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.
Kinetic Concepts (KCI), a U.S based medical technology group, has announced plans to open a new site in Athlone that will create 250 new jobs by September 2012. The firm has recruited seven staff as of September 2007, and expects to create the first 50 jobs by the end of 2007. Recruitment of the remaining 200 employees is to be linked to future growth requirements.
The company, whose headquarters are in San Antonio in Texas, designs, manufactures, markets and services a range of advanced wound care and therapeutic surface products to improve clinical outcomes in patients. KCI employs 6,300 people worldwide and in 2006 had net profits of 195.5 million USD (140 million EUR) on revenues of 1.37 billion USD.
Eurofound (2007), Kinetic Concepts, Business expansion in Ireland, factsheet number 65821, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/65821.