Fielding hot topics in cool settings: The study of corporate ethics

This paper describes the methods used to gain access and conduct research on corporate ethics in two large corporations. To date, only a small number of social scientists have pursued such sensitive and highly intrusive field research because of substantial obstacles to gaining access and completing meaningful investigations. Detailed discussion of how we framed the study and then sold the research to the two sites points to the conclusion that the merging of science and action is both difficult and fruitful. This study highlights the need to establish appropriate balance between scholarly and applied objectives, to build collaborative relations with research participants, and to bring an interdisciplinary approach to contextually based studies of corporate ethics and deviancy.We gratefully acknowledge both the Human Resources Policy Institute at Boston University and the Amsterdam Foundation for providing the funding and encouragement that made this research possible. We are also grateful for the excellent contributions of our research associates in this endeavor: Maria-Paz Avery, Wendy Handler, James Hunt, Kathleen Jordan, Jeanne Liedtka, and Gary Reed. In addition, we are indebted to many colleagues, executives and other professionals who have graciously contributed valuable ideas and feedback at various stages of the work: Chris Argyris, Lloyd Baird, John Braithwaite, Dave Brown, John Fleming, Fred Foulkes, Ken Goodpaster, Tim Hall, Don Hendler, Zeba Hyder, Steve Kerr, Alan Wertheimer, Ralph Kilmann, Harvey Kram, George Labovitz, Mark Leach, Barry Leskin, Steve Levin, Meryl Louis, Murray Melbin, Phil Mirvis, Henry Morgan, Marty Moser, Jim Post, Jim Rosenwald, John Russell, Barbara Toffler, Michael Useem and Jim Waters. We also benefitted from the advice and counsel of several anonymous reviewers. Finally, Yeager owes a debt of gratitude to Harvard University's Program in Ethics and the Professions for providing both the stimulation and the opportunity to more deeply pursue this research.