Informed Consent
Informed Consent In many research settings, such as hospitals and academic institutions, evaluation studies are monitored by a review board to ensure that participants are aware they are participating in a study and know its purpose, what they will be expected to do, and the potential risks and benefits of participating. In addition, participants are asked to sign a form stating that they have been informed of these facts and agree to participate in the study. This is called obtaining the par- ticipants’ informed consent.
Review boards and informed consent are not common in industrial settings; often the norm in these organizations is that management has control over and responsibility for employees. We agree with Schmitt and Klimoski that ethical considerations and good management are compatible.91 Wherever possible, informed consent should be obtained from employees who participate in an evaluation study. Involving them in this way motivates researchers to treat the employees fairly, and it may actually improve the effectiveness of a training inter- vention by providing complete information.
