...Unethical Business Research Conduct The foundation of any research is trust. Professionals, organizations, and the public must be able to trust that research is being reported honestly, accurately, and free from bias. Questionable research misconduct can include poor data management, the failure to share data, questionable data selection methods, inadequate supervision of those conducting the research, and fiscal mismanagement ("Research Misconduct", 2012). Recently a large case of research fraud was brought against Dr. Kipak K. Das by the University of Connecticut. The allegations of research fraud involve 26 articles published in 11 different journals claiming the health benefits of drinking red wine. According to the article, “University Suspects Fraud by a Researcher Who Studied Red Wine”, the university received anonymous allegations in January 2009 about irregularities in Dr. Das’ research. An investigation into Das’ research articles revealed 145 instances of fabrication and falsification of data (Wade, 2012). Allegations received by the university reference lab members manipulating figures, often at the request of Dr. Das, and digitally manipulating the experiments (western-blot images) done in the studies. The fabrication and falsification of the research data will have a negative impact on Dr. Das’ reputation as a respectable doctor, could tarnish the name of the University of Connecticut, could harm those that rely upon this research data, and could also discredit...
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...Unethical Conduct Michael Roberson RES/351 April 17, 2014 Deborah Levin Unethical Conduct The ability to report unethical conduct has flourished in the business research community. In Marketing, salespeople among groups demonstrated the lack of personal ethical judgment when unethical conduct was linked to personal, ethical perspectives. The purpose of this essay is to discuss unethical behavior as it affects a salesperson. Individuals have a different approach to marketing because of its blinding effect on the points of levels. The personal, ethical perspective of a salesperson is philosophical. In an organization, unethical behavior is a rule that is administered by the organization for the purpose of communicating marketing strategies. This rule applies under a code of ethics that involved taking surveys from the organization, the individual, and society. The survey is designed to simulate the unethical behavior situations that grow over the amount of sales a salesperson receives from merchandise discounted without management approval. The importance of the survey identifies the salesperson in the organization, but in an organization, society portrays each as a component. The salesperson encounters the decision that stems from unethical behavior. Ethical pressure is mostly the work group that becomes the next level. The unethical behavior could be avoided by not following the organization's rules (Ferrell, Johnston, & Ferrell, 2007)...
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...Business Research Ethics When most people think of Ethics or Morals they think of rules that distinguish between right or wrong. Most people learn ethical norms at home, at school, in church, or in other social settings. Although most people acquire their sense of right and wrong during childhood, moral development occurs throughout life and human beings pass through different stages of growth as they mature. Ethical norms are so abundant that one might be tempted to regard them as simple commonsense. This report summarizes the activities of Human Rights and Ethics in the oil and gas industry. It highlights related efforts by the IPIECA (International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association) oil and gas member companies. The oil and gas industry operates in some of the most challenging places in the world and faces complex human rights related issues ethical and unethical both at home and abroad. While recognizing that individual governments bear the primary responsibility to promote respect for human rights ethically, all of society, including businesses such as oil and gas plays a role in human rights. (Human rights and Ethics in Oil and Gas industry, 2006) In this research unethical research practices that should be avoided are unethical treatment of any participants, deception and informed consent. Unethical treatment of participants would be not safeguarding the participant’s rights. When data is gathered in an experiment, interview or survey they have...
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...2002 (version 2) PROFESSIONAL ETHICS IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY ABSTRACT The results are provided of a small, but reprersentative, questionnaire survey of typical project managers, architects and building contractors concerning their views and experiences on a range of ethical issues surrounding construction industry activities. Most (90%) subscribed to a professional Code of Ethics and many (45%) had an Ethical Code of Conduct in their employing organisations, with the majority (84%) considering good ethical practice to be an important organisational goal. 93% of the respondents agreed that “Business Ethics” should be driven or governed by “Personal Ethics”, with 84% of respondents stating that a balance of both the requirements of the client and the impact on the public should be maintained. No respondents were aware of any cases of employers attempting to force their employees to initiate, or participate in, unethical conduct. Despite this, all the respondents had witnessed or experienced some degree of unethical conduct, in the form of unfair conduct (81%), negligence (67%), conflict of interest (48%), collusive tendering (44%), fraud (35%), confidentiality and...
