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How ethical behavior is considered in different contexts: a bibliometric analysis of global research trends.

research topics for business ethics

1. Introduction

2. literature review, 2.1. ethical behavior, 2.2. bibliometric, 3. methodology, 4.1. countries and their concerns about ethical behavior, 4.2. key themes in research terms, 4.3. bibliographic coupling analysis, 4.3.1. journals, 4.3.2. authors, 4.4. co-citation analysis, 4.4.1. publications, 4.4.2. journals, 4.4.3. authors, 5. discussion, 5.1. ethical behavior in consumption, 5.2. ethical behavior in leadership, 5.2.1. social learning theory (slt), 5.2.2. social exchange theory (set), transformational leadership, authentic leadership, spiritual leadership, 5.3. ethical behavior in business.

  • Focus on social responsibility;
  • Emphasis on honesty and fairness;
  • Focus on “Golden Rules”;
  • Values that are consistent with a person’s behavior or religious beliefs;
  • Obligations, responsibilities, and rights towards dedicated or enlightened work;
  • Philosophy of good or bad;
  • Ability to clarify issues in decision making;
  • Focus on personal conscience;
  • Systems or theories of justice that question the quality of one’s relationships;
  • The relationship of the means to ends;
  • Concern with integrity, what should be, habits, logic, and principles of Aristotle;
  • Emphasis on virtue, leadership, confidentiality, judgment of others, putting God first, topicality, and publicity.

Values, Business Ethics, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

5.4. ethical behavior in the medical context, 5.4.1. autonomy, 5.4.2. beneficence, 5.4.3. non-maleficence, 5.4.4. fairness, 5.5. ethical behaviour in education, 5.5.1. violation of school/university regulation, 5.5.2. selfishness, 5.5.3. cheating, 5.5.4. computer ethics, 5.6. ethical context in organization, 5.6.1. context of organizational ethical climate, 5.6.2. context of organizational ethical culture, 6. conclusions, 7. limitations and future research, author contributions, institutional review board statement, informed consent statement, data availability statement, conflicts of interest.

ClusterAuthorBaseConcept
Cluster 1: Ethical Behavior in Organization and BusinessAndreas ChatzidakisRoyal Holloway UniversityEthical consumption
John PelozaKentucky UniversityResponsibility
Sean ValentineLouisiana Tech UniversityEthical business, human management, and behavior in an organization
Linda TreviñoPennsylvania State UniversityBehavior in organizations and ethics, behavior in organizations and ethical business
Gary R. WeaverDelaware UniversityMoral awareness, ethical behavior in organizations
Cluster 2: Ethical Behavior in LeadershipBruce AvolioWashington UniversityEthical communication of leadership, strategic leadership from individual to global
Deanne N. Den HartogAmsterdam UniversityLeadership behavior in the organization, dynamic, international management
Jennifer J. Kish-GephartMassachusetts—Amherst UniversityBehavioral ethics, diversity, social inequality, behavior, business ethics
Fred O. WalumbwaArizona State University’s W.P.Authentic leadership
Cluster 3: Nervous, Deep Brain Stimulation, and DepressionLaura B. DunnStanford UniversityScientific and ethical issues related to deep brain stimulation for mood, behavioral, and thought disorders, ethics of schizophrenia, treatment of depression
Benjamin D. GreenbergBrown UniversityPsychiatry, neuroscience, anxiety-related features, deep brain stimulation, treatment-resistant depression
Joseph J. FinRockefeller University, Weill Cornell Medical CollegeConsciousness disorders, deep brain stimulation, neurotechnology, neuroethics
Thomas E. SchlaepferThe Johns Hopkins UniversityDeep brain stimulation, depression, anxiety, neurobiology
Cluster 4: Ethical CultureMarcus Dickson WayneState UniversityUnderlying leadership theories generalizing culture and multiculturalism, the influence of culture on leadership and organizations
Mary A. Keating Trinity College DublinMulticultural management, ethics, human resource management
Gillian S. MartinCollege DublinLeadership culture change
Christian ResickDrexel UniversityTeamwork, personality, organizational culture and conformity, ethical leadership, and ethical-related organizational environment
Cluster 5: Moral PsychologyMichael C. Gottieb and Mitchell M. HandelsmanThe University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center & University of KansasThe Ethical Dilemma in Psychotherapy, Ethical Psychologist Training: A Self-Awareness Question for Effective Psychotherapists: Helping Good Psychotherapists Become Even Better, APA Handbook of Ethics in Psychology
Samuel L. KnappDartmouth CollegePhysiological sustainability
Cluster 6: Ethical issues in health care, especially concerned with the knowledge of nursesJang, In-sunSungshin Women’s UniversityEthical decision-making model for nurses, nursing students, telehealth technology, research topics on family care between Korea and other countries
Park, Eun-junSejong UniversityNursing students, beliefs in knowledge and health, Korean nursing students, nurses’ organizational culture, health-related behavior
ClusterRepresentative AuthorBaseConcept
Cluster 1: Psychology, TPB, theory of the stages of moral development, the development of behavior in the context of makeupIcek AjzenMassachusetts Amherst UniversityTPB
Shelby D. HuntTexas Technology UniversityMarketing research
O.C. FerrellAuburn UniversityEthical marketing, social responsibility
Scott J. VitellMississippi UniversityBusiness administration, social psychology, marketing, management
Lawrence Kohlberg Theory of the stages of moral development
AnusornSinghapakdiOld Dominion University, Mississippi UniversityMarketing with subfields in consumer behavior and econometrics
Cluster 2: Social cognitive theory, ethical behavior in leadershipAlbert BanduraStanford UniversityBehaviorism and cognitive psychology, social learning theory originator, theoretical structure of self-efficacy
Michael E. BrownSam and Irene Black School of Business Penn State-Erie, The Behrend CollegeBehavioral leadership, ethics, ethical leadership, moral conflict
David M. MayerMichigan UniversityBehavioral ethics, leadership ethics, organizational behavior
Philip PodsakoffFlorida UniversityCitizen organization, behavioral organization, research methods leadership
Cluster 3: Psychological, emotional, and unethical behaviorFrancesca GinoHarvard Business SchoolUnethical, dishonest behavior
Jonathan HaidtNYU-SternEthical psychology, political psychology, positive psychology, business ethics
Ann E. TenbrunselNotre Dame UniversityPsychology of ethical decision making and the ethical infrastructure in organizations, examining why employees, leaders, and students behave unethically, despite of their best intention
Karl AquinoBritish Columbia UniversityEthics, forgiveness, victims, emotions.
Cluster 4: Ethical behavior in business and organizationTheresa Jones Ecological light pollution, chemical communication, immune function, history features, mating
Linda TreviñoPennsylvania State UniversityOrganizational behavior and business ethics
Gary R. WeaverDelaware UniversityBehavioral ethics in organizations
Bart VictorVanderbilt UniversityThe organizational basis of an ethical work environment
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Click here to enlarge figure

ObjectivesMethod
CountryBibliographic coupling
KeywordCo-occurrence
PublicationBibliographic coupling and Co-citation
JournalBibliographic coupling and Co-citation
AuthorBibliographic coupling and Co-citation
Cluster (Number of Keywords)The Theme of Research about Ethical Behavior in the ContextContextKeywords
1 (146)Concerns about health problemsMedicalCare; health; depression; cancer; medicine; stress; quality-of-life; risk; burnout; children; COVID-19; vulnerability; care; human-rights; psychology, life, family; HIV; suicide; bioethics; health-care; nurse
2 (75)Management work of leadersLeadershipPerformance; ethical leadership; model; ethical decision-making; job-satisfaction; ethical climate; employee voice; work; transformational leadership; abusive supervision
3 (54)Consumer behavior toward products of a socially responsible firmConsumption Corporate social-responsibility; corporate social responsibility; planned behavior; consumers; intentions; consumption; green; consumer behavior; product; welfare; welfare animal; responsibility; sustainability
4 (51)Understand the process of making an ethical decisionEthical decisionmaking Ethics; judgment; decision making; power; empathy; morality; emotion; dilemmas; psychologists, dynamics, intuition, negotiation, willingness
5 (37)Student’s behavior in educationAcademic Education; students; organization; managers; depletion; misconduct; integrity; cheating; academic dishonesty; unethical behavior
6 (30)Activities in corporate (business, management)Corporate Behavior; business ethics; codes; management; entrepreneurship; work climate; financial performance; human resource management; stakeholder theory
7 (23)The concept of factors mentioned when marketingMarketing Marketing ethics; consumer ethics; religiosity; collectivism; decision-making; idealism; social responsibility; culture; strategy
8 (6)Spirituality and virtue affect ethical behavior in Indian firmsSpiritual Firms; India; philosophy; spirituality; virtue; workplace spirituality
Cluster Representative Publications
Cluster 1 (435 publications)
Medical Context
( ); ( ); ( ); ( ); ( ); ( ); ( ); ( ); ( )
Cluster 2 (131 Publications)
Ethical Behavior in Consumption
( ); ( ); ( ); ( ); ( )
Cluster 3 (129 Publications)
Moral Development, Ethical Perception, Moral Judgment, and Ethical Decision Making
( ); ( ); ( ); ( )
Cluster 4 (119 Publications)
Ethical Behavior in Leadership
( ); ( ); ( ); ( ); ( ); ( ); ( ); ( ); ( )
Cluster 5 (78 Publications)
Ethical Behavior in Business: Corporate Social Responsibility
( ); ( ); ( ); ( ); ( )
Cluster 6 (64 Publications)
(Un)Ethical Behavior in Organizational Context
( ); ( ); ( ); ( ); ( ); ( ); ( ); ( )
Cluster 7 (27 Publications)
(Un)Ethical Behavior in Educational Context
( ); ( ); ( ); ( ); ( )
Cluster 8 (16 Publications)
Ethical Climate in Organizational Context
( ); ( ); ( ); ( ); ( ); ( ); ( )
JournalCountryPublicationsSJR 2021Quartile
Journal of Business Ethics (1982)Netherlands1432.44Q1
Journal of Applied Psychology (1917)UK246.45Q1
Ethics and Behavior (1991)USA170.44Q2
Sustainability (2009)Switzerland170.66Q1
Science and Engineering Ethics (1995)Netherlands151.07Q1
Frontiers in Psychology (2010)Switzerland100.87Q1
Academic Medicine (1964)USA101.66Q1
Business Ethics Quarterly (1996)UK91.54Q1
Journal of Business Research (1973)USA92.32Q1
Personnel Review (1971)UK50.89Q2
Business Ethics (1992)UK50.93Q1
Cluster Representative Research
Cluster 1 (37 publications)
Ethical Decision Making
( ); ( ); ( ); ( ); ( ); ( ); ( ); ( ); ( )
Cluster 2 (34 publications)
Ethical Leadership
( ); ( ); ( ); ( ); ( ); ( ); ( ); ( ); ( )
Cluster 3 (23 publications)
Ethical Judgment, Moral Development, and Ethical Behavior in an Organization
( ); ( ); ( ); ( ); ( ); ( ); ( ); ( )
Cluster 4 (6 publications)
Ethical Climate
( ); ( ); ( )
JournalCountryCitationSJR 2021Quartile
Journal of Business Ethics (1982)Netherlands47752.44Q1
Journal of Applied Psychology (1917)USA13266.45Q1
Academy of Management Review (1978)USA10067.62Q1
Academy of Management Journal (1975)USA90810.87Q1
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (1965)USA8953.7Q1
Leadership Quarterly (1990)USA6394.91Q1
Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes (1985)USA5772.83Q1
Journal of Business Research (1973)USA5382.32Q1
Journal of Management (1975)USA5252.12Q1
Journal of Marketing (1969)USA5227.46Q1
Science (1880)USA37514.59Q1
Business Ethics (1992)UK3580.93Q1
A. Bibliographic Coupling AnalysisB. Co-Citation AnalysisC. Key Context
Cluster 2 (131 Publications)
Ethical Behavior in Consumption
Cluster 1 (37 publications) Ethical Decision MakingConsumption
Cluster 4 (119 Publications)
Ethical Behavior in Leadership
Cluster 2 (34 publications) Ethical LeadershipLeadership
Cluster 3 (129 Publications)
Moral Development, Ethical Perception, Moral Judgment, and Ethical Decision Making
Cluster 3 (23 publications) Ethical Judgment, Moral Development, and Ethical Behavior in OrganizationsBusiness
Cluster 5 (78 Publications)
Ethical Behavior in Business: Corporate Social Responsibility
Cluster 6 (64 Publications)
(Un)Ethical Behavior in Organizational Contexts
Cluster 4 (6 publications) Ethical ClimateOrganization
Cluster 8 (16 Publications)
Ethical Climate in Organizational Contexts
Cluster 1 (435 publications)
Medical Contexts
Medical
Cluster 7 (27 Publications)
(Un)Ethical Behavior in Educational Contexts
Education
Main ConceptExplanationAuthors
Altruistic consumptionCustomers choose forms of consumption that are not environmentally friendly ( ); ( )
Exchanging behaviorUsing the ethical values of the exchange product ( ); ( )
Fair trade (FT) practiceThese include (1) willingness to pay more, (2) guidance by universalism, benevolence, self-direction and stimulation, (3) self-identity, (4) emphasis on brand fair trade in products, and (5) cultural influences ( ); ( )
Frugal consumptionCustomers are less interested in shopping, more physical repair and product reuse, longer product life ( ); ( )
Green consumptionCustomers drive communities and practices at the national level, which forces manufacturers to adhere to environmentally friendly products ( ); ( )
Socially conscious consumption behaviorConsider equity between environmental issues (e.g., use of used products), health (e.g., building low-waste communities) and social issues (e.g., donate unused products) ( ); ( )
Socially responsible consumption behaviorThese include buying behavior (e.g., buying used products), non-buying behavior (e.g., discouraging purchasing products using raw materials), and post-purchase behavior (e.g., sell fully functional used products at lower market prices) ( ); ( )
Spiritual and moral consumptionConsumer spiritual practices promote ethical consumption ( ); ( )
The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of MDPI and/or the editor(s). MDPI and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content.

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Vu Lan Oanh, L.; Tettamanzi, P.; Tien Minh, D.; Comoli, M.; Mouloudj, K.; Murgolo, M.; Dang Thu Hien, M. How Ethical Behavior Is Considered in Different Contexts: A Bibliometric Analysis of Global Research Trends. Adm. Sci. 2024 , 14 , 200. https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci14090200

Vu Lan Oanh L, Tettamanzi P, Tien Minh D, Comoli M, Mouloudj K, Murgolo M, Dang Thu Hien M. How Ethical Behavior Is Considered in Different Contexts: A Bibliometric Analysis of Global Research Trends. Administrative Sciences . 2024; 14(9):200. https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci14090200

Vu Lan Oanh, Le, Patrizia Tettamanzi, Dinh Tien Minh, Maurizio Comoli, Kamel Mouloudj, Michael Murgolo, and Mai Dang Thu Hien. 2024. "How Ethical Behavior Is Considered in Different Contexts: A Bibliometric Analysis of Global Research Trends" Administrative Sciences 14, no. 9: 200. https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci14090200

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research topics for business ethics

80 Outstanding Business Ethics Research Paper Topics

Business Ethics Research Paper Topics

A business ethics research paper has to be engaging and a solution to a particular economic challenge. We have a compilation of the best business ethics topics to help you achieve this task. Read on.

