Arab academy for science Technology & Maritime Transport

Master of Business administration

Program (MBA)

Research & Business Reporting

Under Supervision
Prof. Dr. Enas Soliman

Prepared By:

Name ID Group
Radwa Waleed Ahmed 19121491

Reem Osama Seif El Din Abaza 19121854

ST6 – Strategic
Noha Hossam Eldin Ibrahim Ammar 19122142 Management

Areeg Saeed Youssef Rashed 19121529

Rana Mohamed Gamal Eldin 19122136

 Measuring Ethics Awareness Among the Medical Field Employees

Introduction:
Ethics value is increasing day by day especially in the medical field as it might not only
affect businesses it might also affect people’s lives. That’s why we decided to choose this
field to understand where this field stands from an ethical point of view in our country.
Survey Objectives:
1. Measure awareness of ethics in the medical field
2. Determine to what extent do the ethics and work environment affect turnover rate
in medical institutions
Survey Method:
We used Survey Monkey for the questionnaire and Microsoft Excel & SPSS for the
analysis, our sample consists of 155 respondents, the questionnaire is 31 short & simple
questions divided as per below into 4 categories a. questions to understand the nature of
participants/respondents, b. Measuring the turnover rate, c. Ethics Measures, d.
Measuring the participants perception of their work environment, we mixed the order of
questions on purpose with other categories in order not to create a pattern in the mind of
the participants that will answer the survey:
No. Question What to Measure Level of Question Answer Criteria
Nature of
1 What is your specialization in medical field ? Employee Open Ended
Respondent
Nature of
2 How many years of experience do you have in your field? Employee Close Ended
Respondent
3 Is the rate of turnover in your organization high ? Turnover Rate Organization Five-point Scale
4 It is necessary for unethical behavior to be illegal Ethics Measure Employee Five-point Scale
work
5 Do you feel accepted in your organization? Employee Three-point Scale
environment
work
6 Are you motivated in your organization? Employee Three-point Scale
environment
7 Do you maintain appropriate confidentiality? Ethics Measure Employee Three-point Scale
8 Do you show respect for copyright laws? Ethics Measure Employee Three-point Scale
9 Are you honest when sharing information with others? Ethics Measure Employee Three-point Scale
work
10 Do you balance organizational and personal needs? Employee Three-point Scale
environment
11 Are you able to avoid conflicts of interest? Ethics Measure Employee Three-point Scale
work
12 Do you respect the diversity within your organization? Employee Three-point Scale
environment
To which degree do you challenge yourself to “do the right
13 Ethics Measure Employee Five-point Scale
thing”?
Does favoritism ever enter your decision making in
14 Ethics Measure Employee Three-point Scale
workplace?
Do you follow orders regardless of if they appear
15 Ethics Measure Employee Five-point Scale
unethical?
 To which extent do you know the vision & values of your work
16 Employee Five-point Scale
organization? environment
Do managers’ values in your organization affect your
17 Ethics Measure Organization Three-point Scale
ethics?
Do you have incentives on ethical behavior in your work
18 Organization Three-point Scale
organization? environment
You have the freedom to raise concerns without fear of work
19 Organization Five-point Scale
retaliation environment
Are there any pressure points in your organization that work
20 Organization Three-point Scale
drive you or your colleagues to unethical behavior? environment
You share a common organizational culture & ethics in work
21 Organization Five-point Scale
your organization? environment
work
22 Do you know what are your strengths at your job? Employee Three-point Scale
environment
23 Do you have an ethics chief officer in your organization? Ethics Measure Organization Three-point Scale
Do you think power distributed equally in your work
24 Organization Three-point Scale
organization? environment
25 Does your organization have a written ethics policy? Ethics Measure Organization Three-point Scale
Does your company require its employees to sign a code of
26 Ethics Measure Organization Three-point Scale
conduct statement?
To what extent is the behavior of your leaders consistent
27 Ethics Measure Organization Five-point Scale
with the stated ethics and values of the organization?
To which degree do the leaders in your organization work
28 Organization Five-point Scale
practice employee favoritism? environment
29 Does your organization offer training in business ethics? Ethics Measure Organization Three-point Scale
Do the leaders in your organization act ethically and lead
30 Ethics Measure Organization Three-point Scale
by example?
Your organization balance it’s short term business goals work
31 Organization Five-point Scale
with its long term need for success? environment

