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AN INQUISITIVE INVESTIGATION INTO THE WORLD OF ETHICS & MORALITY WITHIN BUSINESS.

Research proposal

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Abstract
Constant competitiveness, money and power together with the deep understanding by ones own experience about the nature of human behaviorism comes the opening of doors to controlling the society destructively in many ways while disappointing the customers and even employees which affects the atmosphere of the business immensely. Customer complaints/satisfactions, all sorts of contacts with the customers and employees to cite a few are all subject to change depending on the methods being used to attract him/her in many levels to the business. So this has become a major topic to be researched and studied for the attaining of the correct method of sustaining contacts with the customers in order for the development of an atmosphere within business together with the precise use of morality and ethics to compensate the nature of humans and business with the intention to carry on the business successfully affecting the society in a positive way.

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Research proposal

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Table of Contents
Chapter 01 ....................................................................................................................................... 3 1.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 3 1.2 Problem statement ................................................................................................................. 3 1.3 Justification ........................................................................................................................... 4 1.4 Research questions ................................................................................................................ 4 1.5 Research objectives ............................................................................................................... 5 1.6 Significance of the study....................................................................................................... 5 1.7 Scope and limitations ............................................................................................................ 6 Chapter 2 ......................................................................................................................................... 7 2.1 Brief literature review ...................................................................................................... 7

2.2 Conceptual framework .......................................................................................................... 8 2.3 Hypothesis............................................................................................................................. 9 Chapter 3 ....................................................................................................................................... 10 3.1 Methodology ....................................................................................................................... 10 Questionnaire ............................................................................................................................ 11 3.2 Sampling ............................................................................................................................. 13 3.3 Action plan .......................................................................................................................... 14 Chapter 4 ....................................................................................................................................... 15 4.1 Conclusion .......................................................................................................................... 15 4.2 Code of ethics ..................................................................................................................... 15 Chapter 5 ....................................................................................................................................... 16 5.1 Reference ............................................................................................................................ 16

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Research proposal

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Chapter 01
1.1 Introduction This is a study of an immensely researched topic, Ethics and Morality which has been failed many times when attempted to introduce it into the realm of business by many wise men. All of these businesspeople play their role in the particular city as well as in what the Stoics take to be the true city, the cosmos as a whole, even if these businesspeople are not sages and do not have the wisdom to see why it is that they ought to play their role, but do it only for the sake of pursuing their personal advantage. (Owen Goldin (Marquette University)

Ethics is the area of philosophy concerned with the evaluation of human conduct. Philosophers generally distinguish between four or five major branches of ethics: metaethics, ethics and politics (political philosophy), normative ethics, virtue ethics and practical philosophy. Business ethics has only existed as an academic field since the 1970s. During the 1960s, corporations found themselves increasingly under attack over unethical conduct. As a response to this, corporations - most notably in the US - developed social responsibility programs which usually involved charitable donations and funding local community projects.

1.2 Problem statement Disputes and disagreements origination tendency among customers due to excessive temptation in business.

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Research proposal 1.3 Justification

Individual Assignment

Even though businessmen are highly educated and intelligent it does not mean that they are in possession of high moral/ethical behaviour to the extent necessary for the maintenance of sustainability with their customers without giving grounds for the origination of disputes and disagreements. Therefore in order to gain customer confidence on the business solely by the products usefulness, size, weight, price and the appearance etc. of the product does not meet the necessary requirements to develop the business further effectively and loyally. Nowadays media, posters, banners etc. are so high fashioned and colorful and contains all the necessary details of the products designed solely to attract the customers to buy their products, but in reality customers do not find the product which was so high fashioned and colorful and attractive as mentioned above. So by not giving grounds to originate such pitfalls for customers and also to avoid the unsatisfaction an inquisitive investigation into the world of ethics/morality within business is a must. So the sustainability of customers with the business by means of temptation to the products can be reduced and on the other hand confidence can be gained by true effort and right motivation in order to gain customers by loyal ways. 1.4 Research questions 1. Does the media, posters, banners etc. provide loyal customer product preferences without causing disputes and disagreements? 2. Is product selling the foremost objective within business excepting valuable morality/ethics influence on it? 3. Does the correct compensation of morality/ethics with business have an influence/affect on gaining/losing customers? 4. How far does business go into the nature of mentality?

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Research proposal 1.5 Research objectives

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Identifying how temptation influenced to play the biggest role in business. Developing new methods to advertise products more effectively and loyally as possible. Understanding mentality, morality/ethics deeply in order to gain the right understanding for the elimination of disputes and disagreements. Helping customer product preferencing fair and easier.

