Ethical Considerations in Research Methodology: A Case Study on the Impact of E-commerce on Business Operations in Tesco

This report discusses the ethical considerations in research methodology while conducting a case study on the impact of e-commerce on business operations in Tesco. It covers research aim, objectives, methodology, ethical considerations, and conclusion.

Research Methods
(The impact of E-commerce on Business,
in case of Tesco)

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
RESEARCH AIM............................................................................................................................1
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES............................................................................................................1
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.....................................................................................................2
ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS.....................................................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Ethical consideration within research describes as combination of different principles that
helps in guiding the research design and practices of the research in better manner. These
principles covers informed consent, confidentiality, voluntary participation, result
communication as well as potential to harm (Hammer, 2017). While collecting the data from the
other for a particular research topic a researcher need to adhere to specific code of conduct in
better manner. The following report is prepared in order to identify ethical consideration follows
in the research. The report covers Respect for the autonomy, privacy and dignity of individuals
and communities, Scientific integrity, Social responsibility as well as Maximising benefits and
minimising harm.
RESEARCH AIM
To identify the impact of e-commerce over business operations within retail industry. “A
study on TESCO”
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
 To determine how TESCO grew in the past years under the impact of E-commerce?
 To examine how TESCO has integrated E-commerce in its business operations?
1

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research methodology described a method that provide information about the research
topic in order to accumulate and analyse it in a proper way (Nardi, 2018). The research methods
used in the following research, are described with the help of research onion:
Research Philosophy- There are two types of research philosophy that are positivism
and interpretivism. In the following research, positivism research philosophy has been used in
order to evaluate and examined the numerical data of the research topic (Weller and Gerhart,
2018). It help researcher to evaluate numerical data, facts and figures of the research.
Research approach- There are two types of research approach that are inductive and
deductive approach. In the case of current research, researcher used deductive research approach
as it helps in analysing and evaluating numerical data (Daniel, 2019). It helps researcher to attain
pre-defined objectives in systematic and timely manner.
Research Strategy- There are many types of research strategy in research methodology
which includes interview, survey, case study, action research, systematic literature review and
many more (Shkoler, 2018). In present research, systematic literature review and survey has been
used in order to collect information from different sources and by directly asking respondents.
Research design- There are many kinds of research design in research methodology and
in case of following research descriptive research design has been used in order to help
researcher to focus on interpretating, collecting as well as analysing numerical piece of
information in better manner (Hussain and Hassali, 2019).
Research choice- It is divided in two categories which includes quantitative and
qualitative. In case of following research, quantitative research choice has been used as it help
researcher to gather numerical information about the research topic (Taguchi, 2018). It helps in
providing more reliable, relevant and accurate information of the research.
Data collection- The data collection are available in two category that are primary and
secondary. In the case of following research, both the data collection methods is used in order to
collect information by using questionnaire as well as different platforms (Harari and Lee, 2021).
Sampling- There are two types of data sampling in research methodology that are
probability and non-probability (Wennberg and Anderson, 2020). In case of following research,
probability sampling used in order to select 30 respondents in order to collect information for the
research. These respondents are employees of Tesco.
2

Data Analysis- There are many types of data analysis methods in research methodology
such as thematic, frequency distribution. In present research, frequency distribution analysis is
used as it helps in evaluating and analysing the information in systematic manner (Smith and
Zajda, 2018).
3

