Ethical issues in business statistics - Essay Example

?Ethics is a branch of moral philosophy which determines the concepts of right and wrong conduct through systematization, defense and recommendation of any phenomena. Employing this concept of ethics in business has created a new dimension in the realm of academic school studying corporate behavior and characteristics, and also in practical business world. Ethics is also a crucial part and parcel of any religious perspective, for example, Christianity. In business activity, profit maximization is the ultimate goal to any corporate organization or individual. Business ethics is a form of professional or applied ethics that relates the basic rules of ethics with real business activities. Among the four branches of moral philosophical term “ethics”- Meta, normative, descriptive and applied ethics, business ethics has itself two dimensions, such as normative and descriptive dimensions. Corporate world and professionals is regulated by normative view of ethics where academicians use descriptive method to scrutinize the corporate behavior and practices. Statistics is such kind of tools which helps to abridge large volume of data into simple number which determines a conclusion. In business statistics, which employs the techniques and knowledge of statistics and mathematics into business phenomena to make decision, is now confronted and being challenged by ethical issues of business as well as by Christian point of view towards business in western world where Christianity is dominant. From the very beginning of history, philosophers had thrown some question to the statisticians in terms of ethical investigation. They urged for determining a course of action which is recommended as well as followed by others. They also questioned about the possible outcome and its impact on everyone. After that they asked for the acceptance to the statisticians itself if the decision dictated by him will direct to him. Finally, they raised the question about the neutrality of the publication if it goes publicly. Though Philosophers intend is to develop generalization of business statistical outcome, professional business statistician’s real objectives is to create processes to deal ethical issues which they arise. A statistician has an obligation to his client as he is asked to handle the data. But there will raise a question about the ownership of data as who will be the righteous to data. Even though clients give consent to publish or any use of the data, it is statisticians obligation to protect the identities and honor of his clients and his organization. On the contrary, clients may try to dictate the possible result towards his comfort zone before the accomplishments of any research. So, it is a dilemma for the statistician to keep the agreement which have done before with his ethical- either personal or professional- obligation. Another challenge for a statistician is to deal with outlier effect. Outlier can be explained as an observation of any occurrence which is unusually either large or small compared to real volume. Proper solution can be raised through formulation of law and its implication. It will help to deal with the two’s, that is, ownership of data and search of significance and outlier. For example, if data is owed to the clients, he cannot change the statistical findings toward his own ease as it against the public policy. In terms of outlier, though it is legally defensible if disclosed, ethically not indeed. This is because if it done, the proper accountability will be lost. However, American statistical Association (ASA) has formulated 10 point ethical guidelines for statistical practices. The main issues of this guideline are to follow the confidentiality of information and maintain integrity in honestly and objectively. Other thing is that the whole inquiry should be purpose oriented and should not cross the boundary limit. Fulfilling the agreement with clients should give proper importance and should inform the clients before raising any conflict or probability of occurrence of any assumed confrontation. Moreover, crucial thing is that proper and appropriate statistical procedure should follow without any consent from client. In this perspective, analysis procedure should be neutral. The principles governed by ASA are the key to find the role of a statistician and to justify the statistical validity. Therefore, statistician has to act in several characters such as individual, professional, pertaining to any organization or as a member of society. These roles must influence his activities and attitudes. A statistician may be a freelancer or an individual advocate, but he has to be confidential to his client without compensating ethical issues. If he be professional, he must need to show professional sincerity. If the statistician becomes a part of any institution, he may feel pressure by institutional rules and frameworks. In spite of that situation, again, he is bounded to protect the dignity of principles of ethics and statistical procedures. He should not just push the ball to another court by saying as it is entirely a matter of institutions concern. Finally, a statistician has to dwell in any society. For being pertaining to a higher ranked class in society, he has a moral obligation to maintain a better wholeness of society and to direct the possible outcome into betterment of society. Delineating Ethics from Christian Perspective Ethical issues can be address from religious view, for example, from Christian perspectives. Ethics are being integrated with religious view in some points, wherever, are also being split from each other. In one hand, procedures of statistics and scientific analysis are quite different from religious perspective like Christianity. In scientific analysis, phenomenon is objective and neutral, wherein, Christianity observes the phenomena from men’s perspective and from here everything is directed to spirituality or to God. In other extent, scientific analysis is random and probabilistic but not predetermined. In scientific context, men are the key player who makes own fate, as well as make changes in nature. In Christian perspective, nothing is random. Here, everything is governed previously as a wish of God. Men come to the battlefield named Earth to fulfill the wish of God. On the other hand, Christianity as a religious stream tries to make harmony among people, nature and spirit of God. By integrating them, it seeks unity and uniformity among the phenomena and people. By doing so, some basic ethical issues will be sum up automatically. A Christian, either general people or scholar, always intends to see a balanced interaction which will be directed to betterment of human as well as society. In that sense, ethical concepts is more or less being harmonized with religious view as basic ethical principles are formulated by and for integral society. References Ostapski, S. A., & Superville, C. R. (2001). Reflection before action: The statistical consultant confronts ethical issues. Geertsema, J. C. (1987). “A Christian view of the foundation of Statistics.” Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith, 39.3, 158-164.  Read More