1.6 Significance of the study Company This research will give the precise definition and will reveal the hidden powers of morality/ethics for the companies to follow accordingly for their further success and development by gaining their customers due to new improved thoughts, plans, methods, strategies etc. that arises. Consumers Consumers will gain confidence by seeing the discipline and behaviorism of the business being further enriched and worthy of dealing with them. Advertising firms This research will cause a major change in the advertising firms creativity to be effective revealing the advertisement of the products to be the true advertisement of the product and instead not attempting to allure customers by means of the mere appearance of the many ways of advertising.

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Research proposal

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1.7 Scope and limitations Geographical area Colombo being the capital of sri lanka, has gained the countries attention and awareness to it and established many industries, companies, advertising firms etc. Therefore it is essential to issue the research here. Demographics This research will be carried out among both the males and females above the age of 18 due to their maturity and the education that they have to the extent necessary to confront the questions in the research. Duration This research will be carried out in a period of one months time which will be enough to succeed with a less number of activities and effort. Data Data will be gathered from two sources of primary questionnaires and the internet. and secondary by means of

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Research proposal

Individual Assignment

Chapter 2
2.1 Brief literature review 1) There appears to be a consensus that in some way business ethics simply did not exist before the 1970s (McMahon 2002). 2) Business ethics has evolved through time and across disciplines into a discipline that is one of the most important topics in the field of business. For the historical development of business ethics, it is important to start with a definition of business ethics in a global context. We define business ethics from a managerial perspective as decisions about what is right or wrong (acceptable or unacceptable) in the organizational context of planning and implementing business activities in a global business environment to benefit: Organizational performance, individual achievement in the workplace, social acceptance and approval of peers and coworkers in the organization as well as responding to the needs and concerns of relevant internal and external stakeholders. The goal of proactive ethical organizations is to develop an ethical organizational culture. This requires strategies, systems, and procedures to ensure that the firms ethics and compliance program is in place and operating effectively with continuous assessment and improvement. (O.C. Ferrell, University of New Mexico Linda Ferrell, University of New Mexico) 3) The teaching and practice of business must resist ethical compartmentalization. One engaged in business ought not check moral principles at the door and say business is business, for this is to pretend that when one is engaged in business, one is no longer a human being, with the rational nature, emotional constitution, and social bonds that are at the root of our ethical nature. Ethical standards apply to business as they do all aspects of human life. ( ciceronian business ethics owen goldin Marquette University)

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Research proposal 2.2 Conceptual framework Independent variables

Individual Assignment

Dependent variables

Comprehension awareness attention perception


Ha2 Ha3

Ha1

Communication brain washing visibal objects media


Ha4 Ha5 Ha6

Consumer Temptation, Disputes and Dissapointments Origination

Information attractiveness investigation perception

Ha7 Ha8 Ha9

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Research proposal 2.3 Hypothesis

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CT DDO - Consumer Temptation , Disputes and Disappointments Origination CT DDO CT DDO CT DDO CT DDO CT DDO CT DDO CT DDO CT DDO CT DDO CT DDO CT DDO CT DDO CT DDO CT DDO CT DDO CT DDO CT DDO CT DDO

Ho1: There is no relationship between awareness and Ha2: There is a relationship between awareness and Ho2: There is no relationship between attention and Ha2: There is a relationship between attention and Ho3: There is no relationship between perception and Ha3: There is a relationship between perception and

Ho4: There is no relationship between brain washing and Ha4: There is a relationship between brain washing and Ho5: There is no relationship between visible objects and Ha5: There is a relationship between visible objects and Ho6: There is no relationship between brain washing and Ha6: There is a relationship between brain washing and Ho7: There is no relationship between brain media and Ha7: There is a relationship between brain media and

Ho8: There is no relationship between brain investigation and Ha8: There is a relationship between brain investigation and Ho9: There is no relationship between brain perception and Ha9: There is a relationship between brain perception and

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Research proposal

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Chapter 3
3.1 Methodology The research is based on two sources of information namely primary and secondary. As secondary information, numerous types of articles, blogs and some official web sites are used to gather the needed data. And there are many advantages of official websites that they provide all the information needed to be engaged with their customers while researchers get the opportunity to extract their mentality towards their customers. And finally, data through questionnaires gained by primary information will be analyzed with careful attention in order to get the best out of the research.

