Gendered Violence and the Ethics of Social Science Research

The issue of ethical conduct in research settings is important and complex. As tenure-track researchers who study gendered violence, we found Clark and Walker’s discussion provocative, thoughtful, and interesting. They urge researchers to attend both to the structural dynamics of research carried out under the pressures of tenure and promotion while advocating an ethical frame that draws attention to the limited definition of risk or harm that animates typical human subjects research. Victims of violence, they argue, should not be subjected to a standardized understanding of risk. A broader framework is needed, one that brings into conversation virtue ethics with consequentialist and ontological frameworks. Given the impossible task of responding to the many points discussed by Clark and Walker, we chose to focus on four areas. In all likelihood, these areas of discussion reflect our own interests rather than Clark and Walker’s, but challenged to think seriously about research ethics in victimization studies, we attend to the following points. First, we seek to put virtue ethics in conversation with care ethics, in part because care ethics formed an important component of feminist discourse during the historical period in which institutional review boards came into being. Although virtue ethics may have lost its masculinist inflection after shedding its etymological roots,1 care ethics was explicitly seen as suited for the feminist subject. Following our discussion of care ethics, we address the question of setting victims of violence apart as a special class of vulnerable human research subjects. We argue that such a designation may yield more problems than it does solutions. Next, we turn to the violence of epistemology as a concern in research ethics. How do we come to an ethical definition of the research object, and to whom are we accountable? Finally, we turn to the relation of care when carrying out ethically and methodologically sound research

How can neuroscience contribute to moral philosophy, psychology and education based on Aristotelian virtue ethics?

The present essay discusses the relationship between moral philosophy, psychology and education based on virtue ethics, contemporary neuroscience, and how neuroscientific methods can contribute to studies of moral virtue and character. First, the present essay considers whether the mechanism of moral motivation and developmental model of virtue and character are well supported by neuroscientific evidence. Particularly, it examines whether the evidence provided by neuroscientific studies can support the core argument of virtue ethics, that is, motivational externalism. Second, it discusses how experimental methods of neuroscience can be applied to studies in human morality. Particularly, the present essay examines how functional and structural neuroimaging methods can contribute to the development of the fields by reviewing the findings of recent social and developmental neuroimaging experiments. Meanwhile, the present essay also considers some limitations embedded in such discussions regarding the relationship between the fields and suggests directions for future studies to address these limitations

Institutionalising ethical cultures: an investigation of formal organisational approaches

This thesis examined the institutionalisation of ethics within Australian organisations. A particular focus is the role of the strategic apex, or executive level of the organisation, in establishing the environment in which an ethical culture can develop. The literature review examined both organisational theory and existing approaches to developing organisational ethical culture using formal mechanisms such as written policies, procedures, training and development and reinforcement strategies. This revealed the polarisation of ethics literature between compliance and integrity based approaches. This is seen to be consistent with only two forms of organizations, the mechanistic and organic structures. This was identified as a major flaw in ethics literature as it does not inform organisations about appropriate ethical design for organisations that fall in between this continuum. The review of organisational theory concluded that components of organisational structure are used to discuss organisational moral responsibility and are also the components of the compliance and integrity approaches to organisational ethics. A tentative hypothesis was established that organisational ethics systems would be more effective if they are in fit with an organisation's structure. The study utilised a qualitative case based research method, argued as appropriate given the focus being strategic alignment of organisational structure and ethics frameworks. Thus was also recognised as having limitations, specifically not addressing the behavioural impact of such strategies in a significant way. The study examined the ethical frameworks of three large organisations. This included: an analysis of background to the ethics strategy, the design process, who was given responsibility for design and implementation of the framework. The major characteristics of the program was considered, how it was encultured throughout the organisation and consideration of any evaluation mechanism. This was contrasted against the organization's structural characteristics to establish whether the ethical framework was in fit with the structure of the organization. The analysis and discussion identified that senior management support was evident in all three case studies and crucial to the development of an ethical culture. Extensive written policies (codes of ethics and conduct) were identified in all three cases; however, the extent of appropriate support systems determined the degree to which these policies were effective. There was a general lack of understanding of ethical systems within the organisation with little expertise evident by those responsible for the programs in terms of appropriate strategies for enculturation. Ineffective strategies were mainly due to lack of appropriate support mechanisms (communication, training, reinforcement and reward and review) or inconsistency between support mechanisms and other organisational policies A major conclusion of the thesis is that the strategies used for enculturation of ethics, are basic organisational design variables. As such ethical frameworks need to be informed by organisational theory so as to design systems that achieve fit which leads to greater effectiveness