Questionnaire Analysis
a. Questions to determine the nature of respondents to our survey
Q1: What is your specialization in medical field?
We found three main categories as seen below:

Figure 1
Pharmacist
, 56, 36%
Doctor, 67,
43%

Others, 32,
21%
Doctors’ specializations:

Figure 2
5 5 5 5 5 5

3 3 3
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Others:

Figure 3
17

3
2 2
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

From figure 1,2 we can see that the dominant group is doctors accounting for 43% (67
respondents), with the 2nd largest group as pharmacists for 36% (56 respondents) &
others as 21% (32 respondents).
Q2: How many years of experience do you have in your field?
 Figure 4

21, 14% 30, 19%

0-5
11-15
16-20
40, 26% 32, 21%
21-25
26+
6-10
11, 7% 21, 13%

From figure 4 we can see that the dominant level is 26+ years of experience with 26%
followed by 11-15 years of experience with 21%.

Figure 5
35 33
30
25 20
20 18 Doctor
14
15 Others
10
10 7 8 7
6 5 6 5 Pharmacist
3 4 4
5 2 1 2
0
0-5 11-15 16-20 21-25 26+ 6-10

According to figure 5 and the full analysis of Q1,2 set to determine the nature of our
sample’s respondents the majority of our results will be coming from doctors who have
26+ years of experience and pharmacists who have 0-5 & 11-15 years of experience.
b. Determining the rate of turnover to later measure to what extent do the
ethics and work environment affect
Q3: Is the rate of turnover in your organization high?
We recognized that we have central tendency towards neutral.
 Figure 6
35
29
30
25
19 Doctor
20 16
15 14
15 12 11 Others
10 7 8 8 Pharmacist
4 4 5
5 1 2
0
High Low Neutral Very High Very Low

From figure 5, its concluded that for pharmacists the turnover is high to very high, for
doctors its neutral and for others its high to neutral.

Figure 7
8, 5%

19, 12% 46, 30% High

Low
Neutral
Very High
53, 34% Very Low
29, 19%

The overall percentages are close indicating 34% for neutral, 30% for high, 19% for low,
12% for very high and 5% for very low, which shows that most of the sample agree that
the % for turnover lies between neutral to very high.
c. Questions related to Ethics Measures
Q4: It is necessary for unethical behavior to be illegal?
 Figure 8
35
29
30
25
19
20 17 17 Doctor
15 12 12 13
Others
10 8
6 5 5 5 Pharmacist
5 3 3
1
0
Agree Disagree Neither agree Strongly Strongly
nor disagree agree disagree

Figure 9

13, 8%

48, 31%
Agree
Disagree
Neither agree nor disagree
59, 38%
Strongly agree
23, 15%
Strongly disagree

12, 8%

The majority for all sectors shows mostly strongly agree 38% and agree 31%, which
shows that we have weak awareness of this part of ethics as not always unethical
behavior is illegal, unethical behavior can be legal too.
Q7: Do you maintain appropriate confidentiality?

Figure 10
60 56

50
41
40
Doctor
30 24
Others
20
10 12 Pharmacist
10 7
1 1 3
0
Neutral No Yes
 Figure 11

29, 19%

5, 3% Neutral
No

121, 78% Yes

78% of the participants advised that they do maintain appropriate confidentiality, 19%
advised that they don’t and 3% were neutral which is a very good percentage.
Q8: Do you show respect for copyright laws?

Figure 12
60 57

50 45

40
31 Doctor
30
Others
20 Pharmacist
7 8
10 3 3
1
0
Neutral No Yes

Figure13
15, 10%

7, 4%

Neutral
No
Yes

133, 86%

86% advised they show respect for copyright laws, 10% advised that they don’t & 4%
were neutral which is a very good percentage and shows good awareness for this part.
Q9: Are you honest when sharing information with others?
 Figure 14
70 65
60 52
50
40 Doctor
31
30 Others

20 Pharmacist
10 2 4
1
0
Neutral Yes

Figure 15

7, 5%

Neutral
Yes
148, 95%

95% advised they are honest when sharing information with others, 0% advised that they
aren’t & 5% were neutral which is a very good percentage and shows good awareness for
this part.
Q11: Are you able to avoid conflicts of interest?

