Explanation procedure

Researchers and students at UvA Economics and Business are required to seek approval for their research from the Economics and Business Ethics Committee (EBEC) before collecting data if:

they collect new (primary) data from human participants (e.g., via field or laboratory experiments, surveys or interviews), and / or
they collect and/or use secondary data that contains private, confidential, or potentially sensitive information about research participants (e.g., data related to personal finances, health, relationships, ethnicity, sexual preferences or behaviour, or social media use), and / or
their research concerns topics that may have legal or ethical implications (e.g., studies on discrimination, crime or tax evasion).

The EBEC evaluates proposals following the guidelines of the Professional and Ethical Codes for Socio-Economic Research in the Information Society and the Academy of Management’s Code of Ethics.

The committee will inform researchers who were seeking approval of their research within two weeks (proposals that meet certain criteria will receive immediate approval).

Successful applicants receive a letter with a confirmation of the EBEC’s approval, signed by the chair of the committee.

In some cases, the committee will need additional information before it can decide. Applicants will then be contacted by email to provide this additional information. Applicants whose proposals are not approved by the EBEC will also be contacted by email.

The ruling of the EBEC is binding. In case researchers disagree with the evaluation of their proposal, they can appeal to the decision by notifying the chair of EBEC within two weeks after receiving the decision of the committee.