Ethics in the digital workplace
Digitisation and automation technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), can affect working conditions in a variety of ways and their use in the workplace raises a host of new ethical concerns.
On 5 September 2006, Edeka, one of Germanys leading discounters, announced the restructuring of its subsidiary company Marktkauf. According to Edekas director, Marktkauf shall break even by 2008. To reach this goal, Marktkauf has to reduce its costs by 120 million euro till 2008. Therefore, 150 building centres belonging to Marktkauf will be sold. Under these circumstances, 1,000 out of the 17,000 jobs are to be lost. Its already known that out of the 1,000 jobs, between 300 and 400 jobs will be cut within the administration department of Marktkauf.
Eurofound (2006), Marktkauf, Internal restructuring in Germany, factsheet number 64044, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/64044.