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...Running head: Business Research Ethics Business Research Ethics Trish Hetherington University of Phoenix RES/351: Business Research Instructor: Mr. David Gobeli April 18, 2013 Introduction The purpose of this paper is to locate an article that discusses unethical business research conduct that has resulted in individuals or a firm being convicted or tried for unethical conduct. I have chosen to review the unethical behavior of Winifred Jiau. Winifred Jiau was business consultant from Fremont, California who was accused of insider trading in 2010. What Unethical Research was Involved? Winifred Jiau was charged with leaking information she provided about the financial results of Nvidia Corporation and Marvell Technology Group Ltd to two hedge-fund portfolio managers. Jiau obtained the financial results of these corporations while working as a consultant with "expert network" company Primary Global Research. Jiau unethically gave hedge-fund managers non-public information for $208,000 in cash over a period of two years, dozens of live lobsters, three iPhones, and numerous other gifts (San Francisco Chronicle, 2011). Who were the Injured Parties? I believe that every person who trades public stock was injured by the unethical acts of Winifred Jiau. I also believe that the economy as a whole was injured by Jiau. Jiau profited by sharing information that was not available to the public. Therefore, the people who did not get...
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...Business Research Ethics 1 Business Research Ethics RES/351 Dennette James Debra Marrano-Lucas November 30, 2015 Business Research Ethics 2 The Salvation Army It is an international, nonprofit, religious organization. It is committed to helping the less fortunate and help by giving assistance to the very needed. They focus on helping people to change their way of life. An English Methodist minister by the name of William Booth founded the Salvation Army in 1865. The Salvation Army was first known as the “ Christian Mission “ that would help with issues like social welfare for the people who lived in the Urban slums. Their mission was to help with prostitution, alcoholism, gambling and other things that put people in the situations like homelessness. Catherine Booth the wife of William was the co-founder. The first international site for the Salvation Army which...
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...Ethics Oriented Article Review UoP Student RES/351 April 16, 2012 Dr. UoP Professor Ethics Oriented Article Review The following is a summary of unethical business research conduct by Citigroup Inc. and subsequently resulting in trial proceedings for the unethical conduct. The summary will reveal the specific unethical behavior and who were the injured parties in this misconduct. Additionally, insight into how the unethical behavior affected the organization, the individuals, and society. Finally, evidence will be show how this unethical behavior could have been avoided or at a minimum resolved early in the research process. What unethical research behavior was involved? In 2002, Citigroup Inc. was accused of misleading investors. This misconduct was accomplished by the organizations’ research divisions with pressure from the investment sections within the company. The research analysts used biased research to promote the sale of stock that research had shown was not a good investment. The analysts misrepresented the legitimate research because of concern over from backlash from the organizations’ investment bankers. Additionally, the internal pressure from the investment sections to accomplish this misrepresentation was met the reward of bonuses and stock options for the research analysts. The end game in this misrepresentation was to ensure Citigroup, Inc. would have a better bottom line. Numerous examples illustrate the organizations viewpoint of increased...
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...Globalization highlighted the ethical issues and concerns for every individual organization, multinational organizational conduct their operations under ethical code of conduct to confine the issues faced by unethical conducts. Many organizations such as pharmaceutical firms, technological firms and financial firms pay more attentions to ethical behavior to ensure the sales to consumers have been impeccably ethical. However managers pay attention to behavioral ethical conducts that ensure the professional attitude of sales force towards consumers/customers (Chen & Tang, 2006, 69). Recent unethical conducts by Enron and WorldCom highlighted the attention for sales and ethical behavior, because unethical conduct and sales ethics can ruin the whole organization wide reputation (McDevitt et al, 2007, 73). Business ethics is counter stone for doing business in industry that however considered by every single organization, which eventually encourages every single business entity to develop the organization’s processes based on ethical conducts. Business ethics and sales ethics both entails the same meaning because ultimately salesperson engages in the business activity to generate profits for business, but on contrary “business ethics” and “sales ethics” have no contradiction in associations. Sales ethics on the other hand have some stereotype meaning because business and sales people are not always ethical; leaving us with a dilemma that indicates the sales ethics is an oxymoron. ...