Figure 16
50 47
41
40

30 24 Doctor
18 Others
20
9 Pharmacist
10 5 6
2 3
0
Neutral No Yes
 Figure 17

32, 21%

Neutral
11, 7% No
Yes

112, 72%

72% advised they are able to avoid conflicts of interest, 11% advised that they aren’t &
21% were neutral which is a good percentage and shows average awareness for this part.
Q13: To which degree do you challenge yourself to “do the right thing”?

Figure18
45
39
40
35
30 28
25 Doctor
20 17 Others
14 14
15 11 12
10 Pharmacist
10 5
5 1 1 1 2
0
High Low Neutral Very High Very Low

Figure 19

4, 2%

High
43, 28% Low
Neutral
81, 52%
Very High
Very Low
26, 17%

1, 1%

52% advised they challenge their selves to do the right thing to a high degree/extent, 28%
to a very high degree/extent, 17% were neutral, 2% for a very low extent & 1% for a low
extent which is a very good percentage and shows good awareness for this part.
Q14: Does favoritism ever enter your decision making in workplace?
 Figure 20
30
25 26 25
25

20 17
15 16 16 Doctor
15
Others
10 7 8
Pharmacist
5

0
Neutral No Yes

Figure 21

40, 26%

47, 30% Neutral

No
Yes

68, 44%

44% advised favoritism never enters their decision making in workplace, 30% advised
that they are neutral & 26% advised that favoritism enters their decision which shows
average awareness for this part.
Q15: Do you follow orders regardless of if they appear unethical?

Figure 22
35 33
31
30 27
25
20 Doctor
15 11 12 11 Others
10
10 7 7 Pharmacist
5 3 3

0
Agree Disagree Neutral Strongly
Disagree
 Figure 23

6, 4%

50, 32%
Agree
Disagree
Neutral
74, 48%
25, 16% Strongly Disagree

Only 4% follows orders regardless of if they appear unethical, 48% disagree, 16% are
neutral & 32% strongly disagree which is a very good percentage and shows good
awareness for this part.
Q17: Do managers’ values in your organization affect your ethics?

Figure 24
50
44
45
40
35
28
30 Doctor
25 20 Others
20 16 16
15 12 Pharmacist
9
10 7
3
5
0
Neutral No Yes

Figure 25

35, 23% 28, 18%

Neutral
No
Yes
92, 59%

23% advised managers’ values affect their ethics, 18% advised that they are neutral &
59% advised that they are not affected by their managers’ values.
Q23: Do you have an ethics chief officer in your organization?

Figure 26
40 36
35 31
30 27
25 20 21 Doctor
20
Others
15 10
10 Pharmacist
4 4
5 2
0
Neutral No Yes

Figure 27
10, 7%
58, 37%

Neutral
No
Yes
87, 56%

56% don’t have an ethics chief office in their organization, 37% have and 7% are neutral.
Q25: Does your organization have a written ethics policy?

Figure 28
50 44
40
32
30 Doctor
23
20 17 15 Others
9 Pharmacist
10 6 6
3
0
Don't Know No Yes
 Figure 29

18, 12%

Don't Know
99, 64% No
38, 24%
Yes

64% advised that they do have a written ethics policy in their organization, 24% advised
they don’t & 12% advised they don’t know.
Q26: Does your company require its employees to sign a code of conduct statement?

Figure 30
30 28
24 25
25
20
20 18 17
Doctor
15
Others
10 7 8 8
Pharmacist
5
0
Cannot remember No Yes

Figure 31

33, 21%
70, 45%
Cannot remember
No
Yes
52, 34%

45% advised that they must sign a code of conduct statement, 34% advised that they
don’t & 21% can’t remember. This percentage is an indication to worry about as the
medical field is related to peoples’ lives so it must be mandated that all medical staff
signs this statement.
Q27: To what extent is the behavior of your leaders consistent with the stated ethics and
values of the organization?
 Figure 32
30 27
25
25 22
20 18
Doctor
15
11 11 Others
9
10
6 7 5 Pharmacist
4 4
5 2 2 2
0
High Low Neutral Very High Very Low

Figure 33
9, 6%
10, 7%
High
56, 36%
Low
Neutral
58, 37% Very High

22, 14% Very Low

The overall result shows that 36% of the participants advised that the behavior of their
leaders is consistent with the stated ethics and values of the organization to a high extent,
37% were neutral, 14% for a low extent, 7% for a very high extent & 6 % for a very low
extent. However, when we break it down by job, doctors were more towards high than
neutral while pharmacist were more towards neutral than high.
Q29: Does your organization offer training in business ethics?