Social Media Business Ethics Paper Topics

Writing a research paper for a high grade is not an easy task for every student. Check social media business ethics topics to get some inspiration.  

  • Is monitoring employee’s online behavior by companies ethical?
  • Should a company fire an employee if they find their information on social media detrimental to its image?
  • What is the role of social media in achieving responsible business
  • The impact of CSR initiatives on Facebook and Twitter
  • How do new product introductions perform on social media?
  • How do enterprises manage negative responses on Facebook?
  • How to increase positive responses without eroding business ethics
  • Is the notion of ‘controversial fit’ on social media ethical?

Business Ethics Research Topics on Privacy

  • Installation of surveillance cameras to supervise employees
  • To what extent can bosses watch over the actions of their staff?
  • Is intercepting and reading E-mail messages in an office ethical?
  • What ethical problem does the merging of databases containing personal information pose?
  • The emergence of hackers and crackers and the threat to privacy
  • Software for decoding digital information
  • Who decides the personal or private information to gather?
  • Do businesses adhere to the confidentiality of information policy?

Health and Safety Business Ethics Paper Topics

  • How does organizational ethical climate affect personal safety ethics?
  • The conflict between personal safety ethics and professional safety ethics
  • Is the office ergonomics a pressing concern?
  • The role of the Occupational Safety and Health Act
  • Facility design consistent with health and safety regulations
  • Hazard identification and correction by companies
  • Who is responsible for shutting down dangerous activities
  • Provision of medical surveillance in workplaces

List of Business Ethics Topics on Environmental Damage

  • Are businesses using energy-efficient lighting?
  • Proper thermostat control of heating and cooling systems
  • Do companies have computer equipment operating efficiently?
  • Use of wind power and solar panels by industries
  • Reducing the business’s environmental impact and carbon footprint.
  • Replacing plastic packaging with biodegradable materials
  • Examining the effects of the business practices on other species
  • Dealing with activities that involve clearing land and destroying animals’ habitats

Ethical Research Paper Topics on Internal Relationships

  • Job satisfaction and dedication levels of employees
  • Impact of bullying and discrimination on workers
  • Productivity levels fall of employees when companies do not care about them
  • How to sustain a healthy atmosphere among employees
  • Unfair treatment due to race, religion or gender
  • How effective is the anti-discrimination law?
  • Bias among employees
  • Eliminating unethical behaviors within an organization

Ethics Research Paper Topics on Business Leadership

  • What is the mark of an ethical leader?
  • Objectivity and transparency as leadership traits
  • Leaders with strong, virtuous values those with weak values
  • Maintaining your temper as a leader
  • Dealing with anger in business as a leader
  • Can leadership prevail in the use of strength and violence?
  • How a leader’s moral stance determines his ethics
  • Are women better business leaders than men?

Interesting Business Ethics Topics on Social Responsibility

  • Making ethical decision making in big corporations.
  • Understanding the concept of corporate responsibility.
  • An inspiration for social responsibility in the workplace
  • Investing in corporate social responsibility
  • How CSR trends are evolving over time
  • Striking a balance between profit and social responsibility
  • Achieving competitive advantage and CSR
  • How learning can contribute to CSR

Business Ethics Paper Topic Idea in Sports

  • Encouraging character development through sports
  • How unethical behavior affects ones moral and ethical standards outside the pitch
  • Are sports competitions alienated from real life?
  • How games serve as a primary outlet of our ethics
  • Is faking a foul or injury ethical?
  • How athletes attempt to get a head start in a race
  • Using performance-enhancing drugs
  • Intimidating or taunting opponents

Advertising Ethical Issues Topics for Papers

  • Should children appear in adverts?
  • Is it right for half-naked ladies to appear in adverts?
  • Is exaggerating ads ethical?
  • Talking about the side effects of products in ads
  • Alcohol ads on TV
  • Cigarettes and tobacco
  • Fooling customers through practical things
  • Ethics of advertising a sanitary napkin

Bonus Ethics Paper Topics

  • The roots of business ethics in psychology.
  • The relationship between business success and personal integrity
  • The place of moral leadership in a company
  • How to make the right decisions every day at work
  • Implications of leadership malfunctions and ethical failures
  • How far can an ethical mishap take a company?
  • Who should be the moral police in a corporate organization?
  • What are the kinds of ethical dilemmas that people face at work every day?

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80 World’s Finest Business Ethics Topics For Research Paper

Business Ethics Research Paper Topics

What is business ethics?  MBA students in college or university need top business ethics research paper topics for their course. Any business cannot exist without ethics. It is a vital aspect that companies in numerous countries uphold to ensure their reliability and credibility.

Building a consensus between the moral aspects and the economic setting is what lecturers aim to see in students with such a paper. You will know how to write more topics on your own painstakingly with our top business ethics paper topic ideas in a moment.

Topics in Accounting: Business Ethics Research Paper

  • The perception of tax evasion ethics
  • Acceptable ethical behavior in the accounting workplace
  • The history of ethics in accounting
  • How governments handle accounting ethics
  • A case study of philosophers who contributed to the ethics of accounting
  • Cultural and political situations leading to accounting ethics
  • The concepts behind accounting ethics precepts and their applications
  • Different educational approaches in teaching accounting ethics

Corporate Culture Business Ethics Paper Topics

  • What role does corporate culture play in business ethics?
  • The place of organizational culture in improving performance
  • Business ethics in the management of mergers
  • Lessons from corporate scandals and organizational crises
  • Conducting a corporate cultural “audit.”
  • Factors determining the behavior of people in a corporate environment
  • How management impacts organizational culture
  • Methods used to incorporate ethics into the corporate culture.

Technology Business Ethics Research Topics

  • Encoding company values to stop destructive technologies
  • How to build a more robust data foundation to enhance security
  • Stakeholder privacy in the dissemination of information
  • Cultivating trust in destructive technologies
  • Demonstrating transparency using technology in business
  • Is data surveillance ethical?
  • Deploying the technology “power of all.”
  • Training business technologists to eliminate product bias
  • Advising employees on how technology may affect their jobs in the future

Business Ethics Paper Topics For Advertising

  • Is the use of misleading advertising unethical?
  • Why do companies use women in product advertising?
  • Is it ethical to use minors for business adverts?
  • Should alcohol companies advertise before the watershed period?
  • Is it ethical to advertise the sale of guns on TV?
  • What should happen to agencies with scam adverts?
  • Discuss why it is unethical for boxing companies to use provocatively dressed ladies
  • The impact of misleading headlines in advertisements
  • Is it ethical to use vague and obscene language in advertising?
  • Why should cigarette adverts have a warning for excessive use?
  • Compare and contrast men versus women adverts. Which ones sell?

Ethical Research Paper Topics in Business during Pandemics

  • Is it ethical to hike prices during pandemics
  • Should companies lay off their staff during the coronavirus period
  • Should small income businesses pay tax during adverse conditions
  • Why do enterprises hide commodities in times of crises
  • Is it ethical for real-estate agencies to continue charging rent?
  • Should governments supply subsidized products to stop competition?
  • Why pandemics may increase internal control risks
  • Is slashing more than 50% of salaries ethical?
  • Should employers grant their employees mandatory unpaid leaves?

Ethics Research Paper Topics for Managers

  • Why managers should have a Corporate Conscience
  • How good ethics translates to profit: A guide for managers
  • A critical approach to the integrity of managers
  • The social nature of morality in managerial positions
  • Is shrewd bargaining ethical for managers?
  • How can managers effectively resolve ethical problems
  • How unethical management can affect a company’s bottom line
  • Moral management is suitable for both the law and the market
  • Ethical managers save companies legal compulsion
  • How does good ethics result in excellence for managers?

Interesting Legal Business Ethics Topics

  • Why lawyers should not pursue their interests in the representation of a client
  • Are law schools teaching legal ethics effectively?
  • How should lawyers behave towards each other?
  • Should lawyers be compelled to honor their obligation?
  • How law and morality conflict
  • Can a promise be used in place of a contract?
  • How far should companies stand behind their products?
  • Is it ethical to use mentally insane people in adverts?
  • Claiming a product is better than others in ads.
  • Employment discrimination law ethics

Social Media Business Ethical Issues Topics for Papers

  • Should employers monitor employee behavior?
  • How social media leads to a breach of confidentiality
  • Social media and improper business practices and activities
  • Have blogs toned-down business ethics?
  • Use of social media by employees for their personal, non-company use
  • Discuss how employees use social media for the company’s business objectives
  • How to ethical answer questions on social media
  • Healthy employee social media policies
  • How applicable is the Kantian Ethics to the use of social media in business?
  • Proper ethical standards for social media use
  • Should companies turn off comments on social media?
  • Trust and brands management in social media
  • How to improve ethics using social media
  • Corporate social media policy for companies
  • Tips for posting on social media

The list of business ethics topics above should inspire you to get a paper and begin your essay or create more of them.

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170+ fantastic business ethics research paper topics to try out.

business ethics research paper topics

Many students struggle to choose their business ethics research paper topics. That’s because this subject has controversial and fascinating issues. What’s more, this subject keeps widening because people engage in different businesses. And people can’t do business without ethics. Therefore, companies in various countries must adhere to an ethical code of conduct to ensure their credibility and reliability.

University professors and lecturers ask learners to write research papers to gauge their understanding of this subject. Students should select interesting and engaging topics for their essays to ensure that educators love their work and award them high grades. If struggling to decide what to write about, here’s a list of business ethics topics to consider.

Interesting Business Ethics Topics

These are interesting business ethics topics that learners can research and write about to earn superior grades. Nevertheless, students should prepare to research extensively and analyze information to develop quality papers.

  • Should a company be honest with its customers?
  • Should a corporation be responsible for environmental protection
  • Moral principles and decision making in business
  • Employee relationships as an ethical principle of an employer
  • Ethical issues that surround corporation governance
  • Social responsibility in business
  • How to think, act, and compete ethically in business
  • Business ethics and environmental policies
  • How to teach business ethics
  • Ethical conflicts- Ways to avoid arguments on cultural, religious, national, and political basis in business
  • Cross-cultural and ethical concerns in business
  • Business decision making- What are the ethical considerations?
  • Psychological perspectives in corporate ethics
  • Approaching business ethics from a psychological viewpoint
  • How to approach business ethics from a philosophical viewpoint
  • Business principles and ethical standards
  • How to adhere to ethical rules in business
  • Ethical codes for trade associations
  • Ethical ways to prevent sexual harassment in business
  • Ethical codes for multinational companies
  • Can an ethical mistake cause bankruptcy?
  • Ethical dilemmas facing business owners
  • Organizing the structures that control ethical issues in business
  • Ethical values that employers share with workers
  • Are personnel and manager ethics different?
  • Ethical values for industrial communities
  • Corporate responsibility as an ethical concept
  • How to balance pragmatics with ethics- Effective managerial methods
  • How criminal behaviors can limit large corporations
  • How necessary are ethical codes for a company?
  • Types of corporate and white-collar crimes
  • Who’s responsible for a company’s corporative ethics?
  • Approaching ethics from a pragmatic perspective
  • Ethical failures caused by leadership malfunctions
  • To work ethics can facilitate making the right decisions
  • Moral leadership role in business
  • Business success and personal integrity
  • Business ethics- What are their psychological roots?
  • How to avoid being a victim of unethical actions at the workplace
  • What causes unethical behavior in business?

Easy Business Ethics Paper Topics

Some college students need simple topics that they won’t struggle to research, write about, and impress their educators. Consequently, they prefer writing about simple but exciting business ethics topics. If that’s what you’re looking for, here are brilliant ideas to consider.

Most students can have a relatively easy time researching and writing about these business ethics paper topic ideas. Nevertheless, a learner should first examine any of these ideas to develop a paper that will earn them the top grade.

  • What measures should a business organization implement to prevent sexual harassment?
  • Can business ethics help in evaluating the capital amount that a company should spend on health benefits?
  • Is being absolutely transparent with a target market ethical for a company?
  • Is discouraging pregnancies among employees ethical for a company?
  • How to evaluate illegal practices like bribery, corruption, and nepotism during the tendering process
  • How illegal and unethical behavior affect a company and society
  • Ethical evaluation of favoritism in a family-owned business
  • How to examine ethics in business contracts
  • Exploring privacy violation and social media as an infringement of business ethics
  • Is authenticity a type of business ethics?
  • How the management can stop the perception of women as sex symbols at the workplace
  • A case study of business ethics- A brief review of privacy infringements and surveillance by Facebook
  • How child labor amounts to business ethics’ violation
  • Should a company that profits from others’ peril continue operating?- Investigating unhealthy products from alcohol and cigarette companies
  • Privacy violation by social media as a business ethics’ breach
  • Misinformation to shareholders and the board- Investigating negligence as an unethical practice in business.
  • Ethics behind hazardous working conditions
  • Subway business model and ethics
  • How to promote a company’s ethical practices
  • Should businesses be held accountable for claims and promises they make regarding their service or product purposes?
  • Ethics behind the sale of a product before through testing and approval
  • How to address the ethical problem of a country that leads in production and manufacturing by has poor working conditions, low wages, and remuneration schemes
  • Ethical ways to achieve corporate social responsibility
  • Ethics governing different marketing techniques
  • Why do companies misinform their target customers about services and goods?
  • Is marking fast foods as healthy yet they increase the risk of diseases like diabetes ethical?
  • Examining the code of ethics in different economic sectors
  • Is refusing a female football coach in a male team ethical?
  • Is having an unsafe working environment unethical?
  • Is it ethical for a company to monitor the online behavior of its employees?

Business Ethics Research Paper Topics about Social Media

It’s almost impossible for a company to ignore social media and succeed in the current digital era. Consequently, ethical conduct by businesses on different social media platforms is a prominent research area. Here are some of the best topics in this category.

These are brilliant topics for an essay or research paper. Learners should research any of these ideas extensively and take time to write top-notch pieces.

  • Should a corporate organization fire a worker with social media details that could hurt its image?
  • How corporate social responsibility initiatives on social media affect a business
  • How enterprises manage negative social media responses
  • Is controversial fit notion on social media ethical?
  • The performance of product introductions on social media
  • How social media can help in the achievement of responsible business
  • Can social media cause a confidentiality breach in a company?
  • Improper business activities and practices in social media
  • How blogs have toned down most business ethics
  • Ethical ways employees can use social media for non-company and personal purposes
  • Ethical ways a business can use social media to answer customer questions
  • Health company policies for guiding employees’ conduct on social media
  • How a business can ethically post on social media
  • Practical tips for using social media for corporate social responsibility
  • How companies can manage brands and trust in social media
  • Should a business turn off social media comments?
  • Proper ethical conduct on social media
  • How to apply Kantian Ethics when using social media for business purposes
  • How employees can use social media ethically to achieve a company’s objectives
  • How to enhance ethics when using social media for business

Business Ethics Essay Topics for College Students

Perhaps, you want to write an essay on an ethics topic in business. In that case, consider these ideas for your paper.

