Read the following paragraph and answers the following questions
Mr. Suryaputra is working for Suchitra private limited, a marketing research organization since two months. Suchitra is a well known, recognized marketing research company. It offers market research solutions to large clients cutting across various industries.
Mr. Ganesh and Mr. Narayan are working as business development executives in marketing department of Suchitra Private limited. Both of them get the research project from clients and give it to operation team. The operation team analyzes the data and marketing strategy is written on the bases of data interpretation by the research team. The final report is given to Miss Jhanvi Who looks after the operation department. In turn this report is handed over to Mr. Ganesh and Mr. Narayan who gives verbal presentation to clients.The research projects are assigned to 20 research analysts in the firm on the basis of their workloads. As numbers of clients are large it is very difficult for the company to have fixed analysts working on the project. Therefore operation department allocated the work internally and externally. Internal analysts work on sample, construction of questionnaire and interpreting the data. Data collection and data processing is outsourced from Shankar research Limited.
Mr. Suryaputra’s responsibilities are interpreting the data and provide the recommendation to the clients. He has completed over 10 projects in the last two months and his works are well appreciated by the clients. He has completed the new assignment on the Friday and submitted to Miss Jhanvi. When Mr. Suryaputra returned to office on Monday he saw the changes in the data processed and a note to see Miss Jhanvi.
Miss Jhanvi explained that Mr. Narayan would not like the report as client probably not agree with it. She explained that Mr. Narayan took permission to do some correction in the primary data and asked Mr. Suryaputra to write a new report.
Questions:
a. Is it ethical to change the actual findings of the marketing research report? Support your answer.
b. What is the impact on the business if the un-fabricated data sent to clients?
Dear Ponnu, since you are having this trouble, obviously the problem may be a little complicated; otherewise you could have decided on your own. However I am putting my views as below:
1) let us forget the ethical question (and altering actual findings actually is); the exercise will be self-defeating and very likely to be against your own business development. Because, a client is will not judge your work based on your mutual agreement about findings but based on how it can result into more money and real business growth for them or into obviating them from a loss of business /growth. That indeed is the point you must persuade the client about. I suggest that you recommend them best course of action honestly based on actual findings.To reply your question, altering facts is definitely unethical but I would like to persuade you that it may result into less business (development) for your firm.
2) I think this is answered under para 1) above.
Furthermore, you have mentioned that Mr Narayan has altered/corrected primary data to suit minds of the cliets (as he reads them). My dear, how can one alter primary data. You may have altered perception, interpretation and opinion about it but altering primaty data is grossly illogical. I think the business dev manager will ensure less business for the firm in the not so long term.
I hope this may help you a little
regards
Alok
all depends on how client feels about it…in this case study he did not like it…so its wrong…it all depends on situations…
References :
It is most unethical to change the findings of a market research study. it simply defeats the very purpose of Market Research, which is to find out the reality as it exists. this is so regardless of whether the client likes it or not.
most clients would not be so foolish as to have an opinion in preference to the facts. even if one does come across one such client one needs to retain ones own self respect by adhering to sound professional ethics, which most clients do appreciate and in fact expect.
the consequences of doctored findings, as these are known in the profession, to the client company can be disastrous as many of their marketing decisions, vital ones perhaps, may be based on falsehood.
References :
Firstly, it is to be always remembered that Truth is Positive since it is the reality and Falsehood is Negative as it is concocted or fabricated, Hence,any act that is aimed to hide or present a disorted truth, is not only unethical.but also a crime.
The purpose of Marketing Research is to formulate policies and strategies best suited for a Company to ensure its success and growth. Any tampering with the basic data of the research will simply defeat the purpose for which it was intended. The company makes some investment only to earn profit and not to incur any loss. If such an ivestment is made on the basis of a tailored report of the Marketing Research team, it is bound to be suicidal for the company. On the other hand, the team or company involved in submitting the report of Marketing Research will also lose its credibility in the market.
References :
Dear Ponnu, since you are having this trouble, obviously the problem may be a little complicated; otherewise you could have decided on your own. However I am putting my views as below:
1) let us forget the ethical question (and altering actual findings actually is); the exercise will be self-defeating and very likely to be against your own business development. Because, a client is will not judge your work based on your mutual agreement about findings but based on how it can result into more money and real business growth for them or into obviating them from a loss of business /growth. That indeed is the point you must persuade the client about. I suggest that you recommend them best course of action honestly based on actual findings.To reply your question, altering facts is definitely unethical but I would like to persuade you that it may result into less business (development) for your firm.
2) I think this is answered under para 1) above.
Furthermore, you have mentioned that Mr Narayan has altered/corrected primary data to suit minds of the cliets (as he reads them). My dear, how can one alter primary data. You may have altered perception, interpretation and opinion about it but altering primaty data is grossly illogical. I think the business dev manager will ensure less business for the firm in the not so long term.
I hope this may help you a little
regards
Alok
References :
My own thought.