Introduction
Ensuring the ethical conduct of the study requires preparation and planning across all stages of the research process. The exploration of technology adoption and strategies for multilateral platforms (MSPs) encompasses several key aspects that must be considered to support ethical considerations. In particular, the study examines previous research and may use its findings as a basis for further analysis.
Moreover, the study follows a mixed design and involves several sampling groups, which requires ethical treatment. Finally, disseminating the research results also has a moral component. Although many issues need attention to ensure ethical conduct, preliminary preparation will help ensure the study meets ethical requirements.
Research Ethics
Following ethical standards and regulations is a crucial requirement for conducting research. Research ethics gradually emerged across disciplines, and events such as the conduct of cruel experiments in the past became important motivators for its development (Benatar & Singer, 2000). Modern ethics seeks to protect research participants by minimizing risk, preserving their dignity, and compensating for any inconvenience (Benatar, 2002).
Some researchers note a lack of precisely established ethical standards for research (Benatar & Singer, 2000). Other authors believe that many ethical constraints can harm research (Haggerty, 2004). Despite such contradictions and shortcomings, ethics is necessary during research.
The current doctoral study seeks to be ethical and supports four fundamental principles. As a result, measures are needed to ensure respect for persons and their autonomy, beneficence – the intention to benefit, justice – support for fairness, and non-maleficence – avoiding risk and harm (Roos et al., 2021). At the same time, compliance with ethical principles is necessary not only during the phase of working with participants but also during other stages of the research. Ethics guides the study of existing findings on the issue under consideration, the management of the data obtained, and the dissemination of the research results.
Ethical Considerations for Doctoral Research
Ethical Approval
The proposal to investigate the dissertation topic should undergo an internal ethical review before the study is conducted. Following standard ethical review procedures, the research proposal will be submitted to the institutional review board for consideration and approval. This practice supports doctoral students in understanding research ethics and protects both the researcher and the university from legal issues (Quickfall, 2021). After obtaining the study’s review board approval, the researcher will contact potential participants.
Honesty and Integrity
The research process must be honest to meet academic requirements. Academic integrity is part of the reputation of researchers and the institutions they represent (Cutri et al., 2021). To achieve honesty and integrity, the researcher should conduct the study in a fair, respectful, and honest manner, avoiding misconduct such as plagiarism, fraud, and deception (Cutri et al., 2021).
The author will maintain honesty and integrity at all stages of the current study, including the literature review, research, and discussion of results. Such a goal requires measures such as proper citation and referencing to acknowledge other works, the use of reliable data sources, transparency in the description of the research process, and similar practices. The researcher can use additional tools, such as plagiarism-detection software, and consult mentors. As a result of the efforts described, the study will meet the requirements to support integrity and honesty.
Working with Sample
Research relies heavily on participants, who are the primary source of data for analysis and interpretation. Ethics maintains a respectful relationship between researchers and the sample, establishing trust in science. Failure to adhere to ethical standards will erode confidence and have adverse consequences for research and science, ultimately tarnishing the reputation of research participation.
The current dissertation employs a mixed-methods design, requiring the involvement of two distinct participant groups: a representative of the company that uses MSP for the interview and MSP users for the survey. Ethical standards cover relationships with participants from the contact establishment, during the study, and after research completion. Ethics requires establishing professional relationships with participants, which should not extend beyond the research context (Kang & Hwang, 2021). Moreover, honesty and integrity should also be applied in the relationship with the sample – researchers should avoid deception when attracting participants and treat all of them equally and respectfully. Such measures will ensure compliance with the principles of non-maleficence and justice within the current study.
Risk Assessment
Assessment of the risk for participants is another step in ensuring ethical standards for the study. Ethics obliges researchers to take action for risk mitigation and inform the sample if any risk persists (Kang & Hwang, 2021). Measures to assess and reduce risk contribute to the principles of non-maleficence and beneficence in the study.
After using the Research Ethics Risk Assessment Tool in Table 1 for the current study, it can be concluded that the risk to participants is low. The study does not involve a vulnerable population, poses no risk of physical, mental, or psychological harm, and supports measures to protect participants, including informed consent and privacy protection. There is a risk of data loss due to technical issues or similar problems; however, using data backups or cloud storage can help mitigate this issue. As a result, the study carries no risk or threat to the participants involved.
Informed Consent
The current research uses an informed consent tool to support the principle of respect for people and their autonomy. It suggests that before agreeing to participate in the study, representatives of the sample will be informed about the necessary details, including the estimated risks (Haggerty, 2004). Moreover, participants should be informed that they may withdraw from the research at any point without facing any negative consequences (Haggerty, 2004). With the data about the study and their role in it, participants can make an informed decision about their contribution.
For the current study, obtaining informed consent from the business representative to participate in the interview is essential. Depending on the participant’s opportunities and preferences, the meeting can take place in person or online. While written informed consent is preferred, oral consent may be sufficient during online sessions (Newman et al., 2021). Obtaining consent is also provided in the online survey; participants will be able to read a summary of the study and decide whether they wish to answer the questions. The questionnaire will also include a question where respondents will confirm their consent to use their answers for the study.