Figure 34
50 46

40
29
30 27 Doctor
21
Others
20 16 15
Pharmacist
10

0
No Yes
 Figure 35

63, 41%

No
Yes
91, 59%

59% advised that they do have business ethics training while 49% advised that they don’t
have. The fact that 49% don’t have this kind of training is not a good indicator.
Q30: Do the leaders in your organization act ethically and lead by example?

Figure 36
35
30
30
25
25 21
20
20 17 Doctor
16
15 Others
11 10
10 Pharmacist
4
5
0
Neutral No Yes

Figure 37

56, 36%
67, 44% Neutral
No
Yes

31, 20%

The overall result shows that 44% of the participants advised that leaders in your
organization act ethically and lead by example, 36% were neutral & 20 % advised no.
However, when we break it down by job, doctors were more towards yes than neutral
while pharmacist were more towards neutral than yes.
 d. Questions measuring the participants perception of their work environment
Q5: Do you feel accepted in your organization?

Figure 38
60 57

50
40 34
Doctor
30 26
20 Others
20
10 Pharmacist
10 5
1 2
0
Neutral No Yes

Figure 39

35, 23%

Neutral
3, 2% No
117, 75%
Yes

75% advised they feel accepted in their organization, 23% were neutral & 2% advised
that they don’t feel accepted in their organization.
Q6: Are you motivated in your organization?

Figure 40
50
43
40

30 Doctor
21 19
20 16 Others
12 10 12 14
8 Pharmacist
10

0
Neutral No Yes
 Figure 41

43, 28%
76, 49%

Neutral
No
Yes
36, 23%

The overall result shows that 49% of the participants advised that they feel motivated in
their organization, 28% were neutral & 23 % advised no. However, when we break it
down by job, doctors were more towards yes than neutral while pharmacist were more
towards neutral than yes.
Q10: Do you balance organizational and personal needs?

Figure 42
60
53
50

40
Doctor
28
30
Others
20 16 17
12 Pharmacist
11 11
10 4
3
0
Neutral No Yes

Figure 43

38, 25%

Neutral
No
98, 63% Yes
19, 12%
The overall result shows that 63% of the participants advised that they balance
organizational and personal needs, 25% were neutral & 12 % advised no.
Q12: Do you respect the diversity within your organization?

Figure 44
60
52
50
41
40
31 Doctor
30
Others
20 14 Pharmacist
13
10
1 1 1
0
Neutral No Yes

Figure 45

28, 18%

2, 1%
Neutral
No
Yes
124, 81%

The overall result shows that 63% of the participants advised that they respect the
diversity within their organization, 25% were neutral & 12 % advised no.
Q16: To which extent do you know the vision & values of your organization?
 Figure 46
35
29
30 26
25 22
20 17 Doctor

15 13 Others
8 9 Pharmacist
10 7 8 8
5 3 2 2 1
0
High Low Neutral Very High Very Low

Figure 47

3, 2%
23, 15%
High
64, 41% Low
Neutral

52, 34% Very High

Very Low

13, 8%

41% advised they know the vision & values of their organization to a high degree/extent,
15% to a very high degree/extent, 34% were neutral, 8% for a low extent & 2% for a very
low extent which is a very good percentage and shows good awareness for this part.
Q18: Do you have incentives on ethical behavior in your organization?

Figure 48
35 32 32
30
25
20 18 17 17 Doctor
15
15 Others
10
10 Pharmacist
7 7
5
0
Neutral No Yes
 Figure 49

32, 21%
44, 28%
Neutral
No
Yes

79, 51%

The overall result shows that 51% advised that they don’t have incentives on ethical
behavior, 28% advised that they do have & 21% were neutral.
Q19: You have the freedom to raise concerns without fear of retaliation?

