Slide 6.

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009

Slide 6.2

Physical access key issues

+ Organisations may not wish to allocate resources
+ Requests for access may not be of sufficient interest
+ Failure to reach those who can give permission
+ Concerns about sensitivity and confidentiality
+ Perceptions about the researchers credibility
+ Doubts about the researchers competence
Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009

Slide 6.3

Points to consider
+ Access as an iterative process
+ Obtaining consent from managers and participants
+ The nature and extent of the required access
+ Obtaining sufficient scope to answer the research

question

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009

Slide 6.4

Virtual access - four types of online community

+ Bulletin boards for particular products or services
+ Independent web pages
+ Themed email lists
+ Multiuser chat rooms
Adapted from Kozinets (2002)

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009

Slide 6.5

Areas for consideration

+ Ensuring familiarity and understanding
+ Allowing sufficient time
+ Using existing contacts and developing new ones
+ Giving a clear account of purpose

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009

Slide 6.6

Areas for consideration

+ Overcoming organisational concerns
+ Identifying possible organisational benefits
+ Appropriate forms of communication
+ Establishing researcher credibility

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009

Slide 6.7

Definition
The appropriateness of your behaviour in
relation to the rights of those who become the
subject of or are affected by your work

Adapted from Saunders et al. (2009)

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009

Slide 6.8

Ethical issues at different stages of research

Source: Saunders et al. (2009)

Figure 6.1 Ethical issues at different stages of research (part 1)
Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009

Slide 6.9

Ethical issues at different stages of research

Source: Saunders et al. (2009)

Figure 6.1 Ethical issues at different stages of research (part 2)
Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009

Slide 6.10

Research conduct is affected by

+ Code of ethics
+ Research ethics committees
+ General ethical issues
+ Netiquette

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009

Slide 6.11

+ Discuss intellectual property

frankly
+ Be conscious of multiple roles

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009

Slide 6.12

+ Follow informed-consent rules

The purpose of the research, expected duration and
procedures.
Participants' rights to decline to participate and to
withdraw from the research once it has started.
Reasonably foreseeable factors that may influence
their willingness to participate, such as potential
risks, discomfort or adverse effects.
Any prospective research benefits.
Limits of confidentiality
Incentives for participation.
Who participants can contact with questions.

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009

Slide 6.13

+ Respect confidentiality and

privacy
+ Tap into ethics resources

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009

Slide 6.14

The nature of participant consent

Source: Saunders et al. (2009)

Figure 6.2 The nature of participant consent
Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009

Slide 6.15

Related issues
+ Sensitive personal data
+ Confidentiality and anonymity
+ Protection of research participants
+ Ethical use of data analysis and conclusions

Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, Research Methods for Business Students, 5th Edition, Mark Saunders, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill 2009