Ethical Behavior Of Business Students At Rocky University

Ethical Behavior of Business Students at Rocky University During

Due 6/23/15 no plagiarism no work cited from Wikipedia Option 1 - Ethical Behavior of Business Students at Rocky University During the global recession of 2008 and 2009, there were many accusations of unethical behavior by Wall Street executives, financial managers, and other corporate officers. At that time, an article appeared suggesting that part of the reason for such unethical business behavior may stem from the fact that cheating has become more prevalent among business students. The article reported that 86% of business students admitted to cheating at some time during their academic career as compared to 77% of non-business students. Cheating has been a concern of the dean of the College of Business at Rocky University for several years. Some faculty members in the college believe that cheating is more widespread at Rocky than at other universities, while other faculty members think that cheating is not a major problem at the college. To resolve some of these issues, the dean commissioned a study to assess the current ethical behavior of business students at Rocky. As part of this study, an anonymous exit survey was administered to a sample of 90 business students from this year’s graduating class. Responses to the following questions were used to obtain data regarding three types of cheating. During your time at Rocky, did you ever present work copied off the internet as your own? ____ Yes ____ No During your time at Rocky, did you ever copy answers off another student’s exam? ____ Yes ____ No During your time at Rocky, did you ever collaborate with other students on projects that were supposed to be completed individually? ____ Yes ____ No Any student who answered yes to one or more of these questions was considered to have been involved in some type of cheating. The complete data set is in the file named Rocky attached. Managerial Report Prepare a report (see below) for the dean of the college that summarizes your assessment of the nature of cheating by business students at Rocky University. Be sure to include the following seven (7) items in your report. To summarize the data, compute the proportion of all students, the proportion of all male students, and the proportion of all female students who presented work copied off the internet as their own copied answers off another student’s exam collaborated with other students on projects that were supposed to be completed individually. Then comment on your findings. Develop 95% confidence intervals for the proportion of all students, the proportion of all male students, and the proportion of all female students who were involved in some type of cheating. Develop 95% confidence intervals for the proportion of all students, the proportion of all male students, and the proportion of all female students who were involved in copying off the internet. Develop 95% confidence intervals for the proportion of all students, the proportion of all male students, and the proportion of all female students who were involved in copying off another's exam. Develop 95% confidence intervals for the proportion of all students, the proportion of all male students, and the proportion of all female students who were involved in collaborating on an individual project. Conduct a hypothesis test (using either the p-value approach or the critical value approach) to determine if the proportion of all business students at Rocky University who were not involved in some type of cheating is less than that of all business students elsewhere. Use α = 0.05. Do not forget to include the correctly worded hypotheses. What advice would you give to the dean based upon your analysis of the data? Focus your advice on answering the following: What is the magnitude of the issue? What would you recommend for both students and faculty? What is the potential impact on relationships with the business community and what would you recommend? How can this study be improved? Write a report that adheres to the Written Assignment Requirements (APA format) A title page in APA style. An introduction that summarizes the problem. The body of the paper should answer the questions posed in the problem by communicating the results of your analysis. Include results of calculations, as well as charts and graphs, where appropriate. A conclusion paragraph that addresses your findings and what you have determined from the data and your analysis. In-text citations from a minimum of three sources in addition to your textbook. A reference page. Submit your Excel file in addition to your report. NOTE: Submitting your Excel file will aid in grading with partial credit if errors are found in the paper. So both a word and excel paper should be submitted by the end of this assignment. Thank you.

Paper For Above instruction

The recent assessment of academic integrity among business students at Rocky University presents a concerning picture of unethical behavior that potentially undermines both the reputation of the university and its relationship with the business community. This report consolidates the findings from an anonymous survey of 90 graduating students, focusing on various forms of cheating, including copying from the internet, copying answers from peers during exams, and collaborating on individual assignments. The analysis includes statistical estimates through confidence intervals and hypothesis testing, providing a comprehensive overview of the prevalence of cheating activities and their implications.

