NEGOTIATION & ETHICS IN GAINING ACCESS TO BUSINESS ANGELS NETWORKS ( A CASE STUDY)

Submitted By: Abhishek Gupta 11DCP055

Ashwini Kumar Sharma 11DCP106

Joseph Thomas 11DCP076 Mayank Gaur 11DCP081 Nikhar Gupta Tarun Gautam 11DCP084 11DCP100

AGENDA
Introduction Problems associated with access

Strategies to gain access

Research Ethics Two views of ethics Case Summary Case Discussion

LEARNING POINTS
Aware of issues related to gaining access and

research ethics. Able to evaluate a range of strategies to help you to gain access to organizations and to individual participants. Able to anticipate ethical issues at each stage of your research process, to help you to deal with these. Able to evaluate the ethical issues associated with particular data collection methods.

INTRODUCTION
Access and ethics are critical aspects for the

conduct of research. Insufficient attention may therefore be paid to gaining access and even less to the likelihood of ethical concerns arising in relation to the conduct of the research project. These are aspects that require careful attention at the outset of any research project.

PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH ACCESS

Ability to collect data will depend on gaining

access to their source or to appropriate sources where there is a choice. The appropriateness of a source will of course depend on your research question, related to objectives and strategy. The first level of access is physical access or entry. Gaining physical access can be difficult for number of reasons.

PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH ACCESS

Why gain physical access is difficult?
Organizations or individuals may not be prepared to engage

in additional, voluntary activities because of the time and resources required. The request for access and cooperation may fail to interest the person who receives it. The organization may find itself in a difficult situation owing to external events totally unrelated to any perceptions about the nature of the request or the person making, so that they have no choice but to refuse access.

PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH ACCESS

Physical access to an organization will be formally

granted through its management. Access may also refer to your ability to select a representative sample of organizational participants in order to attempt to answer your research question and meet your objectives in an unbiased way and to produce reliable and valid data.

PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH ACCESS

The extent to which feasibility will affect the

nature of your research, or at least the approach that you adopt.

A request to undertake research may involve you

seeking access to a range of participants based on an organizational sample

STRATEGIES TO GAIN ACCESS

Summary of strategies to gain access
Allowing yourself sufficient time Using existing contacts and developing new ones

Providing a clear account of purpose and type of

access required Overcoming organizational concerns about the granting of access

STRATEGIES TO GAIN ACCESS

Summary of strategies to gain access
Identifying possible benefits to the organization in

granting you access Using suitable language Facilitating ease of reply when requesting access Developing your access on an incremental basis Establishing your credibility with intended participants

RESEARCH ETHICS
Definition Ethics refers to the appropriateness of your behaviour in relation to the rights of those who become the subject of your work, or are affected by it.
Ethical concerns will emerge as you plan your

research, seek access to organizations and to individuals, collect, analyze and report your data.

TWO VIEWS ON ETHICS

The Deontological view

The ends of the research never justifies unethical behaviour. It is close to Kants Categorical Imperative (Always act so as to treat humanity, whether in your own person or that of another, as an end in itself, never as a means only). Do to others as you would have them do to you.

THE TELEOLOGICAL VIEW

The ends serves by your research justify the

means (weighing benefits against costs, but for whom?). However, if it is a matter of life and death, maybe the means become more acceptable than otherwise. Related philosophies: utilism, hedonism.

ETHICAL ISSUES AT SPECIFIC STAGES OF THE RESEARCH PROCESS

Ethical issues during the design and gaining

access Ethical issues during the data collection stage Ethical Issues associated with data processing and Storage Ethical issues related to analysis and reporting

ETHICAL ISSUES DURING THE DESIGN AND GAINING ACCESS

Never put pressure on intended participants to

grant access Never access personal data about individuals who have not consented to you Participant should know the correct reason of research Researcher should not use deception with participants at any stage

ETHICAL ISSUES DURING THE DATA COLLECTION STAGE

Researcher

should not ask anything from participants that will cause harm or intrude their privacy. Fabrication of any data is unacceptable and unethical course of action.