  • How fair play can improve a company’s bottom line
  • Corporate responsibility- What are the ethical underpinnings?
  • Is ethics a required course in business?
  • Ethical practices for modern businesses
  • What causes unethical behavior by companies
  • Is personal integrity a moral and a function for corporate success?
  • Ethical decision-making rules in a corporate environment
  • What are the qualities of an ethical business leader?
  • Transparency and objectivity as business leadership traits
  • How ethical leaders maintain their temper
  • How ethical business leaders deal with anger
  • Is using violence and strength a trait of ethical leaders?
  • What is the role of corporate culture in business ethics?
  • Methods of incorporating ethics in a company’s corporate culture
  • How the management affects an organizational culture
  • Factors determining people’s behavior in a corporate environment
  • How to conduct a cultural audit in a company
  • Lessons from organizational crises and corporate scandals
  • Business ethics in mergers’ management
  • How organizational culture can enhance a company’s performance
  • How encoding business values can prevent destructive technologies
  • Building a robust foundation for a company’s data to improve security
  • Stakeholder privacy in information dissemination
  • How to cultivate trust when dealing with dangerous technologies
  • How to demonstrate transparency when using business technology
  • How ethical is data surveillance?
  • How to deploy technology’s power of all
  • How to advise employees about the ethical use of technology
  • How unethical use of technology can affect a business
  • How to train technologists about ethical ways of eliminating product bias

This category also has hot topics in business ethics that educators and the audience will find interesting to read. Nevertheless, extensive research is necessary to come up with a brilliant essay on any of these ideas.

Dissertation Topics in Business Ethics

Perhaps, you’re pursuing an MBA or Ph.D., and you need a topic for your dissertation. In that case, this section has some of the best business ethics topics for presentation to your dissertation committee. Consider the following ideas for your paper.

These are ethics topics in business that most experts will find interesting. Yet, hese ideas still require extensive research to develop comprehensive papers.

  • Business ethics in the publishing industry- Authorship collaboration and sponsorship
  • How higher education institutions can teach business ethics- Comparing developing and developed countries
  • How to define the aesthetics concept in business ethics
  • Challenges facing ethical practices in the tourism sector
  • Ethics in practice and theory- What is the difference?
  • Business research ethics- An evaluation of incentives and more profound objectives in business
  • Analyzing ethical decision-making when doing business online
  • Historical countdown of ethical decision-making in business
  • Exploration of ethic code in a company via the management perspective
  • How to use the code of ethics to win trust among the employees
  • Business ethics within the share market
  • Motivations for business decisions by citizens- An ethical perspective
  • Corporate egoism, bribery, and exploitation- What are the links?
  • Business ethics practice and perceptions by students doing business while pursuing higher education
  • Business contracts and corruption among the international society
  • Investigating gift-giving, pharmaceutical representatives, and business ethics
  • Analyzing the relationship between business organizations and civil society via an ethical perspective
  • How corporate ethic code influences the employees’ sales behavior
  • How to integrate business ethics in corporate social responsibility
  • A critical analysis of a company’s management ethics

Business Ethics Debate Topics

Debates around business ethics aim to argue a position’s merit, differences between right and wrong, and common ethical boundaries. Here are controversial business ethics topics to consider for your project.

  • Should companies ban workplace relationships?
  • A comparison of genetically modified seeds versus pesticide use on seeds
  • Should clearance pricing have controls?
  • Is monopolizing all industry aspects ethical for a company?
  • How antibacterial soap affects people
  • Should countries that have legalized marijuana allow businesses to advertise it?
  • How ethical and relevant is performance review in a company?
  • Should companies compensate customers for delayed deliveries?
  • How over criminalizing a company affects society
  • The effectiveness of shareholder model in public company’s management
  • Is native advertising ethical and appropriate?
  • How large companies use their monopoly to influence consumers
  • Are white-collar criminals corporate psychopaths?
  • Should pharmaceutical companies sell their drugs at high prices?
  • Is tracking customers’ phones an ethical practice for banks to reduce fraud?
  • Is seeking opportunities that conflict with a government job ethical misconduct?
  • Using predictive analytics in siphoning worker’s email for risk- Is it ethical?
  • Why is reducing tax payment through inversion unethical?
  • Is colonizing another planet ethical from a business perspective?
  • Companies should give women more time to nurse their newborn babies
  • Should companies buy products from a business that doesn’t practice business ethics?
  • Should public institutions like schools hire the services of private companies?
  • Should amusement parks have unique safety regulations, depending on their locations?
  • Should business leaders and CEOs earn higher salaries than the other employees?
  • Should a small business have similar recall rules with global corporations?
  • Should US companies depend on the federal government’s bailout during financial trouble?
  • Should businesses use healthcare programs to pay for employees’ yoga studios, health clubs, and fitness needs?
  • Should companies share cancer research data with the general public?
  • Should firms that manufacture dangerous or addictive products contribute resources to the research for their use?
  • Why using workplace surveillance systems on employees is unethical
  • Why internet censorship is unethical and ridiculous
  • Businesses should ethically pay employees the minimum wage that the federal government mandates them
  • Companies should pay equal wages to all employees regardless of their gender or sex identity
  • Companies should prevent sexual harassment
  • Businesses should be responsible for preventing workplace discrimination
  • Companies should educate employees about ethical issues regarding their social media usage
  • Every company should be responsible for the safety and health of employees at the workplace
  • Every business should be held accountable for ethical issues surrounding its environmental responsibility

These are exciting topics about business ethics that learners can work on when writing academic papers and essays. However, learners can use a professional research paper writing service if unable to write academic papers . Several online companies offer custom writing help to learners at different study levels. Nevertheless, choose a company with ENL expert writers to get fast, cheap, and reliable assistance. That way, you’ll end up with a paper that will impress the professor to award you the top grade in your class.

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What Are Business Ethics & Why Are They Important?

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  • 27 Jul 2023

From artificial intelligence to facial recognition technology, organizations face an increasing number of ethical dilemmas. While innovation can aid business growth, it can also create opportunities for potential abuse.

“The long-term impacts of a new technology—both positive and negative—may not become apparent until years after it’s introduced,” says Harvard Business School Professor Nien-hê Hsieh in the online course Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability . “For example, the impact of social media on children and teenagers didn’t become evident until we watched it play out over time.”

If you’re a current or prospective leader concerned about navigating difficult situations, here's an overview of business ethics, why they're important, and how to ensure ethical behavior in your organization.

Access your free e-book today.

What Are Business Ethics?

Business ethics are principles that guide decision-making . As a leader, you’ll face many challenges in the workplace because of different interpretations of what's ethical. Situations often require navigating the “gray area,” where it’s unclear what’s right and wrong.

When making decisions, your experiences, opinions, and perspectives can influence what you believe to be ethical, making it vital to:

  • Be transparent.
  • Invite feedback.
  • Consider impacts on employees, stakeholders, and society.
  • Reflect on past experiences to learn what you could have done better.

“The way to think about ethics, in my view, is: What are the externalities that your business creates, both positive and negative?” says Harvard Business School Professor Vikram Gandhi in Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability . “And, therefore, how do you actually increase the positive element of externalities? And how do you decrease the negative?”

Related: Why Managers Should Involve Their Team in the Decision-Making Process

Ethical Responsibilities to Society

Promoting ethical conduct can benefit both your company and society long term.

“I'm a strong believer that a long-term focus is what creates long-term value,” Gandhi says in Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability . “So you should get shareholders in your company that have that same perspective.”

Prioritizing the triple bottom line is an effective way for your business to fulfill its environmental responsibilities and create long-term value. It focuses on three factors:

  • Profit: The financial return your company generates for shareholders
  • People: How your company affects customers, employees, and stakeholders
  • Planet: Your company’s impact on the planet and environment

Check out the video below to learn more about the triple bottom line, and subscribe to our YouTube channel for more explainer content!

Ethical and corporate social responsibility (CSR) considerations can go a long way toward creating value, especially since an increasing number of customers, employees, and investors expect organizations to prioritize CSR. According to the Conscious Consumer Spending Index , 67 percent of customers prefer buying from socially responsible companies.

To prevent costly employee turnover and satisfy customers, strive to fulfill your ethical responsibilities to society.

Ethical Responsibilities to Customers

As a leader, you must ensure you don’t mislead your customers. Doing so can backfire, negatively impacting your organization’s credibility and profits.

Actions to avoid include:

  • Greenwashing : Taking advantage of customers’ CSR preferences by claiming your business practices are sustainable when they aren't.
  • False advertising : Making unverified or untrue claims in advertisements or promotional material.
  • Making false promises : Lying to make a sale.

These unethical practices can result in multi-million dollar lawsuits, as well as highly dissatisfied customers.

Ethical Responsibilities to Employees

You also have ethical responsibilities to your employees—from the beginning to the end of their employment.

One area of business ethics that receives a lot of attention is employee termination. According to Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability , letting an employee go requires an individualized approach that ensures fairness.

Not only can wrongful termination cost your company upwards of $100,000 in legal expenses , it can also negatively impact other employees’ morale and how they perceive your leadership.

Ethical business practices have additional benefits, such as attracting and retaining talented employees willing to take a pay cut to work for a socially responsible company. Approximately 40 percent of millennials say they would switch jobs to work for a company that emphasizes sustainability.

Ultimately, it's critical to do your best to treat employees fairly.

“Fairness is not only an ethical response to power asymmetries in the work environment,” Hsieh says in the course. “Fairness—and having a successful organizational culture–can benefit the organization economically and legally.”

Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability | Develop a toolkit for making tough leadership decisions| Learn More

Why Are Business Ethics Important?

Failure to understand and apply business ethics can result in moral disengagement .

“Moral disengagement refers to ways in which we convince ourselves that what we’re doing is not wrong,” Hsieh says in Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability . “It can upset the balance of judgment—causing us to prioritize our personal commitments over shared beliefs, rules, and principles—or it can skew our logic to make unethical behaviors appear less harmful or not wrong.”

Moral disengagement can also lead to questionable decisions, such as insider trading .

“In the U.S., insider trading is defined in common, federal, and state laws regulating the opportunity for insiders to benefit from material, non-public information, or MNPI,” Hsieh explains.

This type of unethical behavior can carry severe legal consequences and negatively impact your company's bottom line.

“If you create a certain amount of harm to a society, your customers, or employees over a period of time, that’s going to have a negative impact on your economic value,” Gandhi says in the course.

This is reflected in over half of the top 10 largest bankruptcies between 1980 and 2013 that resulted from unethical behavior. As a business leader, strive to make ethical decisions and fulfill your responsibilities to stakeholders.

How to Implement Business Ethics

To become a more ethical leader, it's crucial to have a balanced, long-term focus.

“It's very important to balance the fact that, even if you're focused on the long term, you have to perform in the short term as well and have a very clear, articulated strategy around that,” Gandhi says in Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability .

Making ethical decisions requires reflective leadership.

“Reflecting on complex, gray-area decisions is a key part of what it means to be human, as well as an effective leader,” Hsieh says. “You have agency. You must choose how to act. And with that agency comes responsibility.”

Related: Why Are Ethics Important in Engineering?

Hsieh advises asking the following questions:

  • Are you using the “greater good” to justify unethical behavior?
  • Are you downplaying your actions to feel better?

“Asking these and similar questions at regular intervals can help you notice when you or others may be approaching the line between making a tough but ethical call and justifying problematic actions,” Hsieh says.

How to Become a More Effective Leader | Access Your Free E-Book | Download Now

Become a More Ethical Leader

Learning from past successes and mistakes can enable you to improve your ethical decision-making.

“As a leader, when trying to determine what to do, it can be helpful to start by simply asking in any given situation, ‘What can we do?’ and ‘What would be wrong to do?’” Hsieh says.

Many times, the answers come from experience.

Gain insights from others’ ethical decisions, too. One way to do so is by taking an online course, such as Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability , which includes case studies that immerse you in real-world business situations, as well as a reflective leadership model to inform your decision-making.

Ready to become a better leader? Enroll in Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability —one of our online leadership and management courses —and download our free e-book on how to be a more effective leader.

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Ethics Topics for Research Papers: 140+ Ideas

ethics topics

Derived from the Greek word “ethos,” meaning “way of living,” ethics is a branch of philosophy that involves well-founded standards of right and wrong, as well as just and unjust behaviors. By defining concepts such as right, wrong, vice, justice, and crime, ethics examines an individual’s behavior in society.

When writing an ethics research paper, the first step is to come up with an appropriate ethics topic. Framing a research project on ethics requires understanding essential principles like honesty, morals, and integrity, and demonstrating the findings needed to support your hypothesis. This fundamental research can be challenging for many students, particularly those who have chosen complex research topics. Therefore, the first step is brainstorming excellent ethical topics to transform this challenging process into a smooth journey.

With this in mind, we are here to help ease this burden. This blog post compiles over 140+ captivating ethics topics across various disciplines. Each of these topics will assist you in writing a persuasive research paper that will captivate your readers and impress your professors.

Table of Contents

Ethics Comes in a Variety of Forms

Over the centuries, different philosophers have proposed numerous ethical theories. Before diving into the ethical topics that we have categorized, it is crucial to understand the various types of ethics. Ethics can be broadly classified into four branches, as follows:

Descriptive ethics: This branch of ethics deals with the theory that explains the moral norms, attitudes, and practices that societies believe to be right or wrong. It examines how people actually behave and the moral standards they claim to follow.

Normative or prescriptive ethics: The study of “norms” or “principles” that determine what is morally right or wrong and accordingly holds individuals accountable. In simpler terms, this is the study of “ethical actions.” Deontological ethics, virtue ethics, consequentialism, and Nishkam Karmayoga are some examples of normative theories.

Meta-ethics: Meta-ethics studies the nature of ethics as a whole. This branch of ethics analyzes the foundations of our ethical principles and why we use them daily. It involves the investigation of the meaning and justification of moral claims, as well as the nature of moral values and properties.

Applied ethics: This is the most practical branch of ethics. Applied ethics involves the general principles that we apply in our daily lives. This branch deals with the philosophical examination, from a moral standpoint, of specific issues in various fields, such as medicine, business, and the environment.

