Undergraduate Ethics Application: Big Data Analytics Research

The assignment is an ethics application form submitted by an undergraduate student at Roehampton Business School for a research project on the significance of Big Data Analytics in Business Management and Innovation. The form details the project's purpose, which is to explore how organizations utilize big data for innovation and business management, addressing market challenges and pressures. The research methodology involves secondary data collection using Google search and specific keywords related to big data analytics. The form also covers ethical issues like participant consent, confidentiality, and data protection, as well as health and safety considerations. It includes sections on participant involvement, recruitment methods, and data protection measures, ensuring compliance with the University's policies and procedures. The student has attached research instruments and consent forms and confirms adherence to ethical guidelines and data protection regulations. The project aims to generate insights into how businesses are shaping their strategies with big data analytics and providing information on future trends and strategies for managing big data innovatively.

ETHICS
APPLICATION FORM
Undergraduate Students
Roehampton Business
School
(QA Higher Education March 2019)
The completion of this form should not be seen as an end in itself but as a vehicle to ensure that
you have gone through a process of considering the ethical implications of your research in detail
and that you are able to communicate this clearly.
SECTION 1: PERSONAL DETAILS & DECLARATION
Please complete the header with your name and Department
Name:
Student number:
UR email address:
Programme of Study:
Supervisor:
STUDENT’S SIGNATURE
I confirm that this submission accords with the University Code of Conduct and that
all information supplied on this form is correct
Student’s Signature:
Please use an electronic signature or type your name
Date:
SECTION 2: SUPERVISOR’S APPROVAL
Dissertation supervisors, please:
 scrutinise the Ethics Application and all participant-facing documentation
 suggest and check any changes which need making before your final approval
Please tick the box to confirm that you have approved the application as ethically sound,
and the participant-facing documentation as appropriate
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SUPERVISOR’S SIGNATURE
Signature:
Please use an electronic signature or type your name
Print name:
Date:
SECTION 3: PROJECT DETAILS
Title of project: The significance of Big Data Analytics in
Business Management and Innovation
(should be the same as on participant-facing documentation)
Proposed start date:
Duration:
Purpose of the proposed investigation (max 500 words):
This section should include the material which outlines the rationale for the project, i.e. why this study needs
to be done. This should be done in a way that is both accessible and scholarly, i.e. have proper cited sources.
The purpose of the study is to learn the vast role of big data analytics in innovation and business
management. This means the study reveals how organizations today apply big data management
when it comes to managing business as a whole and applying innovation in business. It is certain that
business environment today has become dynamic in nature and everyday business tends to face new
challenges and market threats. Consequently, there is a constant market pressure of innovation. Thus,
in such context, big data plays the role of gaining or receiving market information, which further
helps to segment consumers as per the information received. However, use and implementation of
big data is often challenging to organizations.
It has been identified that much of innovation management is not only about just applying and
coming up with the ideas of big data, more of innovation can be made up of smaller enhancement
that often combine to create big influence. This research project also unveils why the businesses
across the world are all of a sudden are running after big data management. Even though it is a
known fact that big data provides a broader access to market information for a business but it is not
yet known how the businesses are actually managing the information or how are leveraging for the
businesses.
In addition, rationale behind performing the study on the chosen context is that businesses in the
recent time have shifted its focus from conventional business ideas to the use of technology in which
use of data and information is highly necessary and to gain access to such information big data
analytics is an essential requirement. Thus, a detailed exploration on Big Data analytics is highly
required and such exploratory study will generate new insight about big data which will further help
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the business owners or the marketers to shape their business with big data analytics. Another
significant reason for performing an in-depth study on the chosen context is that there are several
small businesses failed to apply big data in businesses, especially, the small and medium size
businesses often find it difficult to apply the concept; the investigation in the chosen context will
reveal, how small and medium size firms in the race can effectively deal with the big data analytics
Thus, the implementation of the study reveals how the organizations or the businesses today are
gaining the access to information and shaping the businesses as a whole for achieving better and
desired business results. In addition to this, outcome of this study will help the marketers to know
about the future trends and strategies feasible for managing big data in businesses innovatively. This
is because innovation plays a great role in business and with bit data, marketers have to know how
innovation can be applied accordingly.
Outline of the project:
This section should include the details of the research methods i.e. what will be done and how. Please start
by giving a brief summary (one paragraph) including how many participants there are likely to be, where the
research will take place and an indication of how long participation will take for each section (interviews,
questionnaires etc.) and in total.