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...Business Research Ethics RES351 January 18, 2013 Business Research Ethics Proper business research is designed to reduce the risk of a management decision. Unfortunately, unethical business research occurs in all types of business circumstances. This type of practice increases risk for the individuals, companies, environments, and technologies involved (Cooper & Schindler, 2011). Several companies within the pharmaceutical industry have been found guilty of unethical practices. Pfizer Inc., one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, allegedly conducted unethical research the led to major disabilities and loss of life for many of the children involved. The development, marketing, and sale of pharmaceutical products are part of a multi-billion dollar industry. When a pharmaceutical company conducts unethical practices, the potential dangers to living things cannot be ignored. Pfizer allegedly conducted an unethical drug study in Nigeria. During a meningitis outbreak, in 1996, Pfizer used an untested drug on 200 children while failing to receive proper consent from their patients. The unethical drug trials led to the deaths of 11 children. The trials also left other children brain damaged, blind, deaf, or paralyzed (Stephens, 2007). The families of the victims affected by the drug study filed a two billion dollar lawsuit against Pfizer. Pfizer was accused of failing to obtain proper parental consent, and using drugs during the study that were unfit for...
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...Business Research Ethics Robbin Green Res/351 April 13, 2016 Gregory Michalski Business Research Ethics At the point when the vast majority think about the word morals or ethics, some consider rules for know the distinction in the middle of good and bad. The Enron outrage would be an immaculate fit for Business Research Ethics. Enron hosted untrustworthy conduct issues and harmed gatherings that experienced their slip-ups. From numerous points of view the Enron outrage opened up entirely of a couple of entryways for future issues. The organization was at one time a huge organization evaluated at about $29 billion at the season of the embarrassment. “In the mid 2000's, Enron, was a characteristic gas pipeline organization transformed into an online wonder”(Lashinsky, 2001). But in 2001 they descended hard and their whole purchasers and staff were in stun. Enron was theoretical; an organization that would help their shoppers gathers more cash. “There was some dishonest conduct included how did, for instance; the organization was running a Ponzi plan intended to improve the top administrators and dupe stockholders” ("Deciphering Enron," 2002). “That, in any event, was the impression left by a singing examination of the organization's operations arranged by an uncommon panel of Enron's governing body”("Interpreting Enron," 2002). “There was a report that was made in February 2002 that expresses that the organization exchanges ''filled no obvious business need...
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... Topic 1: Business codes are the most effective instrument for preventing unethical behavior in the workplace. Business codes are widely used globally to prevent unethical means in the organization, an increasing number of companies have adopted business code ethics, 52.5% of Fortune Global 200 companies in 2004 (Kaptein, 2004) compared to 87% of Fortune Global 200 companies in 2008 (KPMG, 2008). Business codes are a set of official document disclosed by and for a business firm to guide the behavior of managers and employees (Kaptein and Schwartz, 2008). The business code prescribed are related to matters such as human rights, labor conditions, ecological environment, confidential information, conflict of interests, fraud, corruption, product quality, profits, sexual harassment and competitions (Kaptein, 2011). Business codes ethic (BCE) are the fundamentals for corporate social responsibility (CSR) which are used to appraise companies for ethical performances and citizenship. Organizations with excellent CSR are rewarded with fame and reputations (Patick M., 2011), thus leading to better sales and company’s stock price (Ron Robins, 2011). However, business code and CSR appraisal can only prevent unethical behavior in the organization to a certain extent. For example, 15% of Ernst & Young’s executives were prepared to commit unethical conducts to win businesses even though the company implemented business codes (Christopher M., 2012). In this context, business codes without...
