BAL TAUGHT STUDENT ETHICAL OPINION FORM v.4.4 2021
Ethical opinion form for Faculty of Business and Law (BAL) taught undergraduate and postgraduate students (except MRes)
Instructions to student
The questions on this form should be completed by the student on relevant dissertation / project modules requiring the completion of an ethics form, regardless of whether you are collecting primary or secondary data. Refer to the Guidance Notes that accompany this version of the form and the ‘Research ethics – issues to consider’ checklist, also to be found as an appendix to the Guidance Notes, for more information on completing the form and the process you must follow to get ethical approval. The Guidance Notes should be on the same Moodle site as you found this ethics form. If not, you can find a reference copy in the ‘Taught student’ section of the BAL Faculty - Ethics Information Moodle site.
If you are not collecting primary data or data that are identifiable with individuals, then you still most likely need to complete an ethics form, but will only need to answer Qs 1-3, then Q10 and as many of the questions between Qs 11-18 as are relevant in your case. The completed form, and any supporting documentation you intend to issue to participants, should then be passed to the supervisor. If your supervisor is satisfied that your application is capable of review, the usual procedure is that he / she will send it to an appointed independent reviewer to decide whether ethical approval can be supported. The reviewer, in conjunction with the supervisor, is responsible for approving the ethical dimension of your project, although you may be asked to amend your documentation to the satisfaction of the reviewer before a favourable ethical opinion can be granted.
No data collection or recruitment of potential participants must be undertaken before a final version of this form has been approved. A final signed and dated version of this form must be included in the file of the dissertation you are required to submit electronically. The form MUST be signed and dated by 1) the student, 2) the supervisor and 3) the peer ethics reviewer (unless the University has specifically previously agreed that the supervisor alone can sign off). If the dissertation is submitted without a fully completed, signed and dated ethics form, containing a BALTAUGHT/… ethics reference number, it will be deemed to be a fail. Second attempt assessment may be permitted by the Board of Examiners.
TITLE OF YOUR RESEARCH PROJECT ______Strategic Alliances
Ethics questions
1. What are the objectives of the dissertation / research project?
The objectives of the dissertation are,
To identify the importance of strategic management in regards to the business profits in new markets
To assess the impact of strategic alliances for the enhancement of DCSL GuideSmiths’ located in Farnborough, Hampshire, England employee’s productivity and skills. It would be better which location you are referring to. ( https://www.dcsl.com/ )
To explore the associated risks, present with the strategic alliances after the deal gets over between two organisations
To understand the most important criteria for selecting an alliance collaborate for helping an DCSL GuideSmiths’ towards competitive advantage.
2. Does the research involve any of the following organisations? YES / NO (please delete as applicable). If YES, please specify which one(s).
No, there were no external organisations involved presented in this list (National Health Service NHS; Ministry of Defence MoD; HM Prisons and Probation Service).
Any other organisation with its own policy and procedures for the ethical review of research?
NO
If YES to any of the above, you must first discuss your proposal with your supervisor, module coordinator, and/or course Leader as appropriate, and consult the Guidance Notes for this ethics form. If you are not sure whether the organisation in which you intend to research either has its own ethics policy, or whether any such ethics policy applies to your intended research, you must check first, before answering the question. See the Guidance Notes to this form for further information.
3. Do you intend to collect primary data from human subjects or data that are identifiable with individuals? (This includes, for example, questionnaires and interviews.) YES / NO (please delete as applicable)
Yes, the primary data will be collected during the process of the survey.
4. How will the primary data contribute to the objectives of the dissertation / research project? Here you need to say that you will be conducting survey to collect the data
The primary data will be collected considering the objectives and aims of the research to have a better outcome to manage the process perfectly. It will be effective to bring light on the major factors related to the research topic. The data collected will help in understand the impact of strategic alliance and the risk associated with deal closure.
5. What is/are the population(s) you are researching?
For the conduction of study, the population will be active employees of DCSL GuideSmiths and who have the company ID cards since last six months. The total number of employees are there 300 out of which 25 employees will be targeted
6. a) How big is the sample for each of the research populations, and b) how was this sample arrived at? (Please answer both parts of this question.)
A total of 25 responded will participate in the survey who will provide first hand information.