Selecting the Right Research Topic in Ethics

To create an engaging research paper, the initial step is to select a high-quality research topic that will make your research stand out from the crowd. To score excellent grades, you must develop captivating ethics topics of your choice. Here are a few tips that will help you choose the best option among all the ethics paper topics:

  • When framing an ethical research paper, consider choosing a research topic with enough supporting facts, evidence, and details. Avoid any false or fabricated data, as it can ruin the credibility of your paper.
  • Select topics involving complex on-going issues or moral quandaries, as they would pique the interest of your professors. Look for topics that are occasionally covered by the media.
  • Try to write your research concisely, making it interesting, informative, and relevant. Overly long research is a major turnoff for readers.
  • Search for unsolved research paradigms that will allow you to include your opinions and arguments.
  • Engage in critical thinking on the best topics. Narrow down some of the best topics that spark your and your readers’ interests and will expand their knowledge.

Identifying the perfect topic that suits all your requirements can be challenging. You can use the tips mentioned above to identify the best topics that meet your needs. However, depending on individual students, this process can still be time-consuming. Instead of brainstorming for hours, delving into research, and writing lengthy research papers , you can seek professional assistance from our research paper writers.

140+ Ethics Topics for Research Papers

Crafting a research paper on ethics can be more challenging than it initially appears. This is because, while most people understand basic ethical values, their interpretations can vary significantly. Ethics is not just about black and white; it delves much deeper into the shades of grey. In this article, our experts from Edumagnate.com have provided you with an extensive list of ethics topics to help jumpstart your research paper. For a better understanding, we recommend reading through each list thoroughly.

Compelling Topics on Ethical Issues

Ethical dilemmas arise when individuals must evaluate whether their actions are morally right. Topics related to such dilemmas often explore complex questions, requiring one to defend their position convincingly. These ethical issues span various fields, including religion, psychology, and sociology. Consequently, incorporating perspectives from these disciplines can help create a unique and insightful research paper.

  • Ethical Codes for Sports Refereeing
  • Ethical issues in animal research
  • The ethical issues with euthanasia
  • Ethical Issues in Sports Administration
  • Legal Ethics in National and international businesses
  • Organizational Ethics and Individual Responsibility
  • Understanding sports ethics as a significant tool for accessing moral behavior in sports
  • The Ethical Challenges and Controversies of Healthcare Reform
  • The Challenge of Terri Schiavo from an ethical perspective
  • The Ethical Issues of Pharmaceutical Companies
  • Ethical Issues with Abortion
  • Sports ethics: use of drugs in sports competition
  • Healthcare systems and associated healthcare ethics
  • Ethical and cultural issues with group work
  • Political and socioeconomic issues amongst different nations
  • Religion and Ethics in healthcare provisions
  • Ethical Issues and Concerns of a professional sports person
  • The ethical side of Motorsports
  • The foundation of computer ethics

Since ethics is a branch of philosophy, students can also consider choosing philosophy research topics.

Social Media Business Ethics Topics

To make things easier, our experts have enumerated a list of the most interesting social media business ethics topics for you. These topics are thoroughly reviewed in depth to ensure optimum results for students. Check them out!

  • An Introduction to social media ethics
  • Is the notion of “controversial fit” on social media ethical?
  • Enhancing business performance on social media without eroding business ethics
  • The ethical judgment of consumers and controversial advertising avoidance on social media
  • Managing ethical responses on social media: effective guidance for business entrepreneurs
  • The ethical environment in online communities: information credibility from a social media standpoint
  • Employing big data in business organizations and business ethics
  • Social media business ethics: a view from the trenches
  • Corporate Firing for sharing questionable social media posts: a detailed analysis
  • What is the role of social media ethics in achieving responsible business?
  • The Influence of social media ethics on Enhancing the effective online presence of Businesses
  • The Influence of social media ethics in the ongoing industries
  • Social media ethics and Etiquette
  • The Impact of social media ethics on Businesses
  • The Ethical Issues of Colonizing Mars
  • Social media ethics and journalism: a detailed analysis
  • The ethical implications of social media: issues and recommendations for entrepreneurs

The Best Bio-Medical Ethics Topics

If you’re interested in bio-medical, then consider choosing a research topic from the following list of suggestions:

  • A detailed analysis of the relationship between medical ethics and religious beliefs
  • Medical Ethics in Asia versus Europe
  • Medical ethics: a detailed analysis
  • Ethical Issues in stem cell research and Therapy
  • The ethical issues and legal considerations with euthanasia
  • Ethical behavioral issues and Problems in Medicine
  • A detailed analysis for monitoring the application of idol ethics in medical fields
  • The ethical challenges and Considerations for practicing medicine overseas
  • Ethical Considerations for the Inclusion of pregnant women as research participants
  • How do medical ethics confront religious beliefs?
  • Bio-ethics versus medical ethics: a comparative analysis
  • Contemporary medical ethics: a research analysis of Iran
  • Ethical issues, including bioethics (conduct a case study)
  • Principles of bio-medical ethics
  • Human testing of drugs: is it ethical?
  • Debunking the Ethics of Neuroenhancement
  • The imperativeness of medical ethics
  • The perception of biomedical ethics
  • The Ethics of Development: an integral Approach

Read Also – Interesting biology research topics

Bioethics Research Paper Topics

Bioethics talks about topics related to health, life, genetics, neurology, and even plastic surgery. Research paper topics in bioethics are brilliant topics to write about. The following list is a compilation of 20 bioethics research paper topics that you can consider:

  • Ethical conflicts over disclosure and barring services
  • Bioethics: Why is philosophy essential for progress?
  • Contemporary Issues in Bioethics
  • A critical understanding of the ethical responsibilities associated with CRISPR
  • Bioethics and stem cell research
  • 5 strange and sinister medical procedures from History
  • Bioethics and political ideology: The case of active voluntary euthanasia
  • Availability of vaccines for everyone: an overview
  • The ethics of brain-boosting
  • Euthanasia: An Overview and the Jewish Perspective
  • The legal and ethical considerations of dealing with a brain-dead person
  • A descriptive analysis of Bioethics in Society
  • Ethics and genetic engineering—lessons to learn
  • Islam and bioethics: Beyond abortion and euthanasia
  • Exploring the ethical principles and Practice of plastic surgery
  • Pediatric neuroenhancement: ethical, legal, social, and neurodevelopmental implications
  • Bioethics, disability, and death: Uncovering cultural bias in the euthanasia debate
  • Secular Bioethics and Euthanasia in a democratic public space

Read Also – 200+ Science Research Topics

Medical Ethics Topics to Score Excellent Grades

The list of medical ethics topics below can assist you with some of these amazing medical ethics topics. For a better understanding, consider reading each topic among these recommendations:

  • Is physician-assisted suicide legal? Is it ethical?
  • The ethical and legal issues with surrogacy
  • The Ethical and Medical Implications of Circumcision
  • The Ethics of Surrogacy
  • The ethics of abortion: Is it ethically right?
  • Ethical and policy issues associated with uterine transplants
  • Ethical considerations associated with living donations: an overview
  • The Ethics of Condemned Prisoner Organ Donation
  • Ethical theories and laws associated with medical ethics
  • The Ethics of employing human embryos in genetic engineering research
  • Medical ethics dilemma: an overview
  • The ethical perspectives of the Nightingale pledge
  • The ethics of animal research
  • Current ethical issues and Challenges in Healthcare
  • Religion, beliefs, and medical ethics: an overview
  • Bioethics, human rights, and childbirth
  • Understanding Morality without ethics

Enthralling Computing Ethics Topics

Technological advancements have revolutionized all facets of human existence. Computer ethics encompass a collection of fundamental principles aimed at addressing concerns associated with the improper use of computers and outlining preventive measures. The list provided below features some of the most compelling ethical research topics in the realm of computer ethics.

  • Should ethics boards be required for IT companies?
  • Discussing the risks associated with keeping sensitive data online.
  • Is hacking a moral act?
  • Examine the ethical issues raised by artificial intelligence.
  • Exploring computer privacy-related problems and their solutions
  • The moral dilemmas associated with drone use
  • Evaluating the moral implications of internet users’ Anonymity
  • Ethical prevention of cyberbullying: What can be done for a permanent termination?
  • Sabotaging others’ computers: how is this ethically wrong?
  • Mapping the foundationalist debate in computer ethics
  • A method in computer ethics: Towards a multi-level interdisciplinary approach
  • Computer ethics: the significance of personal, formal, and informal codes
  • Gender and computer ethics
  • Reasons, relativity, and Responsibility in computer ethics
  • The Ethics of Computing: A Survey of the computing-oriented Literature
  • Computer Ethics and moral methodology
  • The ethics of online Anonymity or Zuckerberg vs.” Moot.”
  • Propose an educational plan for computer ethics and information security

Research Paper Topics in Sports Ethics

Sports ethics extend beyond mere behavior and thought processes, as they are fundamentally rooted in respect, fairness, integrity, and responsibility within the sports arena. Athletes often face dilemmas regarding what actions to take or avoid due to the ethical considerations in sports. Although this subject can be complex, a deep understanding allows for exceptional research on sports ethics. Here are some example topics:

  • Sports Ethics: An Anthology
  • Ethics in sports
  • Performance-enhancing drugs in sport: The ethical issue
  • The key components of sports ethics
  • The primary moral obligations of athletes
  • The imperativeness of ethics in sports
  • A detailed analysis of the ethical responsibilities of a sportsperson
  • Are professional sporting activities moral in today’s society?
  • The Paralympic Games and the Promotion of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
  • Athletes’ healthcare and ethical Concerns
  • Impact of ethical behavior outside the Pitch
  • The moral dimensions of Motorsports
  • Child exploitation to become elite athletes
  • Moral and ethical responsibilities of a sportsperson
  • How do people enter the world of professional sports, and what ethical issues do they face?
  • Alienation of sports from real life
  • How sports and games serve as the primary outlet for human ethics
  • Sports ethics and medicine
  • The unique ethics of sports medicine

Top-Notch Business Ethics Topics

Your ethics paper topic on business must be engaging and provide a practical solution to the ongoing economic challenges. Here is a compilation of some of the best business ethical topics for research papers. Each topic on this list will allow you to draft an excellent research paper and earn brilliant grades. Read on.

  • Roots of business ethics in Psychology
  • A Model of business ethics
  • A detailed study of the ethical philosophy behind Bitcoin
  • The unique connection between business success and personal integrity
  • Moral Leadership and Unethical Pro-Organizational Behavior
  • How closely can managers monitor their employees’ behavior?
  • Business ethics and social responsibility education: shifting the worldview
  • Ethical behaviors and economic rationality: an overview
  • Business ethics and social responsibilities
  • Who determines whether private or personal information should be collected?
  • The business ethics case of McDonald’s
  • Understanding and preventing ethical failures in leadership
  • Ethical Dilemmas in Conducting Business
  • Moral policing: It’s more business than ideology.
  • Data Security Enhancement and Business Ethics
  • Perceptions of business ethics: Students vs. business people
  • American business culture and ethical norms
  • Does business ethics make economic sense?
  • Moral Leadership and business ethics
  • Business Ethics in Islam: the glaring gap in Practice

Read Also – Business Research Topics

Criminal Justice Research Topics in Ethics

We always hear how law enforcement is made to protect the commoner’s rights. Unfortunately, it is not always the case. These law enforcers sometimes end up in morally ambiguous situations. Now and then, we often hear news about how a fellow police officer exploited a commoner. So, if this topic piques your interest, this list might be helpful for you. Below are some interesting topics in criminal justice ethics.

  • The Codes of ethics for criminal justice
  • Integrity in the Criminal Justice System
  • A detailed analysis of the ethics of criminal justice
  • Model affairs and impartial statutory policies.
  • Arguments for and against capital punishment
  • Discussion on the ethical ramifications of the “innocent until proven guilty” principle
  • Examination of the Stanford Prison Experiment’s ethical issues.
  • What moral ramifications do school shooter exercises have?
  • Discuss if Julian Assange’s prosecution is appropriate.
  • Examining the ethical difficulties of privatized prisons
  • Imprisonment of young offenders: Is it ethically right?
  • Ethics in criminal justice: theory and practices
  • Ethical Dilemmas and decisions in criminal justice

Read Also – 150 Advanced Law Research Paper Topics

Environmental Ethics Topics

If you are willing to compare and contrast topics for environmental ethics, you can take ideas from some of the below-given research topics. Read through the entire list, narrow down the best topics, and finally, set your tone to make your point.

  • An Introduction to environmental ethics
  • The bio-ethical standards of Coca-Cola
  • A detailed study of the global warming ethics
  • Assessing the US Government’s environmental ethics
  • Should companies be held accountable for preserving the environment?
  • A deeper look at the EU Administration’s environmental policy and commercial ethics
  • Environmental Regulations and business ethics
  • A detailed study on the primary environmental and ethical issues in business?
  • Ethics of setting up residential structures in sensitive habitats.
  • Animal testing in the cosmetic industry
  • Recreational environmental ethics: A more detailed examination of the effects of hunting
  • Ethical evaluation of initiatives to combat climate change
  • Commercial whaling: an ethical analysis
  • A detailed evaluation of insider trading: can we call it ethical?
  • Is there a moral case for pollution trade-off programmers?
  • What do people think about good versus bad ethics?
  • Electric vehicles can help rescue the environment.
  • Tax evasion and tax avoidance: what exactly is legally right?
  • A critical evaluation of the global warming ethics
  • Pollution trade-off programs: are they ethically justified?
  • Ethical Analysis of climate change mitigation efforts

Read Also – List of 150 Enticing Chemistry Research Topics

Final Thoughts

From the array of ethics topics provided, choose one that captures your interest and aligns with your academic preferences. We hope this list proves insightful for your upcoming research paper. If you ever feel stuck, remember that help is available!

Consider using our paper help service if you’re searching for a topic for your research proposal, thesis , dissertation, or any other academic writing. Our skilled paper helpers can assist you in developing a unique ethics research paper topic. Should you require expert guidance, don’t hesitate to seek outstanding writing assistance at a reasonable price.

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177 Interesting Ethics Paper Topics For Your Thesis

ethics paper topics

Ethics is a branch of study in philosophy that studies the concept of morality—what is good or bad, what is acceptable or unacceptable. It’s a philosophical theory that looks into moral rules and codes, principles, value systems, and other related concepts.

In academia, an ethical theory is used as one of the analytical tools in drawing analysis on several socio-cultural topics. Ethics can be applied to any particular subject matter in human society. And, on this, so many compelling, controversial or interesting ethical topics for academic essays and research papers have continued to spring up.

For students writing either an essay or a research paper on ethics, there are some relevant things to note about a good essay/research topic and writing a dissertation. They include:

Brainstorm on different topics Always go for a topic you are familiar with Choose a topic that has enough “flesh”. This is important as interesting topics will help you develop your essay/research Define your subject of interest. It makes the writing easier Properly researching for topics that serve contemporary social relevance Outlining is important for your research topic

What following some of these processes does for your essay/research/thesis is that it enriches your work and affords you the ability to communicate ideas clearly to readers. Here are some topics in ethics you can use for your essay/research.

