IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/socres/v23y2018i1p136-152.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Researching the Powerful: A Call for the Reconstruction of Research Ethics

Author

Listed:
  • Anne Alvesalo-Kuusi

    (University of Turku, Finland)

  • David Whyte

    (University of Liverpool, UK)

Abstract

This article analyses the contradictions that arise when the widely accepted ethical principles we use as social researchers are applied in the context of researching the powerful. It does so in order to encourage a debate about how we might reconstruct a workable ethical framework in the context of ‘studying up’. This article draws on prolonged debates on the relevance and appropriateness of ethical codes, exploring how the concepts and the guidelines that codify them might be reframed. The people thus analyses the dominant ethical principles adopted in professional codes of conduct, foregrounding a twin obsession with professional (the social scientist) and institutional (the university) autonomy that hampers the development of a research ethics that meaningfully contributes to enhancing the public or common interest. Instead, we argue for a reconstruction of social science research ethics based on a collectivist understanding of the ‘public interest’ that is not exclusively defined for and by the academy but connects to all groups interested in knowing about the closed-off worlds of the powerful.

Suggested Citation

  • Anne Alvesalo-Kuusi & David Whyte, 2018. "Researching the Powerful: A Call for the Reconstruction of Research Ethics," Sociological Research Online, , vol. 23(1), pages 136-152, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:socres:v:23:y:2018:i:1:p:136-152
    DOI: 10.1177/1360780417747000
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1360780417747000
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/1360780417747000?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Welch, Catherine & Marschan-Piekkari, Rebecca & Penttinen, Heli & Tahvanainen, Marja, 2002. "Corporate elites as informants in qualitative international business research," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 11(5), pages 611-628, October.
    2. Nathan Emmerich, 2016. "Reframing Research Ethics: Towards a Professional Ethics for the Social Sciences," Sociological Research Online, , vol. 21(4), pages 16-29, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Helene Tenzer & Siri Terjesen & Anne-Wil Harzing, 2017. "Language in International Business: A Review and Agenda for Future Research," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 57(6), pages 815-854, December.
    2. Harald Bathelt & Andrew Munro & Ben Spigel, 2011. "Challenges of Transformation: Innovation, Re-bundling and Traditional Manufacturing in Canada's Technology Triangle," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 1111, Utrecht University, Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Group Economic Geography, revised Jun 2011.
    3. Rashedur Chowdhury, 2023. "Misrepresentation of Marginalized Groups: A Critique of Epistemic Neocolonialism," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 186(3), pages 553-570, September.
    4. Hélder Raposo & Sara Melo & Catarina Egreja, 2022. "Data Protection in Sociological Health Research: A Critical Narrative about the Challenges of a New Regulatory Landscape," Sociological Research Online, , vol. 27(4), pages 1060-1076, December.
    5. Chistoph Doerrenbaecher, 2007. "Inside the transnational social space: Cross-border management and owner relationship in a German subsidiary in Hungary," Journal of East European Management Studies, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 12(4), pages 318-339.
    6. Siano, Alfonso & Vollero, Agostino & Conte, Francesca & Amabile, Sara, 2017. "“More than words”: Expanding the taxonomy of greenwashing after the Volkswagen scandal," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 27-37.
    7. Moritz Breul & Javier Revilla Diez, 2021. "“One thing leads to another”, but where? – Gateway cities and the geography of production linkages," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(1), pages 29-47, March.
    8. Hélène Laurell & Svante Andersson & Leona Achtenhagen, 2013. "The importance of industry context for new venture internationalisation: A case study from the life sciences," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 11(4), pages 297-319, December.
    9. Yamin, Mohammad & Sinkovics, Rudolf R., 2006. "Online internationalisation, psychic distance reduction and the virtuality trap," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 15(4), pages 339-360, August.
    10. Baron, Robert A. & Tang, Jintong & Tang, Zhi & Zhang, Yuli, 2018. "Bribes as entrepreneurial actions: Why underdog entrepreneurs feel compelled to use them," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 33(6), pages 679-690.
    11. Dörrenbächer, Christoph & Gammelgaard, Jens, 2006. "Subsidiary redefinition: Charter loss in a German-owned subsidiary in Hungary," Discussion Papers, Research Unit: Internationalization and Organization SP III 2006-201, WZB Berlin Social Science Center.
    12. Rudolf R. Sinkovics & Elfriede Penz & Pervez N. Ghauri, 2008. "Enhancing the Trustworthiness of Qualitative Research in International Business," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 48(6), pages 689-714, December.
    13. Jonas Eduardsen & Svetla Marinova, 2016. "Decision-makers' risk perception in the internationalisation of small and medium-sized firms," International Journal of Export Marketing, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 1(1), pages 4-26.
    14. Langinier, Hélène & Pündrich, Aline Pereira & Ariss, Akram Al, 2024. "Understanding professional migrant women’s successful career progression within the Big Four in Luxembourg," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(1).
    15. Wang, Qiu & Clegg, Jeremy & Mattos, Hanna Gajewska-De & Buckley, Peter J., 2023. "It’s personal: The emotional dimension of psychic distance perception in intercultural knowledge transfer," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(5).
    16. Thomas, Rhodri, 2012. "Business elites, universities and knowledge transfer in tourism," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 33(3), pages 553-561.
    17. Hossain, Mokter & Simula, Henri, 2017. "Recycling the unused ideas and technologies of a large corporation into new business by start-ups," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 11-18.
    18. Pamela K. Robinson & Linda Hsieh, 2016. "Reshoring: a strategic renewal of luxury clothing supply chains," Operations Management Research, Springer, vol. 9(3), pages 89-101, December.
    19. Zhang, Hongxu & Amankwah-Amoah, Joseph & Beaverstock, Jonathan, 2019. "Toward a construct of dynamic capabilities malfunction: Insights from failed Chinese entrepreneurs," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 415-429.
    20. Sigfusson, Thor & Harris, Simon, 2013. "Domestic market context and international entrepreneurs’ relationship portfolios," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 22(1), pages 243-258.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:socres:v:23:y:2018:i:1:p:136-152. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.