Use of the Internet and email during data

collection will lead to the possibility of serious ethical or netiquette issues

The relatively greater level of control associated

with qualitatively based research methods should be exercised with care so that your behavior remains within appropriate and acceptable parameters

ETHICAL ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH DATA PROCESSING AND STORAGE

Personal data should be finely protected. You should instead seek advice that is appropriate

to the particular circumstance of your research project where this involves the collection and processing of personal data. Further category of personal data: Racial/ethnic origin, political opinions, religious, trade union membership etc

ETHICAL ISSUES RELATED TO THE ANALYSIS AND REPORTING STAGES

The maintenance of you objectivity will be vital

during the analysis stage to make sure that you do not misrepresent the data collected. Embarrassment and even harm could result from reporting data that are clearly attributable to a particular individual.

REVISION OF SOME COMMON ETHICS

Privacy of possible and actual participants. Voluntary nature of participation and the right to

withdraw partially or completely from the process. Consent and possible deception of participants

Maintenance of the confidentiality of data

provided by individuals or identifiable participants and their anonymity. Reactions of participants to the way in which you seek to collect data Effects on participants of the way in which you use, analyze and report your data Behaviour and objectivity of the researcher.

CASE SUMMARY
Stephanie

during Undergraduate studies, researched Business Angels, who invested large amounts in small, young businesses. Research question : To what extent and why do Business Angels become involved post investment in the companies in which they have invested? Stephanie already knew that Business Angels liked to remain anonymous.

Potential Investees and Researchers have two ways

of gaining access to Business Angels: meeting a Business Angel and getting referred to his/her acquaintances. using intermediaries. Stephanie wanted to get access to the Business Angel Networks first, before being able to reach the Business Angels.

Subsequently, she wanted to distribute her

research questionnaire to those Business Angels who were members of the network. She wanted to attend a number of investment events, where she would discuss her research with the respective Business Angel Network managers face to face. Stephanie was asked to write a short news item for their monthly newsletter, promoting her research to all the member Business Angel Networks.

Stephanie started by telephoning the Business

Angel Network managers and applied the skills and techniques she had learned whilst working at call centre. She focused on three distinct aspects: Detailed document prior to the telephone conversation, so that she would not forget anything Researching the specific Business Angel Network. professional and polite at all times.

Stephanie asked the respective Business Angel

Network manager if she could send her or him a brief email summarizing the main points of their conversation. Due to Stephanies persistence and professional manner, most Business Angel Networks managers agreed to distribute her questionnaire to their Business Angel members. She stuck to the same principles: Professionalism, perfectionism, and good preparation.

QUESTION 1

Which factors helped Stephanie getting

access to these organizations?

highly

sought-

after

POINTS TO PONDER
Prior knowledge in the field.

Persistence and professional manner

Communication skill

QUESTION 2

What problems did Stephanie face in the

access negotiation stage of her project? How did she overcome these?

POINTS TO PONDER
Anonymity of the Angels. Possibility of rejection for research. Authenticity and accuracy of the information. She had prior connections within the network. She kept the conversations professional and

polite. She kept the transparency in the complete process explaining each of the Angels her aim of the research and convincing them.

QUESTION 3

What access negotiation techniques has

Stephanie applied in her project?

POINTS TO PONDER
Using prior contacts and developing new

contacts through them. Establishing creditability. Facilitating replies. Professional and polite communication.

QUESTION 4

What are the downsides of these access

negotiation techniques?

POINTS TO PONDER
Actual distribution of questionnaire was not in her

hands. Success of this technique relies heavily on the communication and professional skills of Stephanie. No organization or references which could prove the credibility of Stephanie and her research. The managers were not all receptive of this research. Managers were wary of their secrecy and were reluctant to share.

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