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 8 November 2010 the commercial court of Evry decided to place Vogica into liquidation, leading to the loss of 713 positions. The company, a retailer of custom made kitchens and bathrooms, was declared insolvent in September and has since failed to generate interest among its competitors or investors, which could have saved the company.
The company's operations consisted of two subsidiaries: the one in liquidation oversaw the company's network of 45 retail stores, employed 600 workers, and has been closed since 9 November. In addition, that subsidiary also operated a call-centre (48 employees), the company's headquarters in Evry, Essone, (20 employees) and another site in Châtenois, Lorraine (45 employees). All of these employees will now be dismissed.
The company's other subsidiary consisted of a manufacturing plant, producing kitchens and bathrooms, and employed 125 employees. There is still a chance that this plant could be taken over.
Eurofound (2010), Vogica, Bankruptcy in France, factsheet number 71159, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/71159.