Submit a project on how Social media has changed the perception of customer service today and its effect on brands

Approval Code:

E1- Application Form FOr APPROVAL TO CONDUCT RESEARCH Business School Ethics Committee

Dept/School and unit code: Please select Postgraduate Project Undergraduate Project (Double click on the box then click ‘Checked’ for a cross to appear in the box) “Social media has changed the perception of customer service today and its effect on brands” Project Title: Researchers Name(s): Supervisor(s): Date:

Applications should be submitted electronically to the Secretary of the School Research Ethics Committee as one single file. One original hard copy must also be submitted with the signatures of all applicants and Supervisors.

Rationale: Please give a BRIEF description of the project in ‘lay language’. This summary will be reviewed by UREC and may be published as part of its reporting procedures. 75 words max.-approx 5 lines (for database reasons). Detail should be provided in Q. 27 I will be discussing the effects of social media has on customers service. Ethical Considerations: Please give a BRIEF description of the ethical considerations of this project. Please mention questions raised specifically in the form and, where appropriate, show that the basic ethical criteria have been met in any use of (a) participant information sheets (b) consent forms (c) debriefing procedures. This summary will be forwarded to and reviewed by UREC and may be published as part of its reporting procedures. 75 words – approx 5 lines (for database reasons). Elucidation, if required, can be given in Q. 27. During my research I will be conducting a survey, participants will have the choice to withdraw any time during the survey and they will also be able to consent before starting the survey.

Section A: PROJECT INFORMATION Estimated start date. When do you plan to begin your project? Estimated duration. How long do you think it will take? Does this research proposal involve… 3a. Potential conflicts of interest, eg. roles in research, intellectual property, responsibilities of funders, research with policy or other social implications etc? Yes No 3b. Only unpublished data obtained with the permission of the owner/archive curator? Yes No 3c. Primary data collection (obtained through interviews, surveys, observation, etc…)? Yes No If you answer ‘YES’ to any of these questions (3a 3b or 3c), you should elaborate in Q27. Is this research proposal exclusively concerned with… Only published secondary data sources (eg, material already in the public domain)*? *Yes No *If you answer ‘YES’ to Q4, go directly to Q. 26, and Q. 27 è Your informants… 5a. Who are the intended participants? (eg. students) 5b. How will you recruit them? Estimated duration of participants’ involvement… (Eg, questionnaire 10 mins, Interview 20 mins, etc.) Location of Research/Fieldwork to be conducted: 7a. Where will you conduct your research? (eg, LRC foyer) Online survey 7b. Do you need to secure permission to conduct research at this location? Yes *No *If you answered ‘NO’, say why permission is not needed. Is this research funded by an external sponsor or agency? Yes No If ‘YES’ please provide the name(s) and elaborate in Q. 27 Section B: ETHICAL CHECKLIST For Qs 9-21, tick the box to show if your answer is YES, NO or Not Applicable. Please elaborate in Q. 27 if necessary. If you tick ‘NO’ to any question 9-21, please give a brief explanation in Q. 27. If you answer ‘YES’, it must be clearly illustrated in the relevant paperwork which must be attached (ie, Participant Information Sheet, Consent Form, Debriefing Form, Questionnaires, Advertisement, etc…) Yes No N/A Have you obtained permission to access99 the site of research? If YES, provide the name, position and business address of the person. Also, give the name of the organisation. A letter of confirmation is to be attached to this form.