Interesting Top Level Ethics Paper Topics for All Students

Writing a paper on ethics makes for an interesting writing experience because they usually require that the writer make a case for a particular subject based on whether the subject is right or wrong. There are so many ethical topics for papers. As a student, there are several ethical questions to debate, and you can choose to model your topic using some of these samples:

  • Discuss what should be done concerning the rise in the ban on safe abortion
  • Is the right to safe abortion practice unethical?
  • Should abortion practice be promoted or championed for women in society?
  • Are humans truly the root source for the issues of climate change and global warming the world is currently experiencing?
  • Is it right to discriminate against the sexes?
  • Is there a defining difference between sexes and gender?
  • Is the practice of gender-based violence ethical?
  • Should safe sexual practices be promoted?
  • Sex: A Study of the growing practice of sexual relationships outside marriage
  • Domestic Violence and how it can be combated
  • Marijuana: The distinction to its health roles and health challenges it poses on individuals
  • Is it unethical to promote capitalism and capitalist concepts?
  • A Study of Racism and measures to ensure its decline
  • Is it ethical to be a millionaire while there are so many less privileged people?
  • A study of the ethical challenges that come with being in the academia
  • Is war an ethical practice?
  • Why LGBTQ+ people should not be discriminated against
  • What are the ways workplace ethics can address issues of homophobia and internalized sexism?
  • Is sexism in the workplace an ethical practice?
  • The issue of microaggression and how it can be addressed
  • A study of why workplaces need ethical conduct that monitors issues of workplace harassment
  • Should salaries be uneven?
  • How unethical are uneven salary payment structures?
  • Should start-up tech companies hire more men for starters?
  • How people can prioritize online privacy
  • Is bridging online privacy unethical?
  • Is the right to privacy unethical?

Engaging Ethical Dilemma Topics

As ethics deals with the debate on morals, one of the ways topics on ethics manifests is in the subject of dilemma. Topics like this focus on trying to find a suitable justification for one idea over another. There are several ethics topics to write about on this subject. Some of them include:

  • Should students be allowed to bring their phones to school?
  • Should parents police every social activity of their children?
  • Should teachers use the cane on students as a disciplinary measure?
  • Is flogging a good correctional practice?
  • Should you leave your partner if they are of opposing political views?
  • Should opposing religious beliefs be a deal-breaker in relationships?
  • Should capitalism be abolished completely?
  • Should a teacher maintain some level of friendship with their students?
  • Is there any lingering importance of capitalism to society?
  • Is revenge a viable option in a relationship if your partner cheats on you?
  • Is sharing your experiences online the same as showing off a lifestyle?
  • Should people from different religious beliefs and backgrounds partner?
  • Is checking the DNA of your children important or necessary?
  • Should parents enforce their children on behaviors to take up?
  • Can discipline properly correct the attitudes of a child?
  • Should eating junk foods be avoided completely?
  • Should Halloween Trick or Treat and Costume be prioritized over Thanksgiving Dinners?
  • Should children hold different religious beliefs from their parents while still young?
  • Does strict parenting serve as the best way to raise a child?
  • Is it important to reveal a secret to a friend or to keep one’s peace?
  • Should cooking at home be prioritized over eating out?
  • Is socialism a more suitable social practice than capitalism?
  • Is accepting financial assistance from your parents acceptable after a certain age?
  • Should school authorities seize phones brought to school?
  • Is sending a child to a mixed school better than same-sex schools?
  • Can afforestation alone save the world from global warming and the general climate change condition?
  • Does being educated equate with being intelligent?

Ethical Issues to Write about in Your College Essay

One important thing to note about ethical topics is that they touch across so many different subjects. As a college student preparing to write an essay on ethics, rest assured as there are so many ethics ideas to write about. Here are some ethical topics to write about:

  • Does Hiring female employees cover a company’s sexist motives?
  • Should Actors be paid more than teachers?
  • Taking medical decisions for a patient without their consent
  • How ethical is the interference of the judiciary by the legislative arm of government?
  • Is it ethical to fire someone due to their dress code?
  • Is it unethical to wear colored hair to work?
  • Is censorship ethical?
  • Where does media censorship draw the line?
  • Is it ethical for religious figureheads to meddle in state politics?
  • Should gender be the reason why a person is restricted access to certain social privileges?
  • Should sexuality be a discriminatory factor in society?
  • Should companies and places of work provide counseling and therapy services for their employees?
  • Can Children wear makeup on special occasions?
  • Is it unethical to make medical decisions for a patient without any recognizable relatives?
  • Does dress code need to affect how you are addressed?
  • Should implementing ethics in sports be recommended?
  • Is police brutality an ethical practice?
  • The impacts of the excessive consumption of media content?
  • Is the excessive use of social media healthy?
  • How can companies ensure paid maternal and paternal leave?
  • How can the inclusion of non-binary people in company policies promote growth?
  • Is exclusion on the grounds of sexuality ethical?
  • Is exclusion due to political beliefs unethical?
  • How to promote ethical work culture?
  • How can a company ensure that ethical practices are promoted in their companies?

Ethical Argument Topics to Write About

The best part about writing an ethical essay is that it is about anything that is of interest. An important aspect of the ethical argument topic is that it is supported with evidence. There are so many ethical topics to write about that fall within this category, and they include:

  • Is the having of ethical codes and conducts important in an organization?
  • Should people only implement progressive ideas to meet societal needs?
  • Why LGBTQ+ should not be discriminated against
  • Is it unethical to come to work late?
  • Is government-sanctioned execution an ethical practice?
  • Is the American incarceration system an effective corrective system?
  • Is corrective rape an ethical practice?
  • Should the issue of internalized homophobia be addressed?
  • Internalized patriarchy and internalized homophobia, which one births one
  • Should smoking weed be made legal?
  • Why do the less privileged need free healthcare services
  • A study of the effects of colonialism and internalized slavery
  • Must aspiring journalists only focus on journalism courses?
  • Addressing what it means to be of ethical behavior
  • Should students be given a take-home assignment?
  • Is there any academic relevance to assignments?
  • Is access to free healthcare important?
  • Does following the ethics code have abt social relevance?
  • What role should developed countries play for developing countries?
  • Is analysis writing an important aspect of literature?
  • What role does ethics play in schools
  • Should the address of global warming be continuous?
  • Is there room for possible positive developments in global warming?
  • Is the practice of ethics the same as moral teaching
  • Should schools create sex education into their education curriculum

Comprehensive Ethics Debate Topics for Anyone

Just like the argumentative ethics topic, a debate topic on ethics centers majorly on choosing a part to argue for or against. This argument also is wrapped with evidence to support it. Your ethic topics can be on any subject. You can choose moral topics or any other topic with relevance. Here are some lists of ethical debate topics anyone can write on:

  • Should the use of Contraceptives be promoted?
  • Does legalizing weed make it any healthier?
  • Should school children bring phones into school settings?
  • The health impact of excessive engagement on social media
  • Social relevance and importance of having ethical conducts
  • Do companies with ethical conduct grow ahead
  • Does ethics make a workplace safer?
  • Are there importance on why sex education should be added to student’s
  • Why safe abortion rights should be legalized
  • Why the discrimination based on sexuality is harmful
  • Why the practice of hedonism is important
  • Sexual pleasure: Is it morally good?
  • Is happiness dependent on an external factor?
  • Why Institutionalized racism is the root cause of racism and racist beliefs
  • Should the use of drugs be legalized?
  • Is there any progressive importance to having a conservative view on things?
  • Should social media apps allow explicit sexual content?
  • Should social app builders have access to individual account
  • Can homeschool match formal school training?
  • Should the government ensure censorship measures?
  • Is voting during elections the only form of patriotism?
  • Is voting a patriotic display
  • Are families allowed to have contradicting religious beliefs?
  • Should state governments have any interference with the federal government?
  • Should teenagers have access to contraceptives?

Good Ethical Research Papers for your Thesis or Dissertation

Writing either a thesis or a dissertation is a necessary part of academia. As a university student, you can’t graduate from only writing essays withiut writing your graduating thesis. There are so many areas your research paper about ethics can focus on. Here is a list of ethical topics:

  • The contemporary relevance of applied ethics
  • The psychological impacts of the proliferation of technology
  • A Case Study of the legality of weed
  • A multi-dimensional approach to the subject of marriage
  • An ethical approach to the killing of animals
  • A case study of the critical ethical debates on the use of contraception
  • An analytical study of the relevance of ethical conduct in the workplace
  • An investigation into the social relevance and importance of the beauty pageantry culture
  • A critical study of normative ethics
  • The role of applied ethics in the building of a healthy work culture
  • An overview of the barriers associated with good leadership practice
  • A Study of the importance of ethical practice in the healthcare system
  • The study of ethics in business social responsibility
  • An Overview on how Ethics promotes a saner working culture
  • A look into how ethics promotes healthy social relationships
  • The ethical relevance for Doctor and Patient Confidentiality
  • Malpractice and Negligence an ethically challenging issue within the healthcare system
  • The social and health relevance to access to free healthcare insurance
  • A Study of the social relevance of ethics
  • Violence: violence against animals is still abuse
  • A look into strategic approaches to managing cyber crimes
  • Ethic reasons for the separation of the church from politics
  • Ethical Conduct: How Organizations with practicable ethics produces a toxic work environment
  • A look into how Social media negatively impacts the IQ of a student
  • The role of self-awareness and professional responsibility impacts social ethics in the workplace

Good Ethical Questions for Discussion

Primarily, ethics asks and answers the question of wrong or good. There are so many social issues that will make for good ethical questions for discussion. Here is a list of ethical questions for students to form insights from:

  • How does ethics help to promote healthy workplace awareness?
  • Does the practice of abortion negate morality?
  • Is it right for a rape victim to be denied access to safe and free abortion?
  • How do homophobia, racism, misogyny, and ableist practices hinder social growth?
  • Should there be free access to condoms and contraceptive pills?
  • Is free access to contraceptives better than the provision of menstrual materials
  • How can racism be dismantled in an organization without consideration to institutionalized racism?
  • How does the continuous promotion of capitalist concepts hinder societal progress?
  • Does capitalism truly hinder social growth?
  • Why should there be free access to contraceptive materials especially for women?
  • What are the possible feasible solutions to the issue of climate change?
  • Is it unethical not to share the wealth?
  • Is engaging in warfare the right way to bring solutions?
  • Does the use of makeup contradict the concept of beauty?
  • Why are LGBTQ+ rights human rights?
  • Is the legalization of cannabis ethical?
  • Does the way you dress need to be the reason you are addressed a certain way?
  • Are there moral problems that come with job automation?
  • What can be done to combat the use of harmful substances
  • Why should companies stop discriminating based on sex?
  • What is the social relevance of providing workplace access?
  • Why should parents and teachers stop flogging students?
  • What is the distinction between discipline and strictness?
  • Should religious beliefs be a dealbreaker in any relationship?

Are you a student who needs awesome essay writing help or thesis help and will require the professional services of writers in any particular field that will assist you with your write my thesis issues? We have expert 24/7 available online writers who are PhD holders, teachers, and professors in various fields that provide high quality custom thesis and essay materials that will not just help you pass your semester course but also gain you top grades, all at an affordable rate.

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research topics for business ethics

  • 18 Jun 2024
  • Cold Call Podcast

How Natural Winemaker Frank Cornelissen Innovated While Staying True to His Brand

In 2018, artisanal Italian vineyard Frank Cornelissen was one of the world’s leading producers of natural wine. But when weather-related conditions damaged that year’s grapes, founder Frank Cornelissen had to decide between staying true to the tenets of natural wine making or breaking with his public beliefs to save that year’s grapes by adding sulfites. Harvard Business School assistant professor Tiona Zuzul discusses the importance of staying true to your company’s principles while remaining flexible enough to welcome progress in the case, Frank Cornelissen: The Great Sulfite Debate.

research topics for business ethics

  • 30 Apr 2024

When Managers Set Unrealistic Expectations, Employees Cut Ethical Corners

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research topics for business ethics

  • 23 Apr 2024

Amazon in Seattle: The Role of Business in Causing and Solving a Housing Crisis

In 2020, Amazon partnered with a nonprofit called Mary’s Place and used some of its own resources to build a shelter for women and families experiencing homelessness on its campus in Seattle. Yet critics argued that Amazon’s apparent charity was misplaced and that the company was actually making the problem worse. Paul Healy and Debora Spar explore the role business plays in addressing unhoused communities in the case “Hitting Home: Amazon and Mary’s Place.”

research topics for business ethics

  • 15 Apr 2024

Struggling With a Big Management Decision? Start by Asking What Really Matters

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research topics for business ethics

  • 26 Mar 2024

How Do Great Leaders Overcome Adversity?

In the spring of 2021, Raymond Jefferson (MBA 2000) applied for a job in President Joseph Biden’s administration. Ten years earlier, false allegations were used to force him to resign from his prior US government position as assistant secretary of labor for veterans’ employment and training in the Department of Labor. Two employees had accused him of ethical violations in hiring and procurement decisions, including pressuring subordinates into extending contracts to his alleged personal associates. The Deputy Secretary of Labor gave Jefferson four hours to resign or be terminated. Jefferson filed a federal lawsuit against the US government to clear his name, which he pursued for eight years at the expense of his entire life savings. Why, after such a traumatic and debilitating experience, would Jefferson want to pursue a career in government again? Harvard Business School Senior Lecturer Anthony Mayo explores Jefferson’s personal and professional journey from upstate New York to West Point to the Obama administration, how he faced adversity at several junctures in his life, and how resilience and vulnerability shaped his leadership style in the case, "Raymond Jefferson: Trial by Fire."

research topics for business ethics

  • 02 Jan 2024

Should Businesses Take a Stand on Societal Issues?

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research topics for business ethics

  • 12 Dec 2023

Can Sustainability Drive Innovation at Ferrari?

When Ferrari, the Italian luxury sports car manufacturer, committed to achieving carbon neutrality and to electrifying a large part of its car fleet, investors and employees applauded the new strategy. But among the company’s suppliers, the reaction was mixed. Many were nervous about how this shift would affect their bottom lines. Professor Raffaella Sadun and Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna discuss how Ferrari collaborated with suppliers to work toward achieving the company’s goal. They also explore how sustainability can be a catalyst for innovation in the case, “Ferrari: Shifting to Carbon Neutrality.” This episode was recorded live December 4, 2023 in front of a remote studio audience in the Live Online Classroom at Harvard Business School.

research topics for business ethics

  • 11 Dec 2023
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Doing Well by Doing Good? One Industry’s Struggle to Balance Values and Profits

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  • 27 Nov 2023

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  • 24 Oct 2023

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research topics for business ethics

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research topics for business ethics

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research topics for business ethics

  • 01 Jun 2023

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research topics for business ethics

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Two Centuries of Business Leaders Who Took a Stand on Social Issues

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research topics for business ethics

  • 14 Mar 2023

Can AI and Machine Learning Help Park Rangers Prevent Poaching?

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research topics for business ethics

  • 14 Feb 2023

Does It Pay to Be a Whistleblower?

