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 2nd May 2009, BASF, a producer of chemical products, has announced that it is to cut 2,000 jobs worldwide by the end of 2009. Already in February 2009, the company had reported a 131 million EUR loss in the fourth quarter of the business year. The company management expects a further decrease in sales in 2009. The implementation of the cost-saving programme will be accelerated; sites of low productivity will be closed. BASF hopes to save one billion EUR with its programme by the end of 2012. As of May 2009, there is no information on where the job losses will occur.
Eurofound (2009), BASF, Internal restructuring in World, factsheet number 68346, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/68346.