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.
Motor vehicle manufacturing company BMW is set to start the construction of its new Debrecen plant in the spring of 2020. Even though the plant is not expected to start its operations before 2023, the company has already published job positions for the HR unit. Indeed, the business expansion relies on a continuous search in recruitment, as skilled employees are key for the development of the project. Overall, the company plans to have a workforce of at least 1,000 employees by the time the plant is fully operational.
Even though there is no information as to the models intended to produce in the plant, the company said that the plant is responsible for both battery-powered and internal combustion engines vehicles. The investment cost is projected to surpass €1 billion, for which the government provides €36 million as a direct subsidy, additional €390 million in infrastructure and €105 million on education in the area to ensure the continuous supply of skilled workforce on the long run.
The mayor of Debrecen referred to the plant as the largest investment in the history of the town.
Eurofound (2019), BMW Magyarország, Business expansion in Hungary, factsheet number 98829, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/98829.