Figure 50
35
30 29
30 27
25
20 Doctor
14
15 12 Others
10
10 6
5 Pharmacist
4 4 4 4
5 2 2 2
0
Agree Disagree Neutral Strongly Strongly
Agree Disagree

Figure 51

14, 9%
10, 6%
Agree
56, 36%
Disagree
Neutral
Strongly Agree
66, 43% Strongly Disagree

9, 6%
The overall result shows that 43% of the participants advised that they are neutral about
having the freedom to raise concerns without fear of retaliation, 36% agreed, 9% strongly
disagreed, 6% strongly agreed & 6% disagreed. However, when we break it down by job,
doctors were more towards agreeing while pharmacists were more towards neutral.
Q20: Are there any pressure points in your organization that drive you or your colleagues
to unethical behavior?

Figure 52
50 45

40
30
30 Doctor
23
20 17 Others
11 9 11
Pharmacist
10 5 4
0
Neutral No Yes

Figure 53

25, 16%
32, 21%

Neutral
No
Yes

98, 63%

63% advised that there are no pressure points in your organization that drive you or your
colleagues to unethical behavior, 21% advised yes & 16% were neutral.
Q21: You share a common organizational culture & ethics in your organization?
 Figure 54
30
26 25 26
25 23

20
16
Doctor
15
9 Others
10 7
Pharmacist
4 3
5 2 2 3 3 2 3

0
Agree Disagree Neutral Strongly Strongly
Agree Disagree

Figure 55

8, 5%
12, 8%

67, 43% Agree

Disagree
Neutral
Strongly Agree
58, 38%
Strongly Disagree

9, 6%

The overall result shows that 43% of the participants agree that they share a common
organizational culture & ethics in their organization, 38% were neutral, 8% strongly
agreed, 6% disagreed, & 5% strongly disagreed.
Q22: Do you know what are your strengths at your job?
 Figure 56
70
59
60

50 47

40 Doctor
29 Others
30
Pharmacist
20

10 7 5
2 4
1 1
0
Neutral No Yes

Figure 57
13, 8%

7, 5%

Neutral
No
Yes

135, 87%

87% advised that yes, they know their strength points at their job, 8% were neutral & 5%
advised that no.
Q24: Do you think power is distributed equally in your organization?
 Figure 57
35 33
31
30

25 22
20 17 Doctor
14 14 Others
15
9 9 Pharmacist
10
5
5

0
Neutral No Yes

Figure 58

32, 21%
41, 27%

Neutral
No
Yes

81, 52%

52% think power is not distributed equally in their organization, 27% advised that they
think power is distributed equally in their organization & 21% were neutral.
Q28: To which degree do the leaders in your organization practice employee favoritism?
 Figure 59
35
31
30

25 22
19
20 Doctor
15
15 Others
12 12
9 Pharmacist
10 7 8 7
4 3 5
5
1
0
High Low Neutral Very High Very Low

Figure 60
16, 10% 6, 4%

38, 25%
High
Low
Neutral
27, 17% Very High
68, 44%
Very Low

44% of the participants were neutral, 25% think that the leaders in their organization
practice employee favoritism to a high degree, 17% to a low degree, 10% to a very high
degree & 4% to a very low degree.
Q31: Your organization balance its short-term business goals with its long term need for
success?
 Figure 61
35 32
30 27
25 23
19
20 Doctor
14
15 Others
11
10 Pharmacist
6 5 4
5 2 2 3 2 2 2
0
Agree Disagree Neutral Strongly Strongly
Agree Disagree

Figure 62

6, 4%
9, 6%

53, 34%
Agree
Disagree
Neutral
Strongly Agree
Strongly Disagree
73, 47%

13, 9%

47% were neutral, 34% agreed that their organization balance its short-term business
goals with its long term need for success, 9% disagreed, 6% strongly agreed & 4%
strongly disagreed.
Testing Relations
We wanted to test if there is a relationship between ethics measures or work environment
on turnover rate, so we divided our questions to 4 categories and tested each using
regression tests.
The categories are as per below:
1. Ethics measures on employee level (Questions: 4,7,8,9,11,13,14,15)
2. Ethics measures on organization level (Questions: 17,23,25,26,27,29,30)
3. Work environment on employee level (Questions: 5,6,10,12,16,22)
4. Work environment on organization level (Questions: 18,19,20,21,24,28,31)
Regression results were as below:
1.

