Category Archives: Business

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Market Research on Technology Adoption

Technology Commercialization

The adoption of new technologies impacts existing markets and may create new market effecting a form of social transformation. Market research firms have developed a number of diverse perspectives focused on the perceived commercial importance associated  with the plethora of new technologies vying for attention in the marketplace.  These Market Research on Technology Adoption perspectives position the relative commercial relevance/ maturity  of multiple technologies to the market of interest.   Examples of market research perspectives on technology adoption include:

  • Gartner Hype Cycle: The curve has an S-shape similar to the S-curve and the logistic curve, but it focuses on the expectations and perceptions of the technology rather than the actual adoption level or market size. The curve can be divided into five phases: innovation trigger, peak of inflated expectations, trough of disillusionment, slope of enlightenment, and plateau of productivity.
    The innovation trigger is when a potential technology breakthrough or innovation sparks media interest and public curiosity. Often no usable products exist and commercial viability is unproven.
    The peak of inflated expectations is when early publicity produces a number of success stories and failures. Some companies take action while others do not. The expectations of the technology are often unrealistic and exaggerated.
    The trough of disillusionment is when interest wanes as experiments and implementations fail to deliver. Producers of the technology shake out or fail. Investments continue only if the surviving providers improve their products to the satisfaction of early adopters.
    The slope of enlightenment is when more instances of how the technology can benefit the enterprise start to crystallize and become more widely understood. Second- and third-generation products appear from technology providers. More enterprises fund pilots while conservative companies remain cautious.
    The plateau of productivity is when mainstream adoption starts to take off. Criteria for assessing provider viability are more clearly defined. The technology’s broad market applicability and relevance are clearly paying off.
  • Forrester Wave:  The Wave plots the providers on two axes: current offering and strategy. Current offering measures how well each provider delivers value to customers today, based on a set of criteria such as functionality, usability, performance, etc. Strategy measures how well each provider positions itself for future success, based on a set of criteria such as vision, roadmap, innovation, etc. The Wave also divides the providers into four categories: leaders, strong performers, contenders, and challengers.
    • Leaders are those who offer a comprehensive and consistent current offering and have a clear vision of market direction.
    • Strong performers are those who offer a high-quality current offering but may lack strategic clarity or direction.
    • Contenders are those who have a viable strategy but may lack product depth or breadth.
    • Challengers are those who have a strong current offering but may not be aggressive or innovative enough in their strategy.
  • IDC Marketscape: This plots the technology providers on two axes: capabilities and strategies. Capabilities measure how well each provider delivers value to customers today, based on a set of criteria such as functionality, usability, performance, etc. Strategies measure how well each provider positions itself for future success, based on a set of criteria such as vision, roadmap, innovation, etc. The MarketScape also divides the providers into four categories:
    • Leaders are those who perform exceedingly well in both capabilities and strategies.
    • Major players are those who perform very well in one dimension but still above average in the other dimension.
    • Contenders are those who perform above average in one dimension but below average in the other dimension.
    • Participants are those who perform below average in both dimensions.
  • Thoughtworks Technology Radar:  The Radar plots various technologies and trends on four concentric circles: adopt, trial, assess, and hold.
    • Adopt means that the technology or trend is proven and mature enough to be used with confidence in most situations.
    • Trial means that the technology or trend is worth pursuing and experimenting with in projects that can handle some risk.
    • Assess means that the technology or trend is promising but not yet ready for widespread use. It requires further exploration and understanding before adoption.
    • Hold means that the technology or trend is not recommended for use at this time. It may be too immature, too risky, or too obsolete for most situations.

These Market Research on Technology Adoption perspectives provide macroscopic views of the market and as such show aggregate trends. They can be helpful in identifying new technologies for further study. They do not provide a microscopic view on individual processes associated with the adoption of new technology. This view can help identify the scale of adoption of new technology, but as the focus is on market penetration, it does not provide insight into individual or aggregate ethical considerations associated with the use of the new technology.