Improving access to high-quality primary care for socioeconomically disadvantaged older people in rural areas: a mixed method study protocol

Introduction: The UK has an ageing population, especially in rural areas, where deprivation is high among older people. Previous research has identified this group as at high risk of poor access to healthcare. The aim of this study is to generate a theory of how socioeconomically disadvantaged older people from rural areas access primary care, to develop an intervention based on this theory and test it in a feasibility trial. Methods and analysis: On the basis of the MRC Framework for Developing and Evaluating Complex Interventions, three methods will be used to generate the theory. First, a realist review will elucidate the patient pathway based on existing literature. Second, an analysis of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing will be completed using structural equation modelling. Third, 15 semistructured interviews will be undertaken with patients and four focus groups with health professionals. A triangulation protocol will be used to allow each of these methods to inform and be informed by each other, and to integrate data into one overall realist theory. Based on this theory, an intervention will be developed in discussion with stakeholders to ensure that the intervention is feasible and practical. The intervention will be tested within a feasibility trial, the design of which will depend on the intervention. Lessons from the feasibility trial will be used to refine the intervention and gather the information needed for a definitive trial. Ethics and dissemination: Ethics approval from the regional ethics committee has been granted for the focus groups with health professionals and interviews with patients. Ethics approval will be sought for the feasibility trial after the intervention has been designed. Findings will be disseminated to the key stakeholders involved in intervention development, to researchers, clinicians and health planners through peer-reviewed journal articles and conference publications, and locally through a dissemination event

Pengaruh Kepemimpinan Transformasional terhadap Etika Bisnis Serta Implikasinya pada Kinerja Karyawan

The research objective to be achieved is to determine the effect of transformational leadership on etikas business as well as its implications on the performance of employees. The study population is one of the employees leasing company in Bandung using the entire population. Data analysis using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) Partial Least Square (PLS). Based on the calculation results showed that the significant effect on the transformational leadership and business ethics and employee performance. Are influential transformational leadership directly to employee performance at 0.50 while the influence of business ethics at 0.60. The influence of business ethics on the performance of employees is 0.45. While the results of the overall effect of transformational leadership and business ethics at 0.67 or 67%. This indicates that the variable performance of employees can be explained by 67% by transformational leadership and business ethics, while the rest of 33% influenced by other variables not examined in this study

Mediating effect of audit quality in relationship between auditor ethics and litigation : an empirical study

Purpose: This paper attempts to empirically examine the effect of auditor's ethics on litigation of audit results by using mediating variables of auditor quality. Design/methodology/approach: This study considers a sample of 220 auditors working in public accounting firms using random survey methods. The main technique for analyzing data is Structural Equation Modeling. Findings: The test results show that the auditor ethics has a positive and significant effect on audit quality, while auditor quality has a negative and significant effect on auditor's litigation. Practical implications: The findings emphasize the importance of the ethical aspects of auditors' in conducting their tasks. Originality/value: Audit quality in this study is able to strengthen the influence of auditor's ethics on auditor's litigation.peer-reviewe

Pengaruh Etika Jabatan terhadap Kinerja Aparatur Sipil Negara Disekertariat Kota Manado

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect on the performance of the ethics office at theState Secretariat of Civil Administrative Region city of Manado.The method used is the method of quantitative research korelasional.Responden are 36 people ASN / PNS taken byrandom sampling technique of structural official and executive employees / staff at the Regional SecretariatManado.Data used is primary data collected using questionnaires and assisted with interview techniques. Theanalysis technique used is a simple linear regression analysis and simple correlation / product moment.The result showed: (1) variable regression coefficient ethics office to the level of performance of the apparatus isvery significant posifive and (2) the correlation coefficient and the coefficient of determination variables ethicsoffice to the performance of the apparatus is high / strong and highly significant.Based on the results of these studies conclude is ethics office have functional relations / positive and significantimpact on the performance of the State Civil Apparatus (PNS) in the Regional Secretariat of Manado.According to the conclusion that the ethics office let be used as a tool or a means to improve the performance of theState Civil Apparatus