In 2013, soon after the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had started a massive whistleblowing program with the potential for large monetary rewards, two employees of a US bank’s asset management business debated whether to blow the whistle on their employer after completing an internal review that revealed undisclosed conflicts of interest. The bank’s asset management business disproportionately invested clients’ money in its own mutual funds over funds managed by other banks, letting it collect additional fees—and the bank had not disclosed this conflict of interest to clients. Both employees agreed that failing to disclose the conflict was a problem, but beyond that, they saw the situation very differently. One employee, Neel, perceived the internal review as a good-faith effort by senior management to identify and address the problem. The other, Akash, thought that the entire business model was problematic, even with a disclosure, and believed that the bank may have even broken the law. Should they escalate the issue internally or report their findings to the US Securities and Exchange Commission? Harvard Business School associate professor Jonas Heese discusses the potential risks and rewards of whistleblowing in his case, “Conflicts of Interest at Uptown Bank.”

Professional Ethics Research Paper Topics

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This page provides a comprehensive list of professional ethics research paper topics , offering students studying ethics a valuable resource for their academic endeavors. Delve into the diverse world of professional ethics, explore its significance, and discover a wide array of research paper topics that can enrich your studies. Whether you seek to understand the ethical dimensions of various professions or wish to analyze ethical challenges in professional settings, this page is your gateway to a wealth of knowledge in the field of professional ethics. Additionally, learn about the writing services offered by iResearchNet, which can help you excel in your research paper assignments. Explore this page and take the first step toward crafting a compelling research paper on professional ethics.

100 Professional Ethics Research Paper Topics

Professional ethics stands as a cornerstone in the realm of ethical studies, guiding individuals and organizations toward responsible and morally sound conduct within their respective fields. It is through the lens of professional ethics that we scrutinize the behavior, values, and dilemmas that arise within various professions. This page provides an invaluable resource for students delving into the intricate world of professional ethics. By exploring the extensive list of research paper topics curated here, you will gain insights into the ethical dimensions of diverse professions and the challenges they face. Through in-depth analysis and critical examination, you can contribute to the ongoing discourse on professional ethics. Dive into this comprehensive collection, and discover the myriad topics awaiting exploration in this vital field.

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Healthcare Professions

  • Ethical considerations in organ transplantation.
  • The role of confidentiality in healthcare ethics.
  • Medical malpractice and professional responsibility.
  • Bioethical dilemmas in end-of-life care.
  • Ethical implications of pharmaceutical marketing.
  • Mental health professionals’ duty to protect confidentiality.
  • Patient autonomy and decision-making in medical ethics.
  • Ethical challenges in clinical trials and research.
  • Ethics of healthcare resource allocation.
  • Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide debates.

Legal and Judicial Professions

  • Legal ethics and attorney-client privilege.
  • Judicial impartiality and the rule of law.
  • Ethical dilemmas in criminal defense.
  • Professional ethics in corporate law.
  • Judges’ recusal and conflicts of interest.
  • Prosecutorial misconduct and accountability.
  • The role of ethics in alternative dispute resolution.
  • Legal ethics in the age of technology.
  • The death penalty and ethical considerations.
  • Ethical issues in international human rights law.

Business and Corporate Ethics

  • Corporate social responsibility and ethical business practices.
  • Workplace ethics and employee rights.
  • Ethical dimensions of business advertising.
  • The role of whistleblowers in corporate ethics.
  • Environmental ethics in business and sustainability.
  • Ethics in international business negotiations.
  • Leadership ethics and the impact on organizational culture.
  • Ethical considerations in outsourcing and globalization.
  • Corporate governance and ethical decision-making.
  • Business ethics in the digital age.

Journalism and Media Ethics

  • Ethical challenges in reporting on sensitive topics.
  • Journalistic objectivity and the pursuit of truth.
  • The role of ethics in photojournalism and image manipulation.
  • Media ownership and its implications for journalistic ethics.
  • The impact of social media on ethical journalism.
  • Whistleblowing in the media industry.
  • Ethical considerations in celebrity reporting.
  • Censorship, freedom of the press, and ethical dilemmas.
  • Conflict of interest in journalism.
  • Privacy issues in the digital media era.

Education and Academic Ethics

  • Plagiarism and academic integrity.
  • Ethical issues in student-teacher relationships.
  • The role of ethics in academic publishing.
  • Educational equity and ethical considerations.
  • Ethical dilemmas in standardized testing.
  • Academic freedom and its ethical boundaries.
  • The ethics of diversity and inclusion in education.
  • Ethics in research involving human subjects.
  • Student rights and educational ethics.
  • The ethics of technology in the classroom.

Engineering and Technology Ethics

  • Ethical considerations in artificial intelligence development.
  • Privacy concerns in the digital age.
  • The impact of automation on job ethics.
  • Environmental ethics in engineering and technology.
  • Ethical dilemmas in genetic engineering.
  • Cybersecurity and ethical responsibilities.
  • Ethical dimensions of autonomous vehicles.
  • Intellectual property and technology ethics.
  • Ethical issues in biotechnology research.
  • The role of ethics in software development.

Social Work and Counseling Ethics

  • Ethical principles in counseling and psychotherapy.
  • Confidentiality and informed consent in counseling.
  • Ethical challenges in child welfare services.
  • The intersection of spirituality and counseling ethics.
  • Cultural competence and ethical practice in social work.
  • Ethical considerations in addiction counseling.
  • Dual relationships in therapeutic settings.
  • The ethics of mental health advocacy.
  • Social justice and ethical social work practice.
  • Ethical issues in gerontology and elder care.

Environmental Ethics

  • Conservation ethics and wildlife protection.
  • Climate change ethics and global responsibility.
  • Environmental justice and ethics.
  • Ethical dimensions of sustainable agriculture.
  • The ethics of natural resource management.
  • Biodiversity preservation and ethical considerations.
  • Pollution control and environmental ethics.
  • Eco-friendly technology and ethical innovation.
  • Corporate responsibility for environmental ethics.
  • Ethical considerations in eco-tourism.

Military and Defense Ethics

  • The ethics of military intervention and just war theory.
  • Soldiers’ moral responsibilities in combat.
  • Ethical dilemmas in intelligence operations.
  • The use of drones and unmanned warfare ethics.
  • Cyber warfare and its ethical implications.
  • Military leadership ethics and responsibility.
  • Ethical considerations in nuclear deterrence.
  • War crimes, accountability, and international law.
  • The ethics of humanitarian assistance in conflict zones.
  • Military ethics in the digital age.

Public Service and Government Ethics

  • Public officials’ duty to uphold the law and ethical conduct.
  • Corruption, transparency, and government ethics.
  • Whistleblowing and ethics in public service.
  • Ethical dimensions of public health policy.
  • Ethical challenges in international diplomacy.
  • Accountability and ethical governance.
  • The role of ethics in disaster management.
  • Ethical considerations in intelligence agencies.
  • Lobbying, special interests, and government ethics.
  • Ethical issues in public-private partnerships.

The compilation above represents merely a fraction of the vast landscape of research paper topics within professional ethics. As you delve into these categories, you’ll find that professional ethics transcends specific vocations, touching on fundamental principles of responsibility, integrity, and accountability. By exploring these topics, students can gain a deeper understanding of the ethical considerations that underpin various professions and industries. From healthcare to journalism, from business to environmental preservation, professional ethics plays a pivotal role in shaping our society.

The Range of Professional Ethics Research Paper Topics

Introduction.

Professional ethics is a cornerstone of ethical studies, offering a compass to navigate the complex terrain of our working lives. As students delve into the world of ethical research, they encounter the multifaceted domain of professional ethics. This page serves as a gateway to exploring the ethical considerations that underpin various vocations and industries, providing a rich tapestry of research paper topics to explore.

Exploring Professional Ethics

Professional ethics, nestled within the larger field of applied ethics, plays a pivotal role in guiding the moral conduct of individuals and organizations in diverse professions. At its core, it seeks to bridge the gap between theoretical ethical principles and the practical realities encountered in professional life.

In various fields, ethical considerations are woven into the fabric of daily practice. For instance, healthcare professionals grapple with dilemmas related to patient autonomy, confidentiality, and end-of-life decisions. Journalists strive to balance the pursuit of truth with concerns regarding privacy and sensitivity. Business leaders navigate the intricate interplay of corporate social responsibility and profit margins.

Research in professional ethics extends beyond academia, impacting real-world practices. By examining the ethical dimensions of specific professions, scholars and practitioners can contribute to the development of ethical guidelines, policies, and practices. Such research aids in addressing ethical challenges, fostering responsible conduct, and safeguarding the integrity of professions.

Range of Research Paper Topics

Professional ethics offers a diverse array of research paper topics that span different vocations and industries, each with its unique ethical considerations. These topics shed light on the moral dimensions of professions and are integral to ethical studies:

Within the expansive realm of professional ethics, students can explore topics ranging from the ethical dilemmas in organ transplantation to legal ethics and the attorney-client privilege. They can delve into corporate social responsibility in business ethics or investigate ethical challenges in reporting sensitive topics in journalism ethics.

Ethical dimensions are not confined to traditional professions. In the ever-evolving world of technology, the ethics of artificial intelligence development and privacy concerns in the digital age are pressing topics. Additionally, questions about conservation ethics and wildlife protection resonate in environmental ethics.

These are but a few examples of the vast landscape of professional ethics research paper topics. Whether you are drawn to the complexities of healthcare, the legal arena, business ethics, or any other profession, the study of professional ethics offers a captivating journey into the moral dimensions of our working lives.

In conclusion, professional ethics is an essential facet of ethical studies, guiding individuals and organizations to uphold principles of responsibility, integrity, and accountability within their respective professions. As students embark on their exploration of professional ethics research paper topics, they enter a realm where ethical principles are put to the test in real-world scenarios.

The breadth of topics within professional ethics mirrors the diversity of professions themselves. Each field presents unique ethical challenges and dilemmas, providing a fertile ground for ethical inquiry. Through rigorous research and thoughtful analysis, students and scholars have the opportunity to contribute to ethical frameworks that shape our society and professions.

We encourage you to delve into the ethical considerations of your chosen profession, for it is within this exploration that you will uncover insights, perspectives, and solutions that can lead to a more ethical and responsible world of work. Embrace the journey, and let your research on professional ethics illuminate the path toward ethical excellence in your chosen field.

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Articles on business ethics

Displaying 1 - 20 of 49 articles.

research topics for business ethics

‘We remain concerned’: Senate inquiry into PwC tax scandal calls for reform, but overuse of consultants will likely continue

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What is ‘ethical AI’ and how can companies achieve it?

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Fast fashion still comes with deadly risks, 10 years after the Rana Plaza disaster – the industry’s many moving pieces make it easy to cut corners

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Luciana Echazú , University of New Hampshire and Diego C. Nocetti , Clarkson University

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Patagonia’s grand gesture sends the wrong message about ethical capitalism

David Weitzner , York University, Canada

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Businesses have the responsibility to invest in health and safety when governments fail to

Maxim Voronov , York University, Canada and Burkard Eberlein , York University, Canada

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Business schools get a bad rap – but a closer look shows they’re often a force for good

George Siedel , University of Michigan

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Hidden costs, manipulation, forced continuity: report reveals how Australian consumers are being duped online

Katharine Kemp , UNSW Sydney

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Catholic Church response to sexual abuse must centre on survivor well-being , not defensiveness

Cathy Driscoll , Saint Mary’s University

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Colonial Pipeline forked over $4.4M to end cyberattack – but is paying a ransom ever the ethical thing to do?

Scott Shackelford , Indiana University and Megan Wade , Indiana University

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Brand activism is moving up the supply chain — corporate accountability or commercial censorship?

Sommer Kapitan , Auckland University of Technology ; Amanda Spry , RMIT University ; Jessica Vredenburg , Auckland University of Technology , and Joya Kemper , University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

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OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma may settle legal claims with a new ‘public trust’ that would still be dedicated to profit

David Herzberg , University at Buffalo

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Women risk losing decades of workplace progress due to COVID-19 – here’s how companies can prevent that

Stephanie M.H. Moore , Indiana University

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Seven ways businesses can value black lives (beyond social media posts)

Ricardo Twumasi , King's College London

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Study finds ethics can be taught – in finance, at least

Andrew Gordon Sutherland , Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

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The company that makes OxyContin could become a ‘public trust’ – what would that mean?

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Should investors buy marijuana stocks?

Sandra Woien , Arizona State University

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Multi-level marketing has been likened to a legal pyramid scheme – the backlash against it is growing

Máire O Sullivan , Edge Hill University

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  • Ethical Considerations in Research | Types & Examples

Ethical Considerations in Research | Types & Examples

Published on October 18, 2021 by Pritha Bhandari . Revised on May 9, 2024.

Ethical considerations in research are a set of principles that guide your research designs and practices. Scientists and researchers must always adhere to a certain code of conduct when collecting data from people.

The goals of human research often include understanding real-life phenomena, studying effective treatments, investigating behaviors, and improving lives in other ways. What you decide to research and how you conduct that research involve key ethical considerations.

These considerations work to

  • protect the rights of research participants
  • enhance research validity
  • maintain scientific or academic integrity

Table of contents

Why do research ethics matter, getting ethical approval for your study, types of ethical issues, voluntary participation, informed consent, confidentiality, potential for harm, results communication, examples of ethical failures, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about research ethics.

Research ethics matter for scientific integrity, human rights and dignity, and collaboration between science and society. These principles make sure that participation in studies is voluntary, informed, and safe for research subjects.

You’ll balance pursuing important research objectives with using ethical research methods and procedures. It’s always necessary to prevent permanent or excessive harm to participants, whether inadvertent or not.

Defying research ethics will also lower the credibility of your research because it’s hard for others to trust your data if your methods are morally questionable.

Even if a research idea is valuable to society, it doesn’t justify violating the human rights or dignity of your study participants.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

Before you start any study involving data collection with people, you’ll submit your research proposal to an institutional review board (IRB) .

An IRB is a committee that checks whether your research aims and research design are ethically acceptable and follow your institution’s code of conduct. They check that your research materials and procedures are up to code.

If successful, you’ll receive IRB approval, and you can begin collecting data according to the approved procedures. If you want to make any changes to your procedures or materials, you’ll need to submit a modification application to the IRB for approval.

If unsuccessful, you may be asked to re-submit with modifications or your research proposal may receive a rejection. To get IRB approval, it’s important to explicitly note how you’ll tackle each of the ethical issues that may arise in your study.

There are several ethical issues you should always pay attention to in your research design, and these issues can overlap with each other.

You’ll usually outline ways you’ll deal with each issue in your research proposal if you plan to collect data from participants.

Voluntary participation Your participants are free to opt in or out of the study at any point in time.
Informed consent Participants know the purpose, benefits, risks, and funding behind the study before they agree or decline to join.
Anonymity You don’t know the identities of the participants. Personally identifiable data is not collected.
Confidentiality You know who the participants are but you keep that information hidden from everyone else. You anonymize personally identifiable data so that it can’t be linked to other data by anyone else.
Potential for harm Physical, social, psychological and all other types of harm are kept to an absolute minimum.
Results communication You ensure your work is free of or research misconduct, and you accurately represent your results.