This research project is based on how big data analytics is helping to manage and innovate the
business. The study consists of several chapters and each chapter has its own functions. For example,
the first chapter of the project provides a detail about how big data is helping the business today,
chapter delivers background information about the studies on big data management. In addition, the
introductory chapter also provides research objectives and questions based on which review of
existing papers have been performed. The review of the paper is about how scholars have
investigated the bread role of big data analytics in business. Likewise, it has been derived from the
review that big data is one such thing which can help to find discover the hidden correlations,
identify patterns as well as trends before they become obvious in their “naked eyes”. Review also
helps to learn the fact that big data is more an active player of finding patterns and leading
innovation team go down
In order to perform the analysis, secondary data has been used in the study because secondary data
gives a broad view about how big data analytics around the world is being used in the businesses by
marketers. In order to collect data for the study, Google search has been used as the major source.
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Some particular keywords related to bid data analytics have been used in the sources. The major
term include: Business management, big data, improvement or innovation, capabilities of the big
data analytics and the organisation’s absorptive capacity. Likewise, the criteria of inclusion –
exclusion to come up with the most appealing sources have been used.
You should attach all the research instruments you are planning to use in your research,
e.g. interview questionnaire, online questionnaire template, etc. These should be checked
by your supervisor prior to Ethics application approval)
Please confirm that
1) you have attached all research instruments you intend to use, and
2) you will notify your supervisor of any major changes.
YES
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SECTION 4: ETHICS ISSUES
Ethical issues raised by the project and how these will be addressed:
Points that should be considered include:
 Participants and consent
 Confidentiality and anonymity
 Right to withdrawal
 Deception
 Permissions from organisations involved
 Whether any vulnerable populations are involved (including under 18s) (also see Section 6)
This section should have some comment and not left blank.
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SECTION 5: HEALTH & SAFETY ISSUES
Health & safety issues raised by the project, including any risks to participants and/or
researcher and sole working. Think of hazards, who can be harmed, how can someone be
harmed, number of people affected, what are the consequences, what are the existing or
possible control measures.
You should clearly indicate how these H&S issues will be addressed. This section should
have some comment and not left blank.
 Please discuss these with your Supervisor, who should contact the Head of Health & Safety if
necessary.
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SECTION 6: RESEARCH INVOLVING PARTICIPANTS
 You should amend the attached Participant Consent Form template to be given to
participants as required
 You should also attach any other information to be given to participants
You should consider carefully what information you provide to participants, e.g. scope of
study, number of participants, duration of study, risks/benefits of the project. It is
recommended that the participant has two copies of the consent form so they can retain one
for information.
 If images or anything else which might allow the identification of participants is to be
publicly accessible (e.g. on the web), further written consent must be secured.
A separate section regarding this should be included on the participant consent form.
Please confirm that
1) you have attached the amended consent form and information sheet (if applicable) to be
given to participants, and
2) you will notify your supervisor of any major changes.
YES
Give details of 1) the method of recruitment, and 2) potential benefits or incentives to
participants if any (include any financial benefits where appropriate).
(NB: Please remember that written permission will have to be sought from any organisations where
recruitment is carried out or posters placed (e.g. if you recruit in GP’s surgeries you will require NHS
approval)
1)
2)
Please confirm that you have attached written permission from any organisations where
recruitment is carried out or posters placed
YES
Will your research involve participants who are aged under 18?
YES NO
Will you be approaching participants who might be considered to be vulnerable (please give
details if not addressed elsewhere on this form)?
YES NO
If you have answered Yes please refer to the Ethics Guidelines (especially section 3.4.j if
your research involves participants who are aged under 18) and highlight the particular
issues raised by working with these participants and how these issues have been
addressed.
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If you have answered yes to either of the above you will need to obtain DBS clearance.
Please contact your supervisor.
(Please note: if you are unsure whether DBS clearance is required, please discuss it with
your supervisor)
Please tick the box to confirm that the appropriate DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service)
check has been applied for.
If you have already obtained DBS clearance, please provide details of DBS check (date,
disclosure number, issuing organisation (if applicable) and place of issue).
If issued by another organisation please advise if you have registered this with the DBS
Update Service and provide reference number and date.
