Team Budgets and Expense Reimbursement
All IPRO teams are required to submit a budget for their project with their project plan, which is generally due during the third week in the semester. Budget and reimbursement guidelines are available below, along with a reimbursement form for team expenses.
IPRO Team Budget and Expense Reimbursement Guidelines
IPRO Expense Reimbursement Form
Conducting Surveys and Working with Human Subjects
In the course of their project work, many teams use surveys, focus groups, or set up sessions in which individuals will test products or services. In cases where the activities are defined as human research, teams will need to receive Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval before starting their work.
If a project meets both of the following criteria, it is defined as human research. If it meets none or only one of the criteria, it is not defined as human research.
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Research means a systematic investigation designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge.
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Human subject means a living individual about whom an investigator conducting research obtains data through intervention or interaction with the individual, or identifiable private information.
IIT’s IRB reviews research proposals that involve human participants. Even projects that require minimal involvement of human participants, such as surveys or questionnaires, require some procedural IRB review. For more information, visit the IRB’s website. Questions related to the IRB approval process can also be directed to Glenn Krell MPA, CRA, Executive Officer (irb@iit.edu).
For market research surveys that do not lead to publication and use of individual information, the surveys do not need to go through IRB review. However, it is generally still good for teams conducting a survey or focus group to provide a consent form to participants. A sample consent form, which can be edited to fit an individual project, is listed below. It is also highly recommended that teams consult the Marketing Research Association’s Code of Marketing Research Standards before conducting surveys or focus groups.
Informed Consent Form for Survey Participants in IPRO Projects (Word document)
