UNIT 2
ETHICS AND BUSINESS RESEARCH
DR.THULASI KRISHNA. K, PH.D.
DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES
MITS – MADANAPALLE, A.P.
INTRODUCTION
• Ethics in business research refers to a code
of conduct or expected societal norm of
behaviour while conducting research.
• Ethical conduct applies to the organization
and the members that sponsor the research,
the researchers who undertake the research,
and the respondents who provide them with
the necessary data.
ETHICS IN RESEARCH
• Ethical Issues of Research
Sponsorship
• Ethical Issues of Researchers
• Ethical Issues relating to the
Respondents/subjects
ETHICAL ISSUES OF RESEARCH SPONSORSHIP
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 (misrepresentation) of the truth leads to future
problems
ETHICAL ISSUES OF RESEARCHERS
Researchers need to be aware of having the responsibility to secure the actual
permission and interests of all those involved in the study.
They should not misuse any of the information discovered, and there should be a
certain moral responsibility maintained towards the participants.
There is a duty to protect the rights of people in the study as well as their privacy
and sensitivity.
ETHICAL ISSUES RELATING TO THE RESPONDENTS/SUBJECTS
The major categories of ethical issues relating to the research subjects are:
• Sometimes, people are made to participate in a research project without their
knowledge of consent.
• the consent of the respondents is obtained without informing them of the
purpose of the research.
• the researcher may find it necessary to give incorrect information about
the proposed research to potential subjects to manipulate their
perceptions and behaviour.
• In studies relating to human values, the social scientists may create
opportunities for research subjects to lie, steal or cheat.
• Another questionable/non-ethical practice is to expose participants to physical or mental
stress with a view to studying their reactions.
• Some researchers may dig out information from respondents on private or personal
matters such as marital life or religious faith etc., by employing techniques of participant
observation, in depth interviews which amount to invasion of privacy.
• Finally, there is the ethical issue relating to the obligation of maintaining the anonymity of
the research respondents and keeping research data in confidence.
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