Scientific research is a highly decentralized enterprise. Research groups and laboratories are characterized by extreme disparities of power and they require cooperation and collaboration in a very competitive environment. Opportunities for unfair treatment, even exploitation, of the less powerful and for unchecked competition threaten the trust and responsible conduct on which the scientific enterprise relies. Seven vignettes of situations in research groups highlight important conflicts that arise. Commentary on the vignettes identifies issues of professional ethics and morality in those situations and explores defensible ways for the agents to deal with their situations and policies for their groups to adopt.
