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.
As announced on December 4, 2012 pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca will cut 400 jobs in Germany. This is due to decreasing sales. Job redundancies include back office workers and sales representatives.
Forced redundancies are to be avoided and job cuts shall be realised by early retirement and voluntary separation.
AstraZeneca suffers from expiring patent protections and therefore reduced prices induced by competition. In total, the company employs 1,025 people in Germany.
Eurofound (2012), AstraZeneca, Internal restructuring in Germany, factsheet number 74636, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/74636.