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Informed consent

Debriefing

Right to Privacy/Confidentiality

Data Collection in Cyberspace

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Ethical
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Sponsor non-disclosure

Purpose non-disclosure

Findings non-disclosure

Right to quality research

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 Ethics
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Sponsor
style
Sometimes researchers will be asked by
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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 sponsor

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 Ethical Issues related to
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Researchers and Team Members
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Safety

Ethical behavior of assistants

Protection of anonymity

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