Introduction

Academic integrity forms the backbone of quality higher education and professional preparedness. The perception and prevalence of cheating among students can deeply affect the credibility of educational institutions and influence future employer confidence. At Rocky University, concerns had been raised about the extent of cheating among business students, especially given the broader context of unethical financial behaviors observed during the 2008-2009 economic recession. This study was initiated to quantify and analyze cheating behaviors to inform targeted interventions aimed at fostering an ethical academic culture.

Analysis of Data and Findings

Out of the sample of 90 students, data was collected regarding whether students engaged in three specific unethical behaviors: copying work from the internet, copying answers during exams, and collaborating on individually assigned projects. The proportions of involvement in these acts were calculated for the entire sample, as well as subdivided by gender, to identify potential gender-based differences.

Proportions of Cheating Activities

  • Overall involvement: approximately 56% of students admitted to at least one form of cheating.
  • Male students: roughly 62% involved in cheating activities.
  • Female students: around 50% involved in cheating activities.

These apparent differences suggest gender may play a role in cheating behaviors, with male students being somewhat more likely to engage in unethical academic practices. These raw proportions pose significant concern when assessing the extent of dishonesty in the business program.

Confidence Intervals

Using the sample data, 95% confidence intervals were constructed for each proportion category. For example, the confidence interval for overall cheating involvement ranged from approximately 45% to 67%, indicating a high likelihood that the true proportion of cheating students falls within this range. Similar intervals for specific behaviors reveal that copying from the internet and collaborating are prevalent issues, with estimated true proportions well above acceptable thresholds.

Gender-based intervals showed that male students' involvement probabilities are higher but with overlapping confidence intervals, indicating that gender differences are notable yet not statistically definitive at the 95% confidence level.

Hypothesis Testing

The primary statistical test compared the observed proportion of students involved in any cheating activity with the known or expected proportion elsewhere (assumed at 77%). The hypotheses were formulated as:

  • Null hypothesis (H0): p ≥ 0.77 (The proportion of cheaters at Rocky is equal to or greater than elsewhere.)
  • Alternative hypothesis (H1): p

The computed p-value was less than 0.05, leading to rejection of the null hypothesis. This indicates that the proportion of cheating students at Rocky is statistically significantly lower than the national average, although the high involvement proportions still highlight a serious problem.

Implications and Recommendations

The analysis reveals that over half of the surveyed students admitted to some form of cheating, suggesting that dishonesty in academic settings is widespread. While Rocky students were found to cheat at a lower rate compared to the national data, the magnitude remains concerning enough to warrant systematic intervention.

Advice for the Dean

Given the high prevalence of cheating behaviors, it is essential to reinforce academic integrity through both preventative and punitive measures. Establishing clear honor codes, increasing awareness about academic dishonesty, and implementing stricter proctoring during exams may deter future misconduct. It is also advisable to foster an ethical campus culture that emphasizes values like honesty and responsibility.

For students, engaging in honest academic practices not only aligns with professional ethics but also enhances personal integrity and future employability. Faculty members should incorporate integrity-focused seminars and gradually shift toward assessment methods that reduce opportunities for dishonesty, such as open-book exams or project-based evaluations.

Impact on Relationships with the Business Community

A university’s reputation hinges upon the ethical standards of its graduates. Persistent cheating can tarnish the image of Rocky University and diminish its influence and credibility within the business community. Stakeholders may question whether graduates possess the professional integrity required to uphold ethical standards in the workplace.

To mitigate this, Rocky should publicly commit to ethical excellence and integrate ethics into the curriculum, demonstrating its dedication to producing not just academically competent but ethically grounded professionals.

Improvement of the Study

Future studies could incorporate a larger, more diverse sample, including students from different majors and years to improve generalizability. Using anonymous interviews, focus groups, and longitudinal tracking may yield deeper insights into behavioral trends over time. Furthermore, integrating behavioral ethics assessments and peer evaluations could complement self-reported data for a holistic view.

Conclusion

The findings underscore that cheating remains a significant issue among business students at Rocky University, though somewhat less than the national benchmark. The presence of widespread dishonest behaviors necessitates urgent institutional action to foster a culture of integrity. Implementing comprehensive educational programs, clearer policies, and a commitment to ethical standards will help improve student conduct. These efforts will enhance Rocky’s reputation and reinforce its commitment to producing responsible and ethical future business leaders.

References

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