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 30 April 2013, The Phone House, a mobile phone retailer subsidiary of the US American Best Buy group announced the closure of all its 328 shops in France by 2014. This will result in the loss of up to 1,200 jobs. The group estimates that its economic model is not sustainable. Phone Houses’ management has announced that it will try to avoid forced dismissals and find solutions to reduce the number of positions to be cut. According to the unions, about 900 employees of a total of 1,200 are working in the shops.
On 22 November 2012, The Phone House announced a plan of closure of 79 of its stores and 246 job losses which finally was suspended in March 2013.
Eurofound (2013), The Phone House, Closure in France, factsheet number 75325, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/75325.