Ethics and social responsibility

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

The matter is complicated because societal values are diverse, change over time and 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.

Furthermore, technology changes when it is implemented and put into use. What you tested yourself often looks completely different when it enters an organisation or into people's homes. Therefore, it is not enough that new technology is technically effective. It also must be economically profitable, 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 technological design from the beginning
• how technological infrastructure shapes citizens' lives and options

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