BM631 Research Methods: A Reflection Report on Ethical Issues

This report reflects on the ethical considerations within a research study focused on the impact of COVID-19 on consumer buying habits at Wal-Mart. It outlines the aim and objectives of the research, highlighting the use of quantitative research methods and a deductive approach. Key ethical considerations discussed include respecting the dignity and privacy of participants through informed consent and data protection, ensuring social responsibility by conducting research that benefits society without harm, maintaining scientific integrity by adhering to research values and rules, and maximizing benefits while minimizing harm to participants. The report emphasizes the importance of following ethical standards and legislations to conduct research responsibly and improve the researcher's credibility. Desklib provides access to similar solved assignments and past papers for students.

Reflection of Ethical Issues
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Table of Contents
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
Aim of research............................................................................................................................3
Objectives of research..................................................................................................................3
Research methodology.................................................................................................................3
Ethical considerations..................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6
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MAIN BODY
Aim of research
The main aim of conducting this study is “To determine the effects of covid 19 on
consumer buying habits”. A study on Wal-Mart.
Objectives of research
 To determine the concept of customer buying behavior.
 To identify the effects of Covid 19 pandemic on customer buying habits within Wal-
Mart.
 To analyze the ways of mitigations to reduce the impact of Covid 19 pandemic in Wal-
Mart.
Research methodology
Research methodology is an effective way of collecting as well as analysing data relevant
to research study. Qualitative and quantitative are 2 main types of research that shows a form of
data collection (Pandey and Pandey, 2021). When researcher conduct qualitative research then he
collects data in non-numerical form and in quantitative research, numerical data are being
collected. For this study, quantitative research method has being selected. As like this, research
approach is also being divided into 2 types such as: deductive and inductive. For completing this
study in an ethical manner, deductive approach has been selected.
Exploratory, experimental and descriptive are 3 main research design that enable
researcher in finding out relations between different variables of study and research topic.
Descriptive is an effective research design that can make researcher able in describing facts and
phenomenon and that is why this design has being used for conducting this study with
effectiveness (Bloomfield and Fisher, 2019). As it is stated that researcher has conducted
quantitative research and for collecting numerical primary data, he has conducted
questionnaire. 40 respondents have been selected as a sample for knowing impact of covid-19 on
consumers’ buying behaviour and also knowing ways of managing ethics.
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Ethical considerations
As on the basis of above discussion, it can clearly be said that maintaining ethics is
important for making research study successful. On the basis of conducted study on identifying
impacts of Covid-19 on consumers’ behaviour, some factors can be high lightened that need to
be considered for making study ethical. Ethics can be defined as moral principles that let us
know the difference between the right and wrong act (Brown, Spiro and Quinton, 2020). When
researcher has this knowledge and ability to identify difference between wrong and right then he
is more likely to become successful and conduct research study with effectiveness. Some factors
that need to be considered for making study ethical include:
Respect for dignity and privacy of participants: When researcher collect primary data
and conduct questionnaire then it becomes important for him to make participants feel valued. It
can be done when he respects values of participants and ensure them that their personal
information will be kept safe and secure with them. It is important for researcher to respect
dignity of participants. As researcher has selected 40 samples so, it is important for researcher to
provide fair and equal opportunities to all of them and select them in a random manner (Bhatia-
Lin and et.al., 2019). Participants were informed online by sending them E-mail and consent
form online due to Covid-19. When samples are being selected on the basis of specific selection
criteria and some people do not get chance to participate only because they fail to fulfil selection
criteria then it de-motivates them. So, for making participants feel valued, they all should be
given fair chance, need to be selected randomly and should be ensured about privacy of their
information.
Social responsibility: A successful research is the one that makes beneficial to general
people and participants and does not hurt anyone in any manner. When researcher conducts
research study in this manner then it is considered social responsible. In this research study,
researcher has taken consent from participants and made sure as participants are taking voluntary
participation as no one has forced them to do so. Questions that have been asked were not
pointed out on specific culture and values of people. Participants need to be given option to skip
question and deny answering if they find uncomfortable. Researcher also needs to follow ethical
standards and maintain health and security of participants in order to make research study
successful and reliable (Sroka and Szántó, 2018). Overall, it can be said that having positive
impacts on society and environment by conducting research study can be known as social
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responsibility and in this study, researcher has made beneficial to people by making them know
about ways of preventing themselves from getting affected from Covid-19.
Scientific integrity: In regard to scientific integrity, it can be said that it refers all values
and rules that govern research. Researcher needs to consider this ethic in order to make their
readers and participants sure that research is being conducted with honesty and will not hurt
anyone in any manner. When researcher considers this ethic then he is more likely to improve his
image and it boosts his confidence. Researcher find easier in conducting research study in teh
future with effectiveness and success (Kretser and et.al., 2019). As, it is stated that in research
study on identifying impact of Covid-19 on consumers’ buying decision, researcher has
conducted questionnaire survey and collected primary data. By selecting sample, researcher can
collect accurate data and for making collected data reliable, researcher can make use of thematic
data analysis. By following relevant standards and legislations such as: anti discrimination, right
to speak and ask questions, basic human rights, data privacy and health and safety, researcher
can consider this ethic and can conduct study in an ethical manner.
Maximising benefits and minimising harm: It is important for researcher to make
beneficial to all participants and for this, researcher just need to identify needs of participants and
consider them while asking questions. By treating them in a fair manner and allowing them to
suggest for accomplishing goals of research, they can be made feel valued. Researcher has
followed anti discrimination, data privacy and health and safety act for promoting diversity and
respecting values of participants’ culture (Ballantyne and Schaefer, 2018).
Overall, it can be said that by considering ethics, researcher can improve his image and
can accomplish the main research aim in an effective and timely manner.
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REFERENCES
Books and journals
Ballantyne, A. and Schaefer, G.O., 2018. Consent and the ethical duty to participate in health
data research. Journal of medical ethics. 44(6). pp.392-396.
Bhatia-Lin, A. and et.al., 2019. Ethical and regulatory considerations for using social media
platforms to locate and track research participants. The American Journal of
Bioethics, 19(6), pp.47-61.
Bloomfield, J. and Fisher, M.J., 2019. Quantitative research design. Journal of the Australasian
Rehabilitation Nurses Association, 22(2), pp.27-30.
Brown, C., Spiro, J. and Quinton, S., 2020. The role of research ethics committees: Friend or foe
in educational research? An exploratory study. British Educational Research
Journal, 46(4), pp.747-769.
Kretser, A. and et.al., 2019. Scientific integrity principles and best practices: recommendations
from a scientific integrity consortium. Science and engineering ethics. 25(2). pp.327-355.
Pandey, P. and Pandey, M.M., 2021. Research Methodology Tools and Techniques.
Sroka, W. and Szántó, R., 2018. Corporate social responsibility and business ethics in
controversial sectors: Analysis of research results. Journal of Entrepreneurship,
Management and Innovation, 14(3), pp.111-126.
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