Ethics and social responsibility

Ethical challenges have always followed in the wake of technological development. Technology is neither ethical nor unethical, as most technologies can be used in many ways. Even so, in many technological designs, there will be implicit recommendations or possibilities of use that are more natural than others. Therefore, we as a society must decide which values we want to be promoted or hindered through technological development.

The matter is complicated because societal values are diverse and change over time. They are under constant negotiation and change. The opposite applies to many technologies, which are not easy to change once they have become part of society's infrastructure, as we can see, for example, with energy systems or digital technologies in schools.

In addition, technology changes when it is implemented and put into use. What you tested yourself for often looks completely different when it enters an organization or into people's homes. Therefore, it is not enough that new technology is technically effective. It must also be economically profitable and socially acceptable, and legitimate.

At DTU Management, we work with ethics, values and social responsibility in several ways. We are interested in how new technology is developed and implemented and what this means for inclusion, fairness, usability, transparency, privacy protection, and general acceptance. We are particularly interested in

• how the green transition is related to acceptability
• how citizen involvement can make new technology better and more acceptable
• how ethics and values can be incorporated into the technological design from the beginning
• how technological infrastructure shapes citizens' lives and options

Please get in touch if you have ideas for research projects or need an expert opinion.