Ethical business research is honest and recorded transparently.
People conduct business research for a number of reasons dependent on the intentioned recipient of the research. For example, if the audience is the business' marketers, the research might include customer surveys or focus groups. Research for product development might have a scientific basis, and research for shareholders may include financial projections. No matter why it's conducted, ethical research must refrain from harming anyone during the process and it must be presented honestly.
Ethical Research Benchmarks
Ethical research benchmarks are the standards that business researchers check their work against as they progress through a research project. "Do no harm" is the most basic standard for everyone, not just business researchers, although researchers should be sure that both the process and the ramifications of their research do no harm. Building trust in business is a specific goal of ethical business researchers, the honesty of their work and integrity of their method help contribute to this ideal. Other research ethics benchmarks include business moral norms applied to research to create common research values.
Common Research Values
Responsibility is a core value of ethical business researchers; their primary responsibilities focus on adherence to other common research ethics. Aside from refraining from harm, ethical business researchers' top responsibility is honesty. A number of people rely on the research as a market guide or even for product safety reasons. Researchers can boost honesty with another research value, transparency. Transparency in research comes from documenting, and possibly publishing, every step of the research process.
Deviations from Acceptable Research Methods
Research deviations are considered unacceptable ethically but are within the law. Breaching the confidence of a business or individual involved in the research is a deviation. Failing to cite another's work when used for the research is a lapse in honesty. Other deviations may include poor record-keeping, failing to conduct research for an accepted amount of time and making unauthorized copies of company data. Failing to disclose financial interest in the company contracting the research is business specific research deviation; generally, it's considered unfair if the researcher owns more that $10,000 in stock in the company that contracts their research.
Research Misconduct
Research misconduct is both illegal and unethical. The government defines research miscount as "fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism." Unlike deviations from research methods, misconduct is always deliberate. A researcher doesn't accidentally commit research misconduct. Researchers also are obligated to report any witnessed acts of research misconduct.
