Instructional Objectives for this activity: Describe how ethics applies to business research

• Conduct scholarly research to find an example of unethical behavior related to business research. Evaluate and discuss the ethical issues of the case, which research obligations were violated, if any conflicts of interest were present, etc. For example, was the research characterized as “pseudo research,” such as sugging, frugging, or push polling? Or was it unethical collection and use of personal information by monitoring Internet activity, etc?
• Next, suggest practical ways of curbing the unethical behavior. This could be through the establishment of formal standards of ethical behavior (for example “no call” lists for telemarketing, disclosure of how the information collected will be used and gaining the approval of the individuals providing the information to use the information for that purpose, safeguards for the protection of personal information from unauthorized access by others, etc.)
• Finally, suggest the most practical ways of ensuring these standards are enforced. Consider questions such as: Should there be legal consequences in the form of fines and/or prison sentences? Should there be licensing of the researchers/research firms so that licenses could be revoked for unethical behavior? Should there be professional codes of ethics for professional certifications? Should there be the equivalent of Better Business Bureaus to monitor and report on unethical behavior?

Assignment should be four pages in length.