Voluntary participation means that all research subjects are free to choose to participate without any pressure or coercion.

All participants are able to withdraw from, or leave, the study at any point without feeling an obligation to continue. Your participants don’t need to provide a reason for leaving the study.

It’s important to make it clear to participants that there are no negative consequences or repercussions to their refusal to participate. After all, they’re taking the time to help you in the research process , so you should respect their decisions without trying to change their minds.

Voluntary participation is an ethical principle protected by international law and many scientific codes of conduct.

Take special care to ensure there’s no pressure on participants when you’re working with vulnerable groups of people who may find it hard to stop the study even when they want to.

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Informed consent refers to a situation in which all potential participants receive and understand all the information they need to decide whether they want to participate. This includes information about the study’s benefits, risks, funding, and institutional approval.

You make sure to provide all potential participants with all the relevant information about

  • what the study is about
  • the risks and benefits of taking part
  • how long the study will take
  • your supervisor’s contact information and the institution’s approval number

Usually, you’ll provide participants with a text for them to read and ask them if they have any questions. If they agree to participate, they can sign or initial the consent form. Note that this may not be sufficient for informed consent when you work with particularly vulnerable groups of people.

If you’re collecting data from people with low literacy, make sure to verbally explain the consent form to them before they agree to participate.

For participants with very limited English proficiency, you should always translate the study materials or work with an interpreter so they have all the information in their first language.

In research with children, you’ll often need informed permission for their participation from their parents or guardians. Although children cannot give informed consent, it’s best to also ask for their assent (agreement) to participate, depending on their age and maturity level.

Anonymity means that you don’t know who the participants are and you can’t link any individual participant to their data.

You can only guarantee anonymity by not collecting any personally identifying information—for example, names, phone numbers, email addresses, IP addresses, physical characteristics, photos, and videos.

In many cases, it may be impossible to truly anonymize data collection . For example, data collected in person or by phone cannot be considered fully anonymous because some personal identifiers (demographic information or phone numbers) are impossible to hide.

You’ll also need to collect some identifying information if you give your participants the option to withdraw their data at a later stage.

Data pseudonymization is an alternative method where you replace identifying information about participants with pseudonymous, or fake, identifiers. The data can still be linked to participants but it’s harder to do so because you separate personal information from the study data.

Confidentiality means that you know who the participants are, but you remove all identifying information from your report.

All participants have a right to privacy, so you should protect their personal data for as long as you store or use it. Even when you can’t collect data anonymously, you should secure confidentiality whenever you can.

Some research designs aren’t conducive to confidentiality, but it’s important to make all attempts and inform participants of the risks involved.

As a researcher, you have to consider all possible sources of harm to participants. Harm can come in many different forms.

  • Psychological harm: Sensitive questions or tasks may trigger negative emotions such as shame or anxiety.
  • Social harm: Participation can involve social risks, public embarrassment, or stigma.
  • Physical harm: Pain or injury can result from the study procedures.
  • Legal harm: Reporting sensitive data could lead to legal risks or a breach of privacy.

It’s best to consider every possible source of harm in your study as well as concrete ways to mitigate them. Involve your supervisor to discuss steps for harm reduction.

Make sure to disclose all possible risks of harm to participants before the study to get informed consent. If there is a risk of harm, prepare to provide participants with resources or counseling or medical services if needed.

Some of these questions may bring up negative emotions, so you inform participants about the sensitive nature of the survey and assure them that their responses will be confidential.

The way you communicate your research results can sometimes involve ethical issues. Good science communication is honest, reliable, and credible. It’s best to make your results as transparent as possible.

Take steps to actively avoid plagiarism and research misconduct wherever possible.

Plagiarism means submitting others’ works as your own. Although it can be unintentional, copying someone else’s work without proper credit amounts to stealing. It’s an ethical problem in research communication because you may benefit by harming other researchers.

Self-plagiarism is when you republish or re-submit parts of your own papers or reports without properly citing your original work.

This is problematic because you may benefit from presenting your ideas as new and original even though they’ve already been published elsewhere in the past. You may also be infringing on your previous publisher’s copyright, violating an ethical code, or wasting time and resources by doing so.

In extreme cases of self-plagiarism, entire datasets or papers are sometimes duplicated. These are major ethical violations because they can skew research findings if taken as original data.

You notice that two published studies have similar characteristics even though they are from different years. Their sample sizes, locations, treatments, and results are highly similar, and the studies share one author in common.

Research misconduct

Research misconduct means making up or falsifying data, manipulating data analyses, or misrepresenting results in research reports. It’s a form of academic fraud.

These actions are committed intentionally and can have serious consequences; research misconduct is not a simple mistake or a point of disagreement about data analyses.

Research misconduct is a serious ethical issue because it can undermine academic integrity and institutional credibility. It leads to a waste of funding and resources that could have been used for alternative research.

Later investigations revealed that they fabricated and manipulated their data to show a nonexistent link between vaccines and autism. Wakefield also neglected to disclose important conflicts of interest, and his medical license was taken away.

This fraudulent work sparked vaccine hesitancy among parents and caregivers. The rate of MMR vaccinations in children fell sharply, and measles outbreaks became more common due to a lack of herd immunity.

Research scandals with ethical failures are littered throughout history, but some took place not that long ago.

Some scientists in positions of power have historically mistreated or even abused research participants to investigate research problems at any cost. These participants were prisoners, under their care, or otherwise trusted them to treat them with dignity.

To demonstrate the importance of research ethics, we’ll briefly review two research studies that violated human rights in modern history.

These experiments were inhumane and resulted in trauma, permanent disabilities, or death in many cases.

After some Nazi doctors were put on trial for their crimes, the Nuremberg Code of research ethics for human experimentation was developed in 1947 to establish a new standard for human experimentation in medical research.

In reality, the actual goal was to study the effects of the disease when left untreated, and the researchers never informed participants about their diagnoses or the research aims.

Although participants experienced severe health problems, including blindness and other complications, the researchers only pretended to provide medical care.

When treatment became possible in 1943, 11 years after the study began, none of the participants were offered it, despite their health conditions and high risk of death.

Ethical failures like these resulted in severe harm to participants, wasted resources, and lower trust in science and scientists. This is why all research institutions have strict ethical guidelines for performing research.

If you want to know more about statistics , methodology , or research bias , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

  • Normal distribution
  • Measures of central tendency
  • Chi square tests
  • Confidence interval
  • Quartiles & Quantiles
  • Cluster sampling
  • Stratified sampling
  • Thematic analysis
  • Cohort study
  • Peer review
  • Ethnography

Research bias

  • Implicit bias
  • Cognitive bias
  • Conformity bias
  • Hawthorne effect
  • Availability heuristic
  • Attrition bias
  • Social desirability bias

Ethical considerations in research are a set of principles that guide your research designs and practices. These principles include voluntary participation, informed consent, anonymity, confidentiality, potential for harm, and results communication.

Scientists and researchers must always adhere to a certain code of conduct when collecting data from others .

These considerations protect the rights of research participants, enhance research validity , and maintain scientific integrity.

Research ethics matter for scientific integrity, human rights and dignity, and collaboration between science and society. These principles make sure that participation in studies is voluntary, informed, and safe.

Anonymity means you don’t know who the participants are, while confidentiality means you know who they are but remove identifying information from your research report. Both are important ethical considerations .

You can only guarantee anonymity by not collecting any personally identifying information—for example, names, phone numbers, email addresses, IP addresses, physical characteristics, photos, or videos.

You can keep data confidential by using aggregate information in your research report, so that you only refer to groups of participants rather than individuals.

These actions are committed intentionally and can have serious consequences; research misconduct is not a simple mistake or a point of disagreement but a serious ethical failure.

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What Is Business Ethics?

Understanding business ethics, why is business ethics important, types of business ethics.

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The Bottom Line

What is business ethics definition, principles, and importance.

research topics for business ethics

Yarilet Perez is an experienced multimedia journalist and fact-checker with a Master of Science in Journalism. She has worked in multiple cities covering breaking news, politics, education, and more. Her expertise is in personal finance and investing, and real estate.

research topics for business ethics

Business ethics is the moral principles, policies, and values that govern the way companies and individuals engage in business activity. It goes beyond legal requirements to establish a code of conduct that drives employee behavior at all levels and helps build trust between a business and its customers.

Key Takeaways

  • Business ethics refers to implementing appropriate business policies and practices with regard to arguably controversial subjects.
  • Some issues that come up in a discussion of ethics include corporate governance, insider trading, bribery, discrimination, social responsibility, and fiduciary responsibilities.
  • The law usually sets the tone for business ethics, though doing the bare minimum is generally frowned upon.
  • Developing ethical models and practices can boost a company's revenues, profits, and share price.

Investopedia / Katie Kerpel

Business ethics ensure that a certain basic level of trust exists between consumers and various forms of market participants with businesses. For example, a portfolio manager must give the same consideration to the portfolios of family members and small individual investors as they do to wealthier clients. These kinds of practices ensure the public receives fair treatment.

The concept of business ethics began in the 1960s as corporations became more aware of a rising consumer-based society that showed concerns regarding the environment, social causes, and corporate responsibility. The increased focus on "social issues" was a hallmark of the decade.

Since that time, the concept of business ethics has evolved. Business ethics goes beyond just a moral code of right and wrong; it attempts to reconcile what companies must do legally vs. maintaining a competitive advantage over other businesses. Firms display business ethics in several ways.

Business ethics ensure a certain level of trust between consumers and corporations, guaranteeing the public fair and equal treatment.

Principles of Business Ethics

There are generally 12 business ethics principles:

  • Leadership : The conscious effort to adopt, integrate, and emulate the other 11 principles to guide decisions and behavior in all aspects of professional and personal life.
  • Accountability : Holding yourself and others responsible for their actions. Commitment to following ethical practices and ensuring others follow ethics guidelines.
  • Integrity : Incorporates other principles—honesty, trustworthiness, and reliability. Someone with integrity consistently does the right thing and strives to hold themselves to a higher standard.
  • Respect for others : To foster ethical behavior and environments in the workplace, respecting others is a critical component. Everyone deserves dignity, privacy, equality, opportunity, compassion, and empathy.
  • Honesty : Truth in all matters is key to fostering an ethical climate. Partial truths, omissions, and under or overstating don't help a business improve its performance. Bad news should be communicated and received in the same manner as good news so that solutions can be developed.
  • Respect for laws : Ethical leadership should include enforcing all local, state, and federal laws. If there is a legal grey area, leaders should err on the side of legality rather than exploiting a gap.
  • Responsibility : Promote ownership within an organization, allow employees to be responsible for their work, and be accountable for yours.
  • Transparency : Stakeholders are people with an interest in a business, such as shareholders, employees, the community a firm operates in, and the family members of the employees. Without divulging trade secrets, companies should ensure information about their financials, price changes, hiring and firing practices, wages and salaries, and promotions are available to those interested in the business's success.
  • Compassion : Employees, the community surrounding a business, business partners, and customers should all be treated with concern for their well-being.
  • Fairness : Everyone should have the same opportunities and be treated the same. If a practice or behavior would make you feel uncomfortable or place personal or corporate benefit in front of equality, common courtesy, and respect, it is likely not fair.
  • Loyalty : Leadership should demonstrate commitment to their employees and the company. Inspiring loyalty in employees and management ensures that they are committed to best practices.
  • Environmental concern : In a world where resources are limited, ecosystems have been damaged by past practices, and the climate is changing, it is of utmost importance to be aware of and concerned about the environmental impacts a business has. All employees should be encouraged to discover and report solutions for practices that can add to damages already done.

There are several reasons business ethics are essential for success in modern business. Most importantly, defined ethics programs establish a code of conduct that drives employee behavior—from executives to middle management to the newest and youngest employees.

When all employees make ethical decisions, the company establishes a reputation for ethical behavior. Its reputation grows, and it begins to experience the benefits a moral establishment reaps, such as:

  • Brand recognition and growth
  • Increased ability to negotiate
  • Increased trust in products and services
  • Customer retention and growth
  • Attracting talent
  • Attracting investors

When combined, all these factors affect a business' revenues. Those who fail to set ethical standards and enforce them are doomed to eventually find themselves alongside Enron, Arthur Andersen, Wells Fargo, Lehman Brothers, Bernie Madoff, and many others.

There are various types of business ethics. What mainly makes a business stand out are its corporate social responsibility practices, transparency and trustworthiness, fairness, and technological practices.

Corporate Social Responsibility

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is the concept of meeting the needs of stakeholders while accounting for the impact meeting those needs has on employees, the environment, society, and the community in which the business operates. Finances and profits are important, but they should be secondary to the welfare of society, customers, and employees. In fact, studies have concluded that corporate governance and ethical practices increase financial performance.

A greater focus on business ethics is an expense that tends to pay off. Over time, it boosts revenues and limits damaging lawsuits.

Transparency and Trustworthiness

It's essential for companies to ensure they are reporting their financial performance in a way that is transparent. This not only applies to required financial reports but all reports in general.

Most of these reports outline not only the submitted reports to regulators, but how and why decisions were made, if goals were met, and factors that influenced performance. CEOs write summaries of the company's annual performance and give their outlooks.

Press releases are another way companies can be transparent. Events important to investors and customers should be published, regardless of whether it is good or bad news.

Technological Practices and Ethics

The growing use of technology of all forms in business operations inherently comes with a need to ensure the technology and information being gathered is used ethically. Additionally, it should ensure that the technology is secured to the utmost of its ability, especially as many businesses store customer information and collect data that those with nefarious intentions can use.

A workplace should be inclusive, diverse, and fair for all employees regardless of race, religion, beliefs, age, or identity. A fair work environment is where everyone can grow, be promoted, and become successful in their own way.

How to Implement Good Business Ethics

Fostering an environment of ethical behavior and decision-making takes time and effort and starts at the top. Most companies need to create a code of conduct/ethics, guiding principles, reporting procedures, and training programs to enforce and encourage ethical behavior.

Once conduct is defined and programs are implemented, continuous communication with employees becomes vital. Leaders should constantly encourage employees to report concerning behavior. Additionally, there should be assurances that whistle-blowers will not face adversarial actions.

A pipeline for anonymous reporting can help businesses identify questionable practices and reassure employees that they will not face any consequences for reporting an issue.

Monitoring and Reporting Unethical Behavior

To prevent unethical behavior and repair its adverse side effects, companies often look to managers and employees to report any unethical acts they observe or experience. However, barriers within the company culture (such as fear of retaliation for reporting misconduct) can prevent this from happening.

Published by the Ethics & Compliance Initiative (ECI), the annual Global Business Ethics Survey reaches out to thousands of employees in 42 countries about various ethics-related topics, including the strength of the ethics culture in their workplace, whether they have witnessed any misconduct where they work, and if their employer is making efforts to promote integrity.