7. How will respondents be a) identified and b) recruited? (Please answer both parts of this question.)
The respondents will identify by the application nonprobability sampling. All the respondents will be identified via email as proper content will be provided to the participants to recruit them properly. Apart from this, all the criteria will be mentioned in the email to improve the quality of the process. Supposedly if the researcher will survey the active employees of the DCSL GuideSmiths, He will first contact the company’s general manager. Followed by the manager will give the list of participants and their email contact who are willing to participate. Then the researcher will send the questions to the participants via email. The identity of the respondents will not be disclosed and kept anonymous
8. What steps are proposed to ensure that the requirements of informed consent will be met for those taking part in the research? If an Information Sheet for participants is to be used, please attach it to this form. If not, please explain how you will be able to demonstrate that informed consent has been gained from participants.
The consent of the participants Need to create consent form will be collected via their managers and only then they will participate in the survey. However, the participants will be provided with the facility to withdraw their names from the research at any point in time. Most importantly the anonymity of the participants will be maintained, and no third-party entity could access the data.
(Refer to Appendix)
9. How will data be collected from each of the sample groups?
The data will be collected via online survey in which the participants will be contacted via email to provide their views in the process to make a positive impact properly. The researcher will conduct survey the UOP online survey system for conducting the survey.
10. a) How will data be stored and b) what will happen to the data at the end of the research? (Please answer both parts of this question.)
All the collected data will be stored in a personal and secure digital disk drive of the main researcher. In this case, I will use a Google Drive with my student account at the University of Portsmouth. The collected data will be stored for 6-8 months after the research to have better support in the process. As per the UOP guideline no data will be stored more than 5 years and the data will not be accessed without authority or used by any third party. The respondent will be referred to as A, B, and so on to maintain the anonymity factor.
11. What measures will be taken to prevent unauthorised persons from gaining access to the data, and especially to data that may be attributed to identifiable individuals?
The collected and stored data will be kept properly protected from gaining any unauthorised access, as the researcher will use an encrypted hard drive to manage the process.
12. What steps are proposed to safeguard the anonymity of the respondents?
The participants will not be asked to identify their names. No other personal data will be asked neither when participants provide responses in the process.
13. Are there any risks (physical or other, including reputational) to respondents that may result from taking part in this research? YES / NO (please delete as applicable).
No, there are no such risks involved.
14. Are there any risks (physical or other, including reputational) to the researcher or to the University that may result from conducting this research? YES / NO (please delete as applicable).
No major risks have been identified in the process of conducting the research.
15. Will any data be obtained from a company or other organisation? YES / NO (please delete as applicable) For example, the information provided by an employer or its employees.
No such data will be collected from the same or other organisations.
16. What steps are proposed to ensure that the requirements of informed consent will be met for any organisation in which data will be gathered? How will confidentiality be assured for the organisation?
With the fulfilment of the consent form, the collected data will be managed properly, while no confidential information will not be shared among others.
17. Will the proposed research involve any of the following (please put a ? next to ‘yes’ or ‘no’; consult your supervisor if you are unsure):
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Potentially vulnerable groups (e.g. adults unable to consent, children)?
YES
NO
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Particularly sensitive topics?
YES
NO
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Access to respondents via ‘gatekeepers’?
YES
NO
The manager of the DCSL GuideSmiths will act as the “gatekeeper” since participants will be accessed via the manager only. Addition the data that will come from the participants will have to pass via the manager so that no data could be manipulated, and no company’s personal data is being exposed in the survey.
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Use of deception?
YES
NO
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Access to confidential personal data (names, addresses, etc)?
YES
NO
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Psychological stress, anxiety, etc.?
YES
NO
•
Intrusive interventions?
YES
NO
If answers to any of the above are “YES”, please explain below how you intend to minimise the associated risks.
18. Are there any other ethical issues that may arise from the proposed research?
There were no other ethical issues to be highlighted in the process, which can cause significant damage.
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Print name |
Signature |
Date signed |
Student |
Md Dulalur Rahman |
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I / we grant a favourable ethical opinion and the supervisor confirms that the ethical approval details have been entered on the University’s Google Drive register of ethically approved research and in the box below: |
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Supervisor |
Horacio Gonzalez |
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Peer reviewer (unless University has agreed that supervisor can sign off) |
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FOR SUPERVISOR’S USE ONLY. Supervisor to enter details of research onto Faculty spreadsheet on Google Drive (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13Kkb_1bRXg1dgb9BdPP_zpPWcib1uHKyR8veFt2Qz60/edit?usp=sharing), using next available reference number, and enter number in the space below.
