Compliance with Ethical Standards in Management Research: An Assessment

While there is an abundant academic literature on professional codes of ethics, there appears to be few devoted to assessing the compliance of management research with such codes. This article presents the results of applying the World Association for Public Opinion Research (WAPOR) Code of Professional Ethics and Practices to research articles based on probability sample surveys in the top three academic journals covering tourism, hospitality, and related fields.

Four research questions are posed to focus application of the WAPOR Code to nearly 200 articles published in three recent years. Content analysis of these articles, documented by a measure of intercoder reliability, indicates that it is feasible for multiple coders to accurately apply the WAPOR Code to such articles.

None of the articles examined complied with all WAPOR standards, and fewer than half of them complied with half of the standards. Finally, we find that there is some difference among the three journals in compliance, but this difference is relatively small.

Key Findings

• It is feasible for multiple coders to accurately apply the WAPOR Code to research articles.
• None of the examined articles fully complied with all WAPOR standards.
• Less than half of the articles complied with at least half of the ethical standards.
• There is a small difference in compliance among the three journals.

WAPOR Code of Professional Ethics and Practices

The World Association for Public Opinion Research (WAPOR) Code of Professional Ethics and Practices provides a framework for ethical conduct in research. It covers various aspects of the research process, including:

1. Transparency: Clearly disclosing research methods and funding sources.
2. Confidentiality: Protecting the privacy and anonymity of participants.
3. Objectivity: Maintaining impartiality and avoiding bias in data collection and analysis.
4. Accuracy: Ensuring the validity and reliability of research findings.
5. Respect: Treating research participants with dignity and respect.

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