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...Business ethics is the principles and standards that determine acceptable conduct in business organizations. If there was any doubt that ethical standards can have a significant impact on work life, research has confirmed that such doubt is unwarranted. A multitude of research has demonstrated that ethics is related to a variety of important job related outcomes. For example, studies have shown that a higher ethical work climate (Mulki, Jaramillo, and Locander, 2008) and top leadership support for ethics and both positively relate to job satisfaction. Ethics codes (Valentine and Fisherman, 2008), ethics training, and perceived corporate social responsibility are also linked to job satisfaction. Unethical business research at work ranges from minor acts of deviance to immoral decisions that result in catastrophes such as the Enron and Merrill Lynch & Co Inc. These fields of research provide especially clear data on connection between unethical workplace acts and wellbeing: discrimination, bullying and injustice. Even though ethics is sometimes under looked in business it is an important conduct in the organization for a variety of reasons. Organizations have to ensure that they practice high standards of ethics in the organization to rip maximum benefits and avoid scandals such as the Enron And Merrill Lynch & Co Inc. Enron Corporation and Merrill Lynch & Co Inc, both practiced unethical business behavior, this is because two of their top officials were involved in fraudulent...
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...Business Research Ethics Adam S. Wilcox RES/351 9/24/2012 Maja Zelihic Ph.D. Business Research Ethics Ethics in business research refers to a code of conduct that is expected to be observed while conducting research. This ethical conduct applies both to the organization and the individual researchers conducting the research. The ethical behavior must be included in each step of the research process from data collection and analysis, through the reporting of the findings. If an organization or individual researcher does not abide by the code of ethics for business research he, or she may end up facing penalties from termination and fines to jail time. Unethical Research Example In November of 2007 Raj Mathur was convicted of receiving “secret commissions” and breach of trust for accepting funds from private companies seeking government grants (Shannon, 2007). Mathur was a National Research Council adviser whose duties included assisting companies applying for government grants. Mathur’s wife Priti Mathur owned a company that received over $300,000 in “consulting” fees from private companies. These unethical transactions took place between 1999 and 2003. Priti Mathur claimed that the applications for government grants were completed by herself and her son. However, she did admit to seeking advice from her husband occasionally. While Raj Mathur claimed he did not give his wife any more assistance than he would give any other...
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...Business Research Ethics The individual assignment for this week asked the students to find an article within the University Library that discusses unethical business research conduct that has resulted in individuals or firm being convicted, or at least tried. I have found and read a newspaper journal titled "Unethical workers and illegal acts," which is a study of workers, managers, and executives, where 48% of them admitted to unethical or illegal acts since year 1996. What unethical research behavior is involved? Out for the 1,324 people surveyed, 48% of them admitted to committing unethical or illegal acts from a list of 25 actions. These actions include, cheating on an expense account, paying or accepting kickbacks, discriminating against co-workers, trading sex for sales, secretly forging signatures, and looking the other way when environmental laws are being violated. From the list of 25 actions, these were shockingly the most common mentioned. Who were the parties involved? When one thinks about unethical business research or performance, his or her mind tends to automatically think that the violators are at the lower to entry level of the company's organizational hierarchy, but according to this study, I was amazed at the amount of upper management employees mentioned. From entry-level employees, to long time workers, managers, and even upper level executives, they all have admitted to unethical business research conduct. As I read along I learned that the...
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...Business Research Project Ethical Issues Amber Valles Res/351 Business Research Project Ethical Issues Research Project Summary Ethics while carrying out a research should always be observed by the researcher and the study participants. This paper seeks to look at ethical practices that should be observed by the Williams Company as it undertake a business research on the factors that determines the customers buying behaviours of the products that it offers in various different market segments. The company is engaged in the provision of food and beverage products to its customers and it intends to introduce a new product in the market. For purposes of determining the factors that will influence the buying behaviours of the targeted customers, the company marketing departments intend to conduct a field research, where it will sample a group of 500 participants from the targeted market to fill in the study questionnaires. Therefore, while carrying out this business research project the organization marketing research team should observe a number of research ethical issues for purposes of making their project a success. Unethical Practices to be avoided in this research Project A number of unethical practices need to be avoided when undertaking the organization’s business research project. Firstly, the issue of not observing the rights of participants should be avoided by all means (Iltis, 2006). Instead the researchers should ensure that the rights of participants, such...
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