Examining research ethics considerations of a study on customer engagement: for MBA students

 Examining research ethics considerations of a study on customer engagement: for MBA students

 

The note examines the article of: Dreher, F. and Ströbel, T., 2026. Customer engagement in circular economy initiatives: Insights from PUMA. Journal of Business Research, 214, p.116286.

 

What are (1) the research theme, (2) the research objectives, and (3) the research questions of the article?

 

Based on the content of the article:

1.    Research Theme: The article focuses on customer engagement in circular economy (CE) initiatives, particularly examining how customers engage with a well-known brand (PUMA) and its business partners in circular practices aimed at combating climate change. The study integrates the service-dominant (S-D) logic and customer engagement frameworks to understand multidimensional customer engagement within circular business models.

2.    Research Objectives:

• To examine how customers engage with PUMA and its business partners in circular activities aligned with the integrative customer engagement framework by Hollebeek et al. (2019).
• To empirically validate how climate change engagement emerges as a downstream effect within these customer engagement practices.
• To explore specific engagement practices customers enact in a circular economy context, based on the practices identified by Verleye et al. (2024) and how these relate to customer resource integration, knowledge sharing, and learning.
• To address the current gap in detailed understanding of how customer engagement unfolds through specific practices in circular business models and their contribution to climate-relevant outcomes.

3.    Research Questions: Although not explicitly stated as research questions, the study implicitly investigates:

• How do customers engage with a brand (PUMA) and its partners in circular economy activities?
• Which engagement practices do customers enact in the context of circularity, and how do these practices relate to the dimensions of customer engagement (resource integration, knowledge sharing, learning)?
• How do these customer engagement practices contribute to climate change mitigation and circular economy outcomes?

These align with the study’s aim to understand the multidimensionality and practical enactment of customer engagement in circular business models and climate change engagement.

Briefly describe the research methodology as well as the main research methods (both primary and secondary) of this article.

The research methodology of the article is a qualitative single case study approach focused on PUMA, a global sports apparel brand actively engaged in circular economy initiatives. This approach allows for in-depth exploration of interactions among PUMA, its business partners, and customers in a natural context, capturing the emergent and practice-based nature of customer engagement in circularity.

Main Research Methods:

·        Primary Data:

·        Conducted 31 semi-structured interviews with three participant groups: PUMA employees (12 managers from various business units plus 4 from the sustainability team), business partners (including recycling partners and retail partners), and customers (9 participants involved in the RE:SUEDE circularity project).

·        Interviews were exploratory, open-ended to allow participants to freely discuss their experiences and perceptions related to circular initiatives and customer engagement without imposing predefined theoretical categories.

·        Interviews were conducted via Microsoft Teams, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed systematically using qualitative coding with ATLAS.ti.

·        Data coding involved an abductive approach combining open coding, mapping to existing theoretical frameworks (Hollebeek et al.’s customer engagement framework and Verleye et al.’s circular engagement practices), and refinement to develop new empirically driven codes.

·        Secondary Data:

·        Theoretical frameworks and prior literature on customer engagement, circular economy practices, and climate change engagement informed both the interview design and the iterative data analysis process, allowing pairing of empirical insights with extant theories.

·        Data Analysis:

·        Used thematic analysis with categorization, abstraction, comparison, and integration to identify key customer engagement practices.

·        Employed intercoder reliability measures (Cohen’s kappa = 0.83) and member checking with participants to ensure rigor and credibility.

This methodology facilitated a nuanced understanding of multidimensional customer engagement in circular business models and its potential as a pathway toward climate change engagement.

 

Discuss the main research ethics considerations of (1) the research objectives chosen, (2) the research methodology and the research methods involved.

The main research ethics considerations related to the article’s research objectives, methodology, and methods are as follows:

1.    Ethics of the Research Objectives:

• The study aims to explore customer engagement in circular economy initiatives linked to sustainability and climate change mitigation. These objectives address socially responsible and environmentally relevant topics, aligning ethical research goals with promoting knowledge that benefits society and the environment.
• Ensuring the research promotes genuine understanding rather than exploiting participants or overstating sustainability claims is vital, particularly given the focus on corporate circular initiatives that affect public perception and trust.

2.    Ethics of the Research Methodology:

• The use of a qualitative, abductive case study methodology allows participants to share their authentic experiences in naturalistic settings, respecting their perspectives and avoiding imposition of rigid academic categories. This enhances participants’ dignity and voice while ensuring ecological validity.
• By involving multiple stakeholder groups (employees, business partners, customers), the methodology captures diverse viewpoints, avoiding bias and promoting inclusiveness.

3.    Ethics of the Research Methods:

• Informed Consent: Participants were informed about the study’s purpose, their voluntary participation, the right to withdraw at any point, and how data would be used, ensuring autonomy and informed decision-making. Permission for recording and transcription was explicitly obtained.
• Confidentiality and Data Privacy: Data was anonymized by removing personal identifiers and assigning codes during transcription to protect participant identities. Audio recordings and transcripts were securely stored on encrypted, password-protected drives accessible only to the research team, ensuring data confidentiality and compliance with GDPR regulations.
• Minimizing Harm and Discomfort: Interview guides were designed to be open and exploratory without intrusive or sensitive questioning, aiming to minimize participant discomfort. Pre-testing of interview protocols with internal employees ensured clarity and appropriateness.
• Accuracy and Integrity: Transcriptions excluded fillers and stutters to focus on substantive content. Member checking involved returning summarized interpretations to participants for validation, enhancing credibility and guarding against misrepresentation.
• Intercoder Reliability: Coding disagreements were resolved through joint discussions until consensus was reached, ensuring interpretative accuracy and reliability, which reflects ethical rigour in data analysis.

Overall, the research adhered to high ethical standards in line with legal and institutional requirements, prioritizing participant rights, data protection, and the ethical pursuit of knowledge on sustainability and circular economy topics.

** the discussion is supported by chatpdf.com

 

A collection of blog notes on using chatgpt for research purpose.