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Research proposal Questionnaire

Individual Assignment

I am Ashan Lakshmanthe Samaranayake, a student doing HND in business management at ICBT and currently conducting an investigation on morality and ethics cause an effect within business. I would like you to have this questionnaire to be filled with careful consideration to achieve effective data and to complete my assignment successfully. 1) Age 18 - 24 2) Gender Male 3) Geography - Colombo 1-3 4-6 7-9 10-12 13-15 Female 25- 32 33- 40 41+

4) What are the methods you prefer for advertising mentioned below? Posters Television Newspapers Radio advertisements Blogs/ Facebook Banners Internet Magazines Text messages Direct Mail

5) What are the main reasons to prefer such methods of advertising you have selected for the question above? (tick only one below)

To send the context of the advertisement to the society. For the gaining of customers. For the intention to sell products. All 3 mentioned above. To allure the society towards the business for its sustainability.

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Research proposal

Individual Assignment

6) Does the lacking of morality and ethics cause pitfalls in business? Yes No

7) Does the lacking of morality and ethics give grounds for the origination of disputes and disagreements? Yes No

8) Which knowledge is the best to gain control and confidence and also to sustain the connections with customers among the 2 mentioned below, Ethics/morality Knowledge of attraction

9) To whom do you think the advertisements are more focused on? Children Teenagers Adults

10) Why are advertisers more focused on the ones you have selected above? Easy to gain the attention. They are attracted to the brand image. They understand the context of the advertisement.

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Research proposal 3.2 Sampling

Individual Assignment

Sampling is the examination of a subset in a population in order to reach certain conclusions about the characteristics of the population and in this research Colombo has been targeted.

Sri Lankan population Colombo district population The population of Colombo Municipal Council

= 19,886,000 = 2,421,000 = 647,100

The sampling frame for this study is based on the following characteristics of the population. Customers - From the population of the Colombo district and the sample for the research will be taken from customers and businessmen. It is because this research is more focused on the discipline within business. Geographical area - Colombo Gender - This is not an issue as both the genders are subject to the influence of ethics and morality. However this is taken into consideration. Income - the sample will be taken from all sorts of people from different backgrounds. Age - People above 18 are only capable of being in the sampling.

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Research proposal 3.3 Action plan


Days Descriptions
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Identifying the problems and setting the objectives. Creating research plans and data collection methodologies. Secondary data collection Creating the questionnaire. Pilot study and revising the questionnaire sampling framework Primary data collection; consumer audit through handing out questionnaire Process and analyzing the data collected using data analysis techniques Selecting presentation methods, preparing for presentation and developing the final reports. Presenting & Reporting

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Research proposal

Individual Assignment

Chapter 4
4.1 Conclusion The research analyses the atmosphere within business together with the customers and comes to the final understanding by the influence of excessive allurement on customers to achieve the success of business without correctly compensating ethics and morality with business which gives many grounds for the origination of disputes and disagreements with customers. And the research will also become an important way for the businessmen to accumulate the varies data to enhance their ways of sustaining their business and the connection with the customers to the optimum level in a loyal way such as improving the POLC CCM further efficiently. And this becomes an opportunity for the advertisers to do their advertising more meaningfully and put the context of the advertisement directly to the society in a kind, fair and trustful way. 4.2 Code of ethics This research project, "An inquisitive investigation into the world of ethics and morality within business", is conducted by me, Ashan Samaranayake. As mentioned earlier some necessary information to the research project was taken from various primary and secondary sources.

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Research proposal

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Chapter 5
5.1 Reference Ciceronian business ethics owen goldin Marquette University, [Online],

Available:http://www.historyofethics.org/112006/GoldinCiceronianBusEthics.pdf bbbb [Accessed7th December 2012]

City population 2012, Sri Lanka , [Online], Available: http://www.citypopulation.de/SriLanka.html [Accessed 6th December 2012]

Definition of ethics [Online], http://ww2.it.nuigalway.ie/staff/h_melvin/prof_skill/L1_handout.pdf [Accessed 6th December 2012]

Available:

McMahon 2002 , [Online], Available: http://www.duplication.net.au/ANZMAC09/papers/ANZMAC2009-536.pdf

bbbbbb[Accessed 6th December 2012] O.C. Ferrell, University of New Mexico Linda Ferrell, University of New Mexico

[Online],Available:http://danielsethics.mgt.unm.edu/pdf/Historical%20Development%20 of%20Business%20Ethics.pdf [Accessed 7th December 2012] Owen Goldin (Marquette University) defines ethics [Online], Available: http://www.historyofethics.org/112006/GoldinCiceronianBusEthics.pdf [Accessed 6th December 2012]

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Research proposal

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