Privacy and Confidentiality
Designing protocols that support the ethics of the current study, the researcher also upholds the privacy and confidentiality of the participants. Confidentiality implies that the researcher, aware of the identities of their respondents, will take the necessary steps to prevent the disclosure of these identities and personal data to third parties (Kang & Hwang, 2021). Such measures are required to comply with the principles of respect for people and non-maleficence.
There is no risk of identity disclosure for participants in the online surveys of the current study, as the survey is anonymous and does not collect personal information that could be used for identification. More intensive measures are needed to protect the interview participant’s identity. The researcher will protect the representative’s identity using passwords for personal data files. The researcher will also exclude personal data from the study manuscript and use transcripts of interviews, excluding video and audio material. As a result of such measures, the confidentiality of participants in the current study will be ensured.
Writing the Dissertation Manuscript
Data Handling and Reporting
Ethical standards encompass not only the receipt of information from study participants but also the proper handling and reporting of data. The current study determined the potential risk of losing the collected data. Backup and cloud storage will be used for safety, with passwords applied that will be known only to the researcher. In addition to careful data protection, it is essential to meet ethical requirements when reporting and publishing.
A critical violation in such a situation is an intentional distortion of the data and conclusions of the study (Isbell et al., 2022). To avoid such errors, the researcher in the manuscript clearly describes the study’s design and methods, maintaining transparency in defining the data collection process. All gathered data will be presented in the study to prevent selective reporting. The research, which honestly shows the results, even if they do not meet the original expectations, supports the principles of beneficence and justice, as it will bring more value when applied in practice.
Mistakes and Negligence
Mistakes and neglect can lead to data distortion, compromising the validity and reliability of the study. According to Kang and Hwang (2021), adhering to ethical research standards, such as maintaining confidentiality and obtaining informed consent, along with other measures, minimizes the risk of neglect and error in a study. At the same time, there is still a risk of mistakes due to inattention, lack of experience, or inadequate knowledge. Given the origins of neglect and error, the researcher in the current study will take measures to avoid them.
In particular, transparency in the design and description of the study process will support the reliability and validity of the study. Using previously described measures, such as accurate citations and references, informed consent, and other tools, will help protect against neglect in the study. Finally, consultations, assistance, and checks from mentors will help avoid possible errors. Careful research preparation and monitoring of the study process will help ensure ethics.
Conclusion
Thus, the current study aims to adhere to ethical standards at all stages of the research. In particular, measures have been taken to comply with four ethical principles – respect for persons and their autonomy, beneficence, justice, and non-maleficence. Following the steps to ensure the study’s ethics, the research proposal will be submitted for consideration to the institutional review board. Then, observing honesty and integrity, the researcher seeks to ensure transparency of the study and will avoid deception and plagiarism.
Working with research participants requires the most attention to ethics and integrity. The risk assessment indicated a low risk; however, there is a need to protect the respondent’s privacy and obtain informed consent for the processing of their data. Finally, when writing the manuscript of the study, it is also essential to avoid data distortion, errors, and neglect. The ethics of the study support its reliability and validity, promoting trust in science.
References
Benatar S. R. (2002). Reflections and recommendations on research ethics in developing countries. Social Science & Medicine, 54(7), 1131–1141.
Benatar, S. R., & Singer, P. A. (2000). A new look at international research ethics. BMJ: British Medical Journal, 321(7264), 824–826.
Christian Aid. (2021). Research ethics risk assessment tool.
Cutri, J., Abraham, A., Karlina, Y., Patel, S. V., Moharami, M., Zeng, S., Manzari, E., & Pretorius, L. (2021). Academic integrity at doctoral level: The influence of the imposter phenomenon and cultural differences on academic writing. International Journal for Educational Integrity, 17(1), 1-16.
Haggerty, K. D. (2004). Ethics creep: Governing social science research in the name of ethics. Qualitative Sociology, 27(4), 391-414.
Isbell, D. R., Brown, D., Chen, M., Derrick, D. J., Ghanem, R., Arvizu, M. N. G., Schnur, E., Zhang, M., & Plonsky, L. (2022). Misconduct and questionable research practices: The ethics of quantitative data handling and reporting in applied linguistics. The Modern Language Journal, 106(1), 172-195.
Kang, E., & Hwang, H. (2021). Ethical conducts in qualitative research methodology: Participant observation and interview process. Journal of Research and Publication Ethics, 2(2), 5-10.
Newman, P. A., Guta, A., & Black, T. (2021). Ethical considerations for qualitative research methods during the COVID-19 pandemic and other emergency situations: Navigating the virtual field. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 20, 1-12.
Quickfall, A. (2022). Reflecting on ethical processes and dilemmas in doctoral research. Education Sciences, 12(11), 1-12.
Roos, L., Löfström, E., & Remmik, M. (2021). Individual and structural challenges in doctoral education: An ethical perspective. International Journal of Doctoral Studies, 16, 211-236.
Table 1 – Risk Assessment Tool
Note. The risk assessment tool identified a low level of risk for study participants. (Adapted from Christian Aid (2021)).