Regression Statistics
Multiple R 0.248399
R Square 0.061702
Adjusted R
Square 0.010288
Standard Error 1.054998
Observations 155

ANOVA
Significance
df SS MS F F
Regression 8 10.68598 1.335747 1.200109427 0.302862
Residual 146 162.5011 1.113021
Total 154 173.1871

R Square was equal to 0.061701937, which means that only 6.17% of the change
in the independent variables (ethics measures on employee level (Questions:
4,7,8,9,11,13,14,15)) affect the dependent variable (Question 3: turnover rate).
Significance was equal to 0.302862452, since its higher than 0.05 then this
relation is not significant.

2.

Regression Statistics
Multiple R 0.229294
R Square 5.26%
Adjusted R
Square 0.020783
Standard Error 1.04939
Observations 155

ANOVA
Significance
df SS MS F F
Regression 7 9.105466 1.821093 1.653707 0.149343
Residual 149 164.0816 1.101219
Total 154 173.1871

R Square was equal to 0.052575891, which means that only 5.26% of the change
in the independent variables (work environment on employee level (Questions:
5,6,10,12,16,22)) affect the dependent variable (Question 3: turnover rate).
 Significance was equal to 0.149342569, since its higher than 0.05 then this
relation is not significant.

3.

Regression Statistics
Multiple R 0.157705
R Square 0.024871
Adjusted R
Square 0.005497
Standard Error 1.057549
Observations 155

ANOVA
Significance
df SS MS F F
Regression 6 4.307297 1.435766 1.283757 0.282087
Residual 151 168.8798 1.118409
Total 154 173.1871

R Square was equal to 0.024870774, which means that only 2.49% of the change
in the independent variables (ethics measures on employee level (Questions:
4,7,8,9,11,13,14,15)) affect the dependent variable (Question 3: turnover rate).
Significance was equal to 0.282087383, since its higher than 0.05 then this
relation is not significant.

4.

Regression Statistics
Multiple R 0.20701
R Square 4.29%
Adjusted R
Square 0.023837
Standard Error 1.047752
Observations 155

ANOVA
Significance
df SS MS F F
Regression 7 7.421605 2.473868 2.253509 0.084476
Residual 151 165.7655 1.097785
Total 154 173.1871
 R Square was equal to 0.042853104, which means that only 4.29% of the change
in the independent variables (work environment on organization level (Questions:
18,19,20,21,24,28,31)) affect the dependent variable (Question 3: turnover rate).
Significance was equal to 0.084475969, since its higher than 0.05 then this
relation is not significant.
Conclusion & Recommendations
Conclusion:
1. The awareness of ethics in the medical field is medium to low degree, which was
surprising as this is a critical field that affects people’s lives
2. Confidentiality & copyright laws are well respected in the medical field, they
share information honestly and they can avoid conflicts of interest
3. Favoritism enters the decision-making process of a big percentage of the
participants & their leaders
4. People in the medical organizations are not aware of their organizations code of
conduct, values, and ethical beliefs to a great extent
5. Managers or leaders’ values does not affect the ethical behavior of participants.
However, they do notice the ethical behavior of their superiors and are affected by
pressure points within the organization that may push them to do unethical
actions.
6. Incentives on ethical behavior are very low
7. They see that they need more trainings to be more aware of ethical issues
8. Most participants feel accepted and motivated within their organization
9. The tested variables on work environment and ethics measure does not affect the
turnover rate in the participants’ organizations
Recommendations:
1. Further research needs to be done on why the turnover rate is high within the
medical field especially the pharmaceutical department.
2. More trainings on business ethics should be conducted
3. All medical organizations should require its newly appointed staff to sign an
ethical code of conduct
4. More incentives on ethical behavior should be presented to employees
5. Managers should have a special and more focused ethics training to be able to
lead by example and monitor their subordinate’s ethical behavior
6. Human resources should be more focused when it comes to selecting new
employees so they can pick new staff with moral and ethical beliefs
7. Organizations should focus more on the education of managers on the benefit of
diversity, create better policies regarding that matter
8. Employees should be educated more on how to avoid bias & favoritism when
taking a decision
9. There should be an ethics chief officer in most organizations especially the big
ones in order to be able to monitor & focus on the ethical behavior of employees
10. There should be a clear written ethics policy available for employees to help raise
awareness of ethics