SECTION 7: DATA PROTECTION
Before completing this section of the form, you should read the Data Protection and Storage
Guidance for Researchers. It is the responsibility of students to ensure that they comply
with the University’s policies and procedures regarding data protection.
All research data must also be processed in line with the University’s IT Policy, which
states,
You must not create, download, store or transmit unlawful material, or material that is
indecent, offensive, threatening or discriminatory or extremist.
QA Higher Education (University of Roehampton partnership) has procedures to enable
students to store downloaded research materials and data, electronically via email into a
specially provisioned university secure safe storage area
[e-mail].
SAFE STORAGE AREA – DOCUMENTS TO EMAIL
Before dissertation submission:
Please send the completed Ethics form and attachments (e.g. consent/access/survey forms
and letters) for approval to [e-mail].
After dissertation submission on Turnit In:
After submitting the final dissertation on Turnitin, please also email a copy of the
dissertation with your data collection instruments and attach all of the electronic data
collection/analysis files (all participant related/anonymised documents and ‘personal data’
(also see below): questionnaires, interview forms, interview transcripts, focus group data
and observation records etc.) to [e-mail].
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Questions relating to personal data processing:
‘Personal Data’ is defined as, “Any information relating to an identified or
identifiable person (a ‘data subject) or from which a person can be identified
either directly or indirectly.” Examples of personal data include:
 Name
 Age
 Address
 Job title
Will the research project involve collecting, storing or processing personal data relating to
research participants?
YES NO
If yes, other than signed consent forms, what types of personal data will be collected/
stored/ processed as part of the research project?
Please give details of how this data will be anonymised:
Will you be storing your research data (both raw and processed data) and documents
containing personal details of any participants using University IT facilities?
YES NO
If no, please specify the storage medium you intend to use, e.g. personal laptop, USB stick,
etc.
Please give details of how they will be kept secure (please ensure that all electronic data is
password protected, and also encrypted if on personal devices):
Please confirm that personal data will NOT be transferred to any party or organisation
outside of the University.
YES
All research participants should be provided with information about how their personal data
will be used. The attached Data Privacy Notice for Research Participants document should
be given to participants along the Participant Consent Form.
Please confirm that the Data Privacy Notice for Research Participants will be handed out as
a hard copy along with the consent form (unless using an online questionnaire etc). ( Please
include the Privacy Notice along with your other documentation when submitting your
ethics application).
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YES
PARTICIPANT CONSENT FORM (and Privacy Notice)
Title of Research Project:
Brief Description of Research Project, and What Participation Involves:
Note: Please include what participation involves (if appropriate), where it will take
place, how long it will take and how many participants there are likely to be.
For interview based studies: State any limits on confidentiality
Please use wording along the lines of:
The interview will be tape recorded, and transcribed with any identifying details
removed. The transcript, or extracts from, may appear in my report and in
publications arising from it. The tapes may be heard by my supervisor and others
who might be involved in examining the report.
Everything you say will be treated confidentiality, but there is a limit to this: if you
disclose a risk of serious harm then I may need to take appropriate action (this
adheres to the ethical guidelines of the …………).
For questionnaire based studies:
State that the data will be collected in a way that makes it fully anonymous.
Please use wording along the lines of:
No identifying details will be recorded on your questionnaire response so that your
data will be completely anonymous and it will therefore not be possible to link your
consent form to your questionnaire response or to the data arising from it. You will be
asked to assign a code number to your data which only you will know, so if you wish
to withdraw your data you will be able to do this by providing the research with your
code number.
Investigator Contact Details:
Name
Department
University Address
Postcode
Email
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Telephone
Consent Statement:
I agree to take part in this research, and am aware that I am free to withdraw at any
point without giving a reason, although if I do so I understand that my data might still
be used in a collated form. I understand that the information I provide will be treated
in confidence by the investigator and that my identity will be protected in the
publication of any findings.
By signing this form, you are confirming that you have read, understood and agree
with the University’s Data Privacy Notice for Research Participants.
Name ………………………………….
Signature ………………………………
Date ……………………………………
Please note: if you have a concern about any aspect of your participation or any
other queries please raise this with the investigator or the Supervisor. However, if
you would like to contact an independent party please contact the Head of
Department.
Supervisor Contact Details: Head of Department Contact Details:
Name Name
Department Department
QAHE University Address QAHE University Address
Postcode Postcode
Email Email
Telephone Telephone
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