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
Ethical considerations are refers to as one of the most important parts in the research.
Ethical consideration ensure researcher that no one acts in such a manner that is harmful for the
society and individual while conducting the research (Berdychevsky, 2020). In the case of
following research, the ethical considerations that are required to be followed are described
below:
Respect for the autonomy, privacy and dignity of individuals and communities-
While conducting the research, it very important to keep anonymity of the participants.
Similarly, they also need to keep the privacy and dignity of individuals and communities of the
research (Ryberg, 2019). The researcher need to ensure that the autonomy, privacy and dignity of
Tesco' employees need to be respected while collecting the information from them.
Scientific integrity- It described as the conditions that results from the adherence to the
values and practices of professional while conducting the research as it ensure clarity,
reproducibility and clarity as wall as renders insulation from, fabrication, plagiarism, bias and
falsification (Liebe and Hunter, 2021). It is important while conducting the research in order to
creates trust in between the each other's work in order to maintain integrity in the research.
Social responsibility- It also refers to the important ethical principles in the research as it
helps in making the research effective that provides several benefits to the society, environment
and the growth of an economy (Shlobin and Rosenow, 2022). While conducting the following
research, researcher need to focus on providing several benefits to the society. This research help
society to understand E-commerce is more important in today's time in making the business
operation more smoother.
Maximising benefits and minimising harm- This types of ethical principle make
researcher in order to focus on decreasing the harm as well as increasing the benefits of the
society in better manner. The researcher also need to ensure that the research does not harm their
selected respondents as well as does not put them in any discomfort condition so, they feel free
in order to provide accurate information about the research topic (Dagum and Montag, 2019).
The researcher also need to ensure that they also keep respondents away from the any physical
harm in order to conduct the research in better manner.
4

CONCLUSION
From the above mentioned information, it has been analysed that ethical consideration
are important to follow in order to conduct the research in ethical manner. The following
research is based on quantitative research methods in order to collect information that are
numerical in nature. The ethical considerations that are followed in this research are respect for
the autonomy, privacy and dignity of individuals and communities, scientific integrity, social
responsibility as well as maximising benefits and minimising harm.
5

REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Hammer, M.J., 2017, March. Ethical Considerations for Data Collection Using Surveys.
In Oncology Nursing Forum (Vol. 44, No. 2).
Nardi, P.M., 2018. Doing survey research: A guide to quantitative methods. Routledge.
Weller, I. and Gerhart, B., 2018. Methodological challenges for quantitative research in
comparative HRM. In Handbook of research on comparative human resource
management. Edward Elgar Publishing.
Daniel, K.M., 2019. Introduction to Quantitative Research. Understanding Nursing Research:
First South Asia Edition, E-Book: Building an Evidence-Based Practice, p.29.
Shkoler, O., 2018. Using contemporary quantitative techniques. In Quantitative Research
Methods in Consumer Psychology (pp. 22-58). Routledge.
Hussain, R. and Hassali, M.A., 2019. Quantitative methods in pharmacy practice research.
In Encyclopedia of Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Pharmacy (pp. 22-28). Elsevier.
Taguchi, N., 2018. Description and explanation of pragmatic development: Quantitative,
qualitative, and mixed methods research. System, 75, pp.23-32.
Harari, L. and Lee, C., 2021. Intersectionality in quantitative health disparities research: a
systematic review of challenges and limitations in empirical studies. Social Science &
Medicine, 277, p.113876.
Wennberg, K. and Anderson, B.S., 2020. Enhancing the exploration and communication of
quantitative entrepreneurship research. Journal of Business Venturing, 35(3), p.105938.
Smith, K. and Zajda, J., 2018. Qualitative and quantitative methodologies: A minimalist
view. Education and Society, 36(1), pp.73-83.
Berdychevsky, L., 2020. Reflexivity and ethical considerations in investigating the links between
sex and leisure. In Sex and Leisure (pp. 17-37). Routledge.
Ryberg, J., 2019. Neurointerventions, crime, and punishment: ethical considerations. Oxford
University Press, USA.
Liebe, H. and Hunter, C.J., 2021, October. Ethical considerations of academic surgical research.
In Seminars in Pediatric Surgery (Vol. 30, No. 5, p. 151097). WB Saunders.
Shlobin, N.A. and Rosenow, J.M., 2022. Ethical considerations in the implantation of
neuromodulatory devices. Neuromodulation: Technology at the Neural Interface, 25(2),
pp.222-231.
Dagum, P. and Montag, C., 2019. Ethical considerations of digital phenotyping from the
perspective of a healthcare practitioner. In Digital phenotyping and mobile sensing (pp.
13-28). Springer, Cham.
6