Reference no: EM133707754

ASSESEMNET - BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODS

Case study on research ethics

LO 1: Compare and contrast various research methodologies
LO 2: Assess ethical considerations of research

Details and instructions

Purpose/Rationale
The purpose of this research is to analyse ethical issues in business research.
Task Details
You will be given a case study that details the research design of a research project. You will discuss the importance and practice of ethics in research.
Instructions
This is an individual piece of work.
You will be provided with a case study that details the research design of a research project (see options in the below box). You will use the case to discuss the importance and practice of ethics in research. This will include specifically:
what it means to be ethical and responsible when undertaking research
the potential ethical issues arising from the case study
how the researchers could respond to the potential ethical issues you've identified
The case study will be 1500 words (plus/minus 10%). You will need to include at least 8 academic references. Please see the Assessment Format Requirements, Research and References, and Feedback sections below for more information.

Case Study Options
Please choose one of the case study options below. Please refer to Assessment 3 Instructions and Marking Guide for instructions on what to include in your analysis.
Case Study 1
The research study: Evaluation of training program for managers of employees with intellectual disabilities (Quantitative)
Overview of case: Researchers have developed a training toolkit for managers to support employees with intellectual disability. The toolkit aims to improve managers' understanding of intellectual disability and support needs. The toolkit includes worksheets and checklists that managers can use to assess the workplace, role, and support needs. The training is delivered through the employers' online learning management system and takes approximately two hours.
The researchers want to evaluate whether the training is effective in improving managers' skills in support employees with disabilities. Managers will complete an assessment of intellectual disability knowledge before and one month after the training. The post-training survey will also include measures of training acceptability (e.g., extent to which managers found the training useful) and feasibility (e.g., extent to which managers have used the training in practice). The surveys will be administered online via the online survey platform Qualtrics. Each survey will take about 10 minutes to complete.
Participants and recruitment: Sixty managers who are currently supervising at least one employee with intellectual disability will be invited to participate in the study. The study will be advertised via Disability Employment Service Providers and small business networking groups throughout Victoria. The researchers will also post an advertisement on their LinkedIN page.
Reimbursement: Participants who complete both surveys will be entered into a prize draw for a $50 gift voucher.
Research questions: Are managers more knowledgeable about intellectual disability after training? Are managers more capable of supporting employees with intellectual disability after training?

Case Study 2
The research study: Evaluation of training program for managers of employees with intellectual disabilities (Qualitative)
Overview of case: Researchers have developed a training toolkit for managers to support employees with intellectual disability. The toolkit aims to improve managers' understanding of intellectual disability and support needs. The toolkit includes worksheets and checklists that managers can use to assess the workplace, role, and support needs. The training is delivered through the employers' online learning management system and takes approximately two hours.
The researchers want to evaluate whether the training is effective in improving managers' skills in support employees with disabilities. Managers will complete an interview before and after the training. The interview format will be face-to-face (in person or via Zoom) and follow a semi-structured format. Key interview questions will focus on the managers' understanding of intellectual disability, their strategies they use to support employees with intellectual disability, and their perceptions of the training. Each interview will take about 30 minutes.
Participants and recruitment: Twenty managers who are currently supervising at least one employee with intellectual disability will be invited to participate in the study. The study will be advertised via Disability Employment Service Providers and small business networking groups throughout Victoria. The researchers will also post an advertisement on their LinkedIN page.
Reimbursement: Participants will be given a $25 gift voucher for each interview completed.
Research question: How do members of diverse groups experience conflict in teams?

Case Study 3
Students completing a business research specialisation or higher degree by research (e.g., PhD, Master by Research) may choose to analyse the ethical issues in their proposed research design. Students who would like to choose Case Study 3 must gain advance permission from the subject coordinator. Students choosing Case Study 3 must include a preamble that summarises the research method and research question they are proposing. The preamble should be similar in length and detail to the above provided for Case Study 1 and Case Study 2. The preamble is not included in the assessment word count.
Assessment Format Requirements
The report should be approximately 1500 words not including: reference list, headings, table of contents. Please use standard fonts (Times New Roman, Calibri, Arial) and readable font sizes (10-point or larger) throughout, including in any graphics that you create. Use 1.5 or double spacing and 2.54cm (1 inch) margins. Please see Research and References for research expectations.
Below is a suggested structure and additional advice for each section.
Cover Page
Include report title, your name, and your student id number
Cover page is not included in the word count
Introduction

Briefly introduce the paper and the case study
This section will likely be 2-3 paragraphs or 150-200 words
One intro paragraph should outline the 'big picture' and set the scene
1-2 paragraphs should describe the proposed study or case study
Ethics and Responsibilities for Business Researchers

Discuss what it means to be ethical and responsible when undertaking business research in general. You may want to refer to the key documents and historical events discussed in Week 6.
Refer to the key responsibilities and requirements in the Australian context. Refer to the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research, 2018 (discussed in Week 6).
This section should be 2-4 paragraphs or about 300-500 words
Case Study Analysis
Identify and detail the ethical issues arising from the specific case study (and why these are potential issues). Refer to relevant evidence to support your reasoning about the ethical issue. Refer to the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2007) - Updated 2018 (discussed in Week 6) for guidance on identifying key issues. You may use additional sources to support your reasoning.
Illustrative examples are listed below. Note that these may not apply to your study/case or you may identify additional issues.

Methods of recruitment (who and how)
Issues of safety and risk, and how these will be managed
Benefits of the study to participants and the community and whether these counterbalance any identified risks
This section should be several paragraphs (approximately one paragraph for each ethical issue, noting that some issues may be connected) or about 700-1000 words
Conclusion

Wrap up the paper in an interesting way
This section should be one paragraph or about 50-100 words
References
Include the full references for all sources (academic and non-academic)
References are not included in the word count

Research and References
You are expected to review a minimum of 8 academic, peer-reviewed articles other than the research sources provided in class. Academic research articles refer to articles published in academic, peer-reviewed journal articles. The academic research articles should be relevant to the topic, contemporary (i.e., published in the last 5 years) and of high quality (i.e., published in journals ranked by the Australian Business Dean's Council or Australian Research Council as A*, A, or B - see also list of recommended academic journals below). Depending on your topic area, you may include additional academic research articles that are older than 5 years (e.g., seminal or 'classic' studies), research review papers (e.g., systematic reviews, meta-analyses), or articles published in less prestigious journals.