Yes No N/A Does this research entail collaboration with other researchers? If YES, provide the names and institutions of your collaborators. Collaborative projects. 11a.If the research is collaborative, have you considered issues to do with roles in research publication strategies/authorship? 11b. If the research is collaborative, have you devised a framework to ensure that all participants are given appropriate recognition in any outputs? Volition. Will you tell participants that their participation is voluntary? Informed Consent. Will you describe the procedures to participants in advance so that they can make an informed decision about whether or not to participate? The right to withdraw. Will you tell participants that they may withdraw from the research at any time and for any reason, without having to give an explanation? Written consent. Will you obtain written consent from participants? Recording. If the research involves making recordings (manuscript, digital, audio or video), will you ask participants for their consent to be observed, videoed or taped? Confidentiality. Will you tell participants that their data will be treated with full confidentiality and that if published, it will not be identifiable as theirs? Data Security. Will participants be clearly informed of how the data will be stored, who will have access to it, and when the data will be destroyed? Debriefing. Will you debrief participants at the end of their participation, i.e. give them a brief explanation in writing of the study? Omission. With interviews and questionnaires, will you give participants the option of omitting questions they do not want to answer? Relationships. Are any of the participants in a dependent relationship with the investigator (eg lecturer/student)? If YES, please give full explanation in Q27.

Section C: RISK AND SAFETY For Qs 22-25, tick the box to show if your answer is YES, or NO. You should elaborate in Q. 27 where appropriate. Yes No Deception. Will your project involve deliberately misleading participants in any way? If YES, explain in Q. 27 why it is necessary and how debriefing will occur. Risk to Participant(s). Is there any realistic risk to any paid or unpaid participant, field assistant, helper or student involved in the project? (Nb, ‘risk’ means experiencing any physical, psychological distress or discomfort) If YES, please explain in Q.27, saying what you will do if they should experience any problems, eg who to contact for help. Risk to Researcher(s) Is there any realistic risk to the investigator? If YES, have the appropriate risk assessment forms been submitted to the appropriate Safety Committee(s)? Risk of Harm or Damage. Do you think the results of your research have the potential to cause any damage, harm or other problems for people in your study area? If YES, explain in Q. 27 why it is necessary and how debriefing will occur

Section D: WORKING WITH CHILDREN/VULNERABLE PEOPLE For Qs 26a-g, tick the box to show if your answer is YES, or NO. You must elaborate in Q. 27 any ‘YES response in this section. Vulnerable individuals. Do participants in this study fall into any of the following special groups? If they do, please tick the appropriate answer, refer to the relevant guidelines and complete Q.27. Yes No a. Children (under 18 years of age). b. People with learning or communication difficulties. c. Patients (including careers of NHS patients). d. People in custody. e. Institutionalised persons. f. People engaged in illegal activities, eg drug-taking. g. Other vulnerable groups. (please specify)

There is an obligation on the Lead Researcher & Supervisor to bring to the attention of the School Ethics Committee (S.E.C.) any issues with ethical implications not clearly covered by the above checklist.

Section E: ETHICAL STATEMENT Write a clear but concise statement of the ethical considerations of this project, clearly stating how you intend to address each of them. Assuring Confidentiality. As we regard informants’ consent to be finite, please say how and where you will store your data (to guard against accidental data loss) and the date by which your data will be destroyed (usually, within 6 months after the completion of your course). Protecting data

Section E: DECLARATION I, the researcher declare that… No Yes I am familiar with the ……………… (insert appropriate guidelines for your discipline, eg BPS, ESRC, BAAL, MRC and ASA) Guidelines for Ethical Research Guidelines for Research practices, and I have discussed them with all researchers involved in this project. I have attached all relevant paperwork linked to this project. (Nb, supervisors may need to seek guidance before giving approval.) I understand that any substantive changes to this proposal will require No Yes a new application to the School Ethics Committee. Leniya Nepali Researcher(s) Leniya Signature Date Supervisors must ensure they have read both the application and the guidelines before signing below. Supervisor(s) Signature dd/mm/year No Yes Date

OFFICIAL USE ONLY

STATEMENT OF ETHICAL APPROVAL This project has been considered using agreed University Procedures and has been: Not Approved Approved More Clarification Required New Submission Recommended Referred to UREC Convener’s Name Signature dd/mm/year Date:

Adapted by TM Nov 2011 from: http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/utrec/SCHOOLFORMS/index.shtml