Are you a technical, business or legal professional who works with technology adoption? Do you want to learn how to apply ethical frameworks and principles to your technology work and decision-making, understand the legal implications and challenges of new technologies and old laws, and navigate the complex and dynamic environment of technology innovation and regulation? If so, you need to check out this new book: Ethics, Law and Technology: Navigating Technology Adoption Challenges. This book is a practical guide for professionals who want to learn from the experts and stay updated in this fast-changing and exciting field.

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DAOs vs. PBCs for Public Administration and Social Policy Entities

Blockchains as organizations

The law in most countries has long recognized entities other than individual humans a matter of social policy. Various types of groups or organization have arguably had some degree of legal recognition in English law back to the time of the Domesday book. Entities recognized by the law are subject to the benefits of legal enforcement of applicable rights (e.g., property ownership rights) and burdens (e.g., taxation). The legal personality of a corporation is neither more nor less real than that of an individual human being. Legal identities are thus a fundamental characteristic of modern society.  Corporations are traditional, non-human legal entities. In neoclassical microeconomics, a corporation exists and makes decisions to make profits. In this sense they exist to minimize the costs of coordinating economic activity. Public benefit corporations have recently emerged as a new type of corporation. Technology advancements have also created robots and Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) that are also gaining legal recognition.

Image Credit: Adobe StockDAO

Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO)

Corporate social responsibility is usually defined in terms of corporate actions that appear to serve some social purpose beyond the interests of the corporation and legal requirements.  Traditional corporations approach pressures for corporate social responsibility with varying degrees of conviction. The benefits and challenges of the cyber approaches for corporate entities are developed and positioned within broader digital transformation trends impacting public and private sectors and accelerated by the recent pandemic. Government-imposed mobility restrictions in response to pandemic warnings forced many individuals and organizations to aggressively explore ways to work online effectively.

DAOs provide an automated and decentralized approach to corporate governance that ostensibly provides transparency while eliminating the typical corporation’s agency costs from the board of directors. Early implementations of DAOs to automate organizational governance and decision making were intended to support individuals working collaboratively outside the traditional corporate form. Unincorporated blockchain organizations, however, have a legal problem – the default legal treatment considers them a form of partnership. Partnerships have the legal consequence of joint and several liability in the event of torts by one of the partners which could result in unexpected liabilities for blockchain participants. DAOs are implemented as software (smart contracts – code) executing on blockchains. To the extent that regulatory requirements can be reduced to code, there exists a potential for automating those regulations. As a technology, DAOs are relatively recent software innovations, with initial code becoming available around 2016. Several cybersecurity vulnerabilities identifying DAOs have already been publicly disclosed.

Transparency is a virtue in public administration and in the implementation of social policy. With DAOs operating on blockchains, transparency is achievable through consensus records on a public blockchain. Public administration does not require the creation of bloated bureaucracies. Both explicit delegation and private sector equivalents can provide effective alternatives, even in traditional government sectors. Judicial systems, for example, are a traditional feature of the public administration of justice; but are often considered slow and expensive. Private arbitration mechanisms (including blockchain mechanisms) have emerged that provide cost-effective dispute resolution for many commercial disputes. The board of directors of the B-Corp, at a time of their choice, can choose to selectively emphasize specific social policy objectives. With a DAO, the social policy is implemented as code, i.e., a smart contract. In contrast to other e-government approaches not based on legal entities, both B-Corps and DAOs provide the advantage of an entity focused on a specific purpose. DAOs arguably provide a more automated and transparent solution than B-Corps.

For further Information refer to Wright, S. A. (2022). DAOs vs. PBCs for Public Administration and Social Policy Entities. Handbook of Research on Cyber Approaches to Public Administration and Social Policy, 55-73.

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Ethical Implications of Technology Vulnerabilities

Ethics in Action

All technologies have vulnerabilities that lead can lead to unexpected behavior. This unexpected behavior could have physical, informational, ethical and potentially legal consequences for human and organizational stakeholders associated with the technology. Ethics is relevant to the adoption of new technology at the individual, organizational and societal levels because it helps us evaluate the impacts and implications of technology on human values and interests.  Ethics provides a guide for human behavior in unfamiliar situations. New technology behaving normally can already generate unfamiliar situations for many people. This situation is compounded when the technology behaves in unexpected ways due to some vulnerability.