In the 2023 survey, published in May 2024, 65% of the employees surveyed said they had observed at least one act deemed to be a violation of their organization’s standards or the law in the past 12 months and 72% of them said they had reported it. Worryingly, 46% of these employees then went on to admit that they had been retaliated against for raising concerns.

Indeed, fear of retaliation is one of the primary reasons employees cite for not reporting unethical behavior in the workplace. ECI says companies should work toward improving their corporate culture by reinforcing the idea that reporting suspected misconduct is beneficial to the company. Additionally, they should acknowledge and reward the employee's courage in making the report.

Business ethics concerns ethical dilemmas or controversial issues faced by a company. Often, business ethics involve a system of practices and procedures that help build trust with the consumer. On one level, some business ethics are embedded in the law, such as minimum wages, insider trading restrictions, and environmental regulations. On another, business ethics can be influenced by management behavior, with wide-ranging effects across the company.

What Are Business Ethics and Example?

Business ethics guide executives, managers, and employees in their daily actions and decision-making. For example, consider a company that has decided to dump chemical waste that it cannot afford to dispose of properly on a vacant lot it has purchased in the local community. This action has legal, environmental, and social repercussions that can damage a company beyond repair.

What Are the 12 Ethical Principles?

Business ethics is an evolving topic. Generally, there are about 12 ethical principles: honesty, fairness, leadership, accountability, integrity, compassion, respect, responsibility, loyalty, respect for the law, transparency, and environmental concerns.

Business ethics concerns employees, customers, society, the environment, shareholders, and stakeholders. Therefore, every business should develop ethical models and practices that guide employees in their actions and ensure they prioritize the interests and welfare of those the company serves.

Doing so creates a positive work environment and builds trust with consumers and business partners, which can all contribute to higher revenues and profits.

Ethics & Compliance Initiative. " Timeline of Business Ethics and Compliance ."

New York University Stern Center for Sustainable Business. " ESG and Financial Performance: Uncovering the Relationship By Aggregating Evidence From 1,000 Plus Studies Published Between 2015 – 2020 ."

Washington State University. " 3 Reasons an Ethical Business Leads to Profits ."

Ethics & Compliance Initiative (ECI). " The Global Business Ethics Survey ."

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Ethical Research Paper Topics

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Table of contents

  • 1 Types of Ethics
  • 2 How to Select the Best Ethical Research Paper Topics?
  • 3 Ethical Issues Topics
  • 4 Ethical Conflicts Topics
  • 5 Medical Ethics Topics
  • 6 Environmental Ethics Topics
  • 7 Criminal Justice Ethics Topics to Write About
  • 8 Top 10 Ethics Topics to Debate
  • 9 Social Responsibility Ethics Topics
  • 10 Business Ethics Research Paper Topics
  • 11 Sports Ethics Topics
  • 12.1 First Tip
  • 12.2 Second Tip
  • 12.3 Third Tip
  • 12.4 Fourth Tip
  • 12.5 Fifth Tip
  • 13 Conclusion

Ethical research paper topics cover various human, animal, and environmental rights issues. Research ethics aim to protect the well-being and rights of participants and ensure that research is conducted responsibly and accountable. In this context, ethical research paper topics can be crucial to academic inquiry and public debate.

In this text, you’ll find out about:

  • Choosing a topic that aligns with personal interests  and passions can make it easier to delve deeper into any moral or immoral problems. All this contributes to the ongoing conversation around ethics and its impact on society.
  • Tips for choosing ethical research paper topics include selecting a matter of personal interest. It’s also important to note relevance to society, ethical problems in different fields, appropriate scope and depth, and thorough research and analysis.
  • Examples of ethical research paper topics include end-of-life issues, animal experimentation, ethics of gay marriage, ethical hacking, ethical leadership, ethical philosophy, and ethical concerns.

Types of Ethics

Several areas can be explored when choosing a topic for an ethical research paper. But if you feel overwhelmed, you can buy APA research paper to get help with your assignment. People have different areas of interest when it comes to ethics. Some people have an interest in medical ethics. It talks about things like assisted suicide, organ donation, and the use of medical technology. Other people like business ethics, which looks at how companies can be responsible and honest in their marketing. Environmental ethics is another important area. It covers topics like climate change, animal rights, and sustainability. Whatever area you choose, picking something you care about is important.

How to Select the Best Ethical Research Paper Topics?

If you are a student looking to choose the best ethical research paper topic, it cannot be easy to decide. Remember that, if stuck, buying college research papers can help you get inspired. Here are some other tips that you can follow:

  • Personal Interest: It’s important to ensure your chosen topic interests you. By doing so, you will keep yourself motivated throughout the process of writing. It will help you produce a paper that is not only well-written but also engaging.
  • Relevance to Society: Note to choose a topic that not only aligns with your values but is also relevant to society.
  • Ethical Issues in Different Fields: While choosing a topic, consider topics related to different fields, such as teaching ethics, global warming ethics, workplace ethics, nursing ethics, virtue ethics, religious ethics, and biomedical ethics topics.
  • Scope and Depth: This is a point that students often overlook; it’s important to choose a topic that is neither too narrow nor too broad. Ensure you can draft a meaningful conclusion in a research paper and that the topic is relevant enough. This will ensure that you have enough information to cover without feeling overwhelmed.
  • Thorough Research and Analysis: After shortlisting your topic, conduct thorough research and analysis. This encompasses gathering relevant information and credible sources.

Need help with research paper writing? Get your paper written by a professional writer Get Help Reviews.io 4.9/5

Ethical Issues Topics

Ethical issues are prevalent and can arise in various fields and contexts. Understanding these issues’ impact is crucial for promoting ethical behavior and decision-making. Here are some thought-provoking ethics essay topics that can spark discussion:

  • End of Life
  • Animal Experimentation
  • Ethics of Gay – Scientific and Ethical Criticism
  • The Psychology Behind the Ethical Dilemma Situations in Law Enforcement
  • The Value and Ownership of Human Tissue
  • Weighing the Benefits against the Ethical Costs of the Sale of Construction Equipment in Africa
  • The Use of Performance-Enhancing Drugs
  • Blind Obedience
  • Plagiarism Issues for Higher Education
  • Resolving Ethical Business Challenges

Ethical Conflicts Topics

An ethical dilemma arises when individuals or groups are faced with a decision requiring them to weigh conflicting values per the ethical rules. These conflicts can be challenging to navigate and require careful consideration and analysis. Here are some ethical conflicts topics that can help you explore the ethical implications.

  • The Picture of Dorian Gray Conflict
  • Organizational Structure and Corporate Social Responsibility
  • The Ethical Dilemma in Our Society
  • The Psychology Behind the Law Enforcement
  • Product Safety
  • The Use of Deception
  • Managerial Ethics & Social Responsibility
  • Ethical Consumerism
  • Business Ethics in the Government
  • Sexual Harassment: Why Is it Wrong

Medical Ethics Topics

Medical ethics is a required field that examines healthcare professionals’ and patients’ ethical dilemmas. With the advancement of medical technology and the changing landscape of healthcare, it is important to stay up-to-date on issues such as stem cell research. Here are some medical ethics topics that can help you understand the ethical responsibilities in healthcare.

  • Euthanasia Pros and Cons
  • Parents who want their Babies to be Deaf Through Genetic Modification and the Role of Genetic Counseling
  • Legalizing Physician-Assisted Suicide to Suffering/Terminally Ill Patients
  • Implanting the VeriChip Inside the Human Body
  • Informed Consent of Human Research
  • Abortion Issue, Ethics, and Philosophy
  • Medical Law & Ethics
  • The Ethics of the Gay Gene
  • Childhood Obesity: Global Epidemic and Ethical Concerns
  • Medical Marijuana

Environmental Ethics Topics

Environmental ethics is a branch of philosophy that explores the ethical responsibility of human interactions with the natural world and environmental protection. Examining these issues and our moral obligation through an ethical lens is important. Here are some environmental and ethical topics that can help you understand and explore a human’s moral duties:

  • Saving an Endangered Species
  • Benefits of Adopting a Pet from an Animal Shelter
  • Organic Foods: a Better Option for Humans and the Environment
  • Environmental Racism against Native American
  • Positive Effect of Veganism on the Environment
  • Five Ways Immigration–Driven Population Growth Impacts Our Environment
  • Overpopulation Effects on Health and the Environment
  • Deforestation of Rainforests and its Effects on the Environment
  • Are Self-driving Cars Good for the People, the Environment, and the Future?
  • Fracking: an Environmental and Political Issue

Criminal Justice Ethics Topics to Write About

Criminal justice ethics is a field that examines the ethical dilemmas and challenges within the justice system. From the police force to the courts and prisons, many complex ethical principles must be considered. Here are some topics that can help you explore:

  • Why is it Necessary to Teach Ethics in Criminal Justice Law Business and Medical
  • Sexual Assault and Harassment in the Army
  • Corporal Punishment as the Main Cause Behind Serial Killers
  • Primary Justice Models in the American Legal System
  • The Racial Injustice Existed in our Judicial System
  • Winds of Change in America’s Criminal Justice System
  • Sides Involved in Police Brutality
  • Racial Profiling Within the Criminal Justice System
  • Gender Equality and Crime
  • Domestic Terrorism in the Land of the Free

Top 10 Ethics Topics to Debate

Debating ethical problems is an effective way to explore different perspectives on complex ethical questions and moral issues. From personal values to societal norms, many ethical norms and ethical obligations can spark debates. Here are the top 10 topics worth debating and ethical analysis for your ethics essay:

  • Christian Ethics
  • Mandatory Organ Donation: Ethical or Unethical
  • Free Will and Ethics in the Catholic Church
  • Social and Ethical Implications of GMOs
  • The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism
  • Using Animals for Medical Testing is both Ethical and Essential?
  • Taboos in Religion, Reincarnation, and Other Beliefs
  • Single Gender Schools: a Better Learning Environment?
  • Modern Society Limits
  • Abortion Issue, Ethics, And Philosophy

Social Responsibility Ethics Topics

Moral problems and moral Responsibility in society mean that everyone has a duty. They should act in the best interests of society and the environment. This concept has become increasingly important in modern business and society. This is because individuals and companies are being held accountable for poor ethical values. Here are some interesting ethics topics:

  • Different Perspectives on the Concept of Corporate Social Responsibility
  • Research Related to Responsibility to Protect and the Role of Major Powers
  • What is Responsibility, and why is it important
  • The Importance of Respect
  • Value transmission in Multinational Corporations
  • Freedom and Responsibility in Sartre
  • Adolf Hitler and Responsibility for the Holocaust
  • Understanding of Responsibility for Social and Economic Justice
  • The Global Responsibility for the Refugee Crisis
  • A Comprehensive Prison Reform to Help Reduce the Number of Inmates Detained in Prison

Business Ethics Research Paper Topics

Business ethics is the study of ethical principles and moral values in business. With the increasing focus on sustainability and corporate social responsibility, the importance of business ethics has increased. Here are some of the top business ethics topics that can help you analyze and understand the ethical dilemma topics in business:

  • A Review of Business Ethics in Chase
  • Business Ethics in Negotiations
  • Stability of Business Ethics in Organizations
  • Business Ethics Discussion at Walmart INC
  • Adherence to Generally Accepted Concepts of Business Ethics
  • Legal Aspects of Business Ethics
  • Business Ethics and Social Responsibility
  • Review on Businesses Without Values and Ethics
  • The Relevancy of Ethics for Business Decisions
  • Ethics and the Business Professional

Tech Ethical Problems Research Topics

The advancement of technology and the growth of tech companies has brought about many ethical challenges. Many ethical theories need to be addressed. From privacy concerns to using artificial intelligence, use of ethics boards, and computer crimes, it is important to examine these issues from an ethical standpoint. Here are some tech ethics paper topics for you:

  • Policies, Ethics, and Promises: Improving Techfite’s Reputation and Morale
  • Education System and Educational Technologies
  • Steve Jobs and the Technological Revolution
  • An Issue of Social Media and Cyber Crimes
  • AI as the Future of Technology and a Big Asset for IBM
  • The Impact of Technology on our Daily Lives: Advancements and Challenges
  • Cybercrimes: an Unprecedented Threat to the Society
  • Is Technology Bringing Us Closer to the World of Big Brother
  • Home Depot’s Technological Solution to Discrimination in the Workplace
  • Influence of Technologies on People

Sports Ethics Topics

Sports ethics is a field that explores the moral and ethical dimensions of sports and athletic competition. The topics can be related to an athlete’s responsibility of ethics in conducting professional sports events. Here are some sports ethics research paper topics that can help you explore:

  • Inequality of Pay in Sports
  • Should Sports Betting Be Legal Everywhere
  • Compensation of College Athletes
  • Gender And Sexuality In Sport In the 21st Century
  • Wheelchair Basketball Game While Disabled
  • Gender Inequality In Athletic Sports
  • College And African American Male: Basketball Athletes
  • Gender Wage Gap Within Sports
  • The Way People View Women In Sports
  • The International Olympic Committee (IOC) And Its Impact On Women In Sports

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Tips for Choosing a Good Ethics Research Paper Topic

Choosing a good topic is important, as it will impact the direction of your research and the quality of your paper. Here are some tips to help you choose a good moral ethics topic for your academic writing.

Choose a topic that interests you. Selecting a topic you are passionate about is important, as it will keep you motivated throughout the research and writing process. Consider your experiences, interests, or current events that spark your curiosity.

Narrow down your focus. Ethics is a broad field, and it can be overwhelming to tackle large ethical topics. Instead, focus on a specific aspect or issue within the field of ethics. This will allow you to produce a more comprehensive paper.

Consider the relevance and significance of the topic. Look for topics relevant to contemporary society or currently being debated. You can also consider issues that have not yet received much attention in research. Good ethical research papers help you explore a moral and immoral problem.

Ensure that there is enough information available on the topic. Make sure that your paper’s format follows the guidelines; you can check how to cite an article to ensure that everything is on-point. Before you decide on a topic, conduct a preliminary search to ensure enough credible sources available on the subject matter.

Choose a topic that aligns with your research goals and objectives. Your research paper should have a clear purpose and intent. Thus, select a topic to enable you to achieve those goals. Also, note that the conclusion in research papers must be solid and comprehensive. Finally, it is important to ensure that the case aligns with the guidelines and requirements of your course.

To sum up, picking a topic for your ethics research paper can be difficult, but there are tips in this article that can help. Try looking into various fields. These include medical ethics, friendship ethics, pregnancy ethics, genetic engineering research, capital punishment, racial conflicts, etc. You can encourage critical thinking by examining ethical issues like these. You can also start conversations and make a big difference in the ongoing discussions about ethics and how it affects society.

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    12 Tips for Choosing a Good Ethics Research Paper Topic. 12.1 First Tip. 12.2 Second Tip. 12.3 Third Tip. 12.4 Fourth Tip. 12.5 Fifth Tip. 13 Conclusion. Ethical research paper topics cover various human, animal, and environmental rights issues. Research ethics aim to protect the well-being and rights of participants and ensure that research is ...