After working in a market research firm for nine years, you have been promoted to head of the Ethical Business Assurance Department. The department’s previous head developed a companywide code that forbids practices such as discriminating in respondent recruitment and offering kickbacks in exchange for business. The code also calls for all research to be conducted for legitimate purposes, not as a front for product promotion.

Collected data are not to be doctored to boost sales. What do you think is the purpose of such a code? Why is this particularly important for a market research firm? Do you think that this code will be helpful in reducing unethical practices? What amendments would you propose to this code? If you are given the chance, would you increase the scope of your department? 6