Questionable ethics

In a study involving criminal justice internship students from TCU and three other universities, Associate Professor Ronald “Chip” Burns, director of the criminal justice program, and his fellow researchers examined how well students recognized questionable behavior on the job.

Thirty-six percent observed unprofessional comments or behavior in a private setting. Two percent reported seeing illegal behavior, while 13 percent observed departmental policy violations. About 21 percent were told not to mention something they observed.

Of the 74 students who observed misconduct, 55 discussed it with someone — mostly friends. Thirty reported it to an authority figure. Only two confronted the employee who was observed.

Income vs relationships?

A new study finds that female sole proprietors in professional services tend to charge less for their work than their male counterparts, but this may help them attain income stability and profitability in the long run.

The research, conducted by Bill Cron, associate dean for graduate programs at the Neeley School of Business, and three colleagues, sampled 174 women and 362 men who own veterinarian practices and determined that men focus on maximizing income, while women concentrate on building and maintaining relationships. The results suggest the incomes of male and female proprietors may balance out over time.