Student’s ethical approval reference for this research: BALTAUGHT/[supervisor to replace with reference number]
The student should ensure that the above ethics reference is included on any documentation issued to research participants (e.g. preamble to survey questionnaire, information sheet, consent form, instructions to participants about the research, etc.).
AMENDMENTS
If you need to make changes, please ensure you have permission before recruiting any participants and any primary data collection. If there are major changes, fill in a new form if that will make it easier for everyone. If there are minor changes then fill in the amendments (next page) and get them signed before the primary data collection begins.
CHANGES TO ETHICS PERMISSION
VERSION: ____
Please describe the nature of the change and impact on ethics:
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I / we grant a favourable ethical opinion: |
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Supervisor |
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Peer reviewer (unless University has agreed that supervisor can sign off) |
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(please cut and paste the next section, together with the heading at the top of this page, as many times as required)
VERSION: ____
Please describe the nature of the change and impact on ethics:
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Print name |
Signature |
Date signed |
Student |
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I / we grant a favourable ethical opinion: |
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Supervisor |
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Peer reviewer (unless University has agreed that supervisor can sign off) |
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FULL DEPARTMENTAL HEADED PAPER INCLUDING CONTACT DETAILS FOR RESEARCHER / SUPERVISOR / DIRECTOR OF STUDIES
Study Title: Strategic Alliances
Faculty Ethics Committee Ref No (if applicable): .........................................................................
Name of researcher and supervisor (if applicable): ......................................................................
Contact details: (You might refer to the letter head if it includes necessary information. It is unwise to use personal addresses, landline or mobile phone numbers, or email addresses. It will raise suspicions that you may not be a genuine University researcher and you do not necessarily know who may end up having access to your personal contact details.)
Invitation
Thank you for reading this. I would like to invite you to take part in my research study by completing this questionnaire. It is entirely up to you whether you participate but your responses would be valued. You have been identified as a potential respondent by the researcher conducting a study on strategic alliance and you seem to be the best fit for this purpose. The questionnaire will be sent by mail (you might have personal knowledge, or the questionnaire might be being forwarded by a third party – give brief details). My study is on strategic alliance and its associated aspects of it. the survey will help understand the challenges your company face and how the firm deals with them. I do not need your name or any identifying details; the questionnaire can be completed anonymously and all reasonable steps will be taken to ensure confidentiality. Responses from completed questionnaires will be collated for analysis; once this is complete the original questionnaires will be kept for some time until the course has been completed and afterwards, they will discard in a secured manner. Up to this stage, completed questionnaires will be stored on a computer hard drive so that no third party could have access to it. If you wish to learn more about the results of the research please you could ask for the confirmation slip from the research team at the end of the survey which will be detached from the questionnaire. If you intend to retain the anonymised data set for future research or to make it open access for future researchers, then you should make this clear. If there are any significant risks or benefits associated with participation, they should be identified – you might also refer to sources of help identified at the end of the questionnaire.
Questionnaire instructions
Please specify your gender a. Male b. Female c. Others 2. For how many years have you been working with DSCL company? a. 0-6 months b. 6months- 1 year c. 1 year-3 years d. 3 years and more 3. According to you, which of the following strategic alliances are considered suitable for a company? a. Joint venture b. Equity strategic alliance c. Non-equity strategic alliance 4. How far do you agree that strategic alliance allows a company to acquire a broader audience? a. Strongly agree b. Agree c. Neutral d. Disagree e. Strongly disagree 5. Which one of the following specifically addresses aspect of strategic alliance? a. Collaborative relationship between two or more entities b. Creation of increased value c. Acquiring access to specialised skills and knowledge d. None of the above |
Invitation Letter
Some general principles:
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Study Title: Strategic Alliances.
REC Ref No: .........................when known....................................................
Dear Potential Participant
I would like to invite you to participate in a research study. We would like to thank you for giving us time. Our research aims to understand the strategic Alliance in regards to DCSL Guide Smiths. the purpose of the study is to understand how strategic alliances impact the business operation of the company and the challenges you face during any mergers. In order to gain reliable data, regarding the company and concerning area participating in the survey will us to gain the objective. We are inviting you to participate in the survey so that reliable data could be gained. please be assured no data will be leaked or used by any third party. Information starting from your name and other details of the firm will be stored securely.
Thank You,
yours sincerely
Appendix: Consent Form
Research Participant Consent Form
Title of Project:
RGEC Ref No:
Name of Researcher: (Delete as appropriate)
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