Ethical behavior in academic and scientific writing is associated with the absence of plagiarism and falsification. Thus, an ethical academic writer cannot plagiarize, and he/she has to make sure that the data provided are valid (Leedy & Ormrod, 2016). Notably, these aspects are also important in the business world. Inability to follow the rules concerning the use of information can lead to significant losses (funds, reputation, and so on) or even to lawsuits.
As for psychology, plagiarism and falsification cannot be tolerated as it leads to unreliable data and faulty conclusions in research and practice. Ethical treatment of research participants involves confidentiality, anonymity, and ethical behavior that translates into respect to the peculiarities of each participant (ethnicity, age, culture, and so on). It is vital to pay specific attention to these areas in psychology as practitioners and researchers in this field deal with people’s feelings.
Violation of ethical norms can lead to poor results as participants will be unwilling to share their real ideas and feelings. Likewise, in business, ethical behavior is crucial as each company tries to identify particular feelings and attitudes of people of various backgrounds. Business analytics and researchers are interested in sincere answers to develop effective business strategies. As far as ethical research conduct is concerned, researchers should remember they cannot harm anybody in any way. In psychology, this is essential as participants of the research can get psychological traumas (for example, as a result of inadequate procedures). In business, ethical behavior with partners, employees, customers are crucial as the company’s image can be destroyed. Again, unethical behavior can lead to lawsuits.
One of the most common ethical dilemmas in business is concerned with the provision of information on products and services as well as dates of delivery (Trevino & Nelson, 2010). Some company’s representatives provide incorrect information as they want to sell as many products as possible. However, this always leads to the opposite effect as customers get dissatisfied and disappointed. They do not buy from the company anymore. The company loses clients and has significant losses that can result in bankruptcy. Another important issue in the business world is ethical behavior in the workplace. Some employees may be victims of unethical behavior.
In the company I work for, one employee was such a victim. His supervisor revealed unethical behavior and discriminated against the employee due to her gender. She had to address an HR professional, and the issue was resolved. It is noteworthy that when the employee was promoted, she was able to share her ideas on the project. It turned out that if her ideas had been brought to life earlier, the company would have had made a considerable sum of money. This is an excellent example of the importance of ethical behavior in business among companies as well as within organizations.
It is necessary to note that the three ethical contexts contribute substantially to the scientific merit. The researchers who follow the rules of ethical conduct in writing, research, and attitude towards participants obtain valid and reliable data, which can be used when developing theories as well as particular procedures. This leads to the development of the field and various discoveries. Ethical conduct is especially relevant in psychology as people’s trust in the field depends on researchers’ behavior. The lack of trust makes people less sincere, and sincerity is vital for psychology.
Reference List
Leedy, P.D., & Ormrod, J.E. (2016). Practical research: Planning and design. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Trevino, L.K., & Nelson, K.A. (2010). Managing business ethics. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.