Image credit : Adobe Stock Ethical Implications of Technology Vulnerabilities

Ethical Implications of Technology Vulnerabilities

Examples of Ethical Implications of Technology Vulnerabilities

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI): AI has the potential to revolutionize many aspects of our lives, but it also raises ethical concerns. For example, there is a risk that AI systems could be used to discriminate against certain groups of people or to make decisions that are not in the best interests of society.
  • Social Media: Social media platforms have been criticized for their role in spreading misinformation and hate speech. This can have serious consequences for democracy and social stability.
  • Autonomous Vehicles: As autonomous vehicles become more common, there is a risk that they could be used to harm individuals or society as a whole. For example, there is a risk that autonomous vehicles could be hacked and used as weapons.
  • Biometric Identification: Biometric identification technologies such as facial recognition raise concerns about privacy and surveillance. There is also a risk that these technologies could be used to discriminate against certain groups of people.
  • Cybersecurity: As more aspects of our lives become connected to the internet, there is a growing risk of cyber attacks. This can have serious consequences for individuals and society as a whole.

Examples of Ethical Issues from Technological Vulnerabilities

  • Misuse of Personal Information: With the increasing amount of data that is being collected by companies and governments, there is a risk that this information could be misused or stolen. This could lead to identity theft, financial fraud, or other forms of harm.
  • Misinformation and Deep Fakes: Advances in technology have made it easier to create fake news stories, videos, and images that can be used to manipulate public opinion. This can have serious consequences for democracy and social stability.
  • Lack of Oversight and Acceptance of Responsibility: As technology becomes more complex, it can be difficult to identify who is responsible for ensuring that it is used ethically. This can lead to a lack of oversight and accountability, which can result in harm to individuals or society as a whole.
  • Use of AI: Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to revolutionize many aspects of our lives, but it also raises ethical concerns. For example, there is a risk that AI systems could be used to discriminate against certain groups of people or to make decisions that are not in the best interests of society.
  • Autonomous Technology: As technology becomes more autonomous, there is a risk that it could be used to harm individuals or society as a whole. For example, autonomous weapons could be used to carry out attacks without human intervention, which raises serious ethical concerns. Autonomous Organizations could become competitors in commerce.

Are you a technical, business or legal professional who works with technology adoption? Do you want to learn how to apply ethical frameworks and principles to your technology work and decision-making, understand the legal implications and challenges of new technologies and old laws, and navigate the complex and dynamic environment of technology innovation and regulation? If so, you need to check out this new book: Ethics, Law and Technology: Navigating Technology Adoption Challenges. This book is a practical guide for professionals who want to learn from the experts and stay updated in this fast-changing and exciting field.

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open source software ethics

ethics in action

The open source software stakeholders include developers, users, companies that use open source software, and the broader community of people who are interested in open source software. Developers are the people who create and maintain open source software projects. Users are the people who use open source software for their own purposes. Companies that use open source software may contribute to open source projects or use open source software to develop their own products. The broader community of people who are interested in open source software includes academics, researchers, and other individuals who are interested in the development and use of open source software. Each of these stakeholder groups has different interests and motivations when it comes to open source software. Developers may be motivated by a desire to create high-quality software that is freely available to everyone. Users may be motivated by a desire to use high-quality software that is freely available. Companies that use open source software may be motivated by a desire to reduce costs or improve their products. The broader community of people who are interested in open source software may be motivated by a desire to promote collaboration and innovation.

image credit: Adobe Stockopen source software ethics

open source software ethics

Ethical frameworks provide a useful guide for appropriate behavior when encountering unfamiliar situations.  It wasn’t until the 1980s and 1990s that the concept of free and open source software began to take shape. In 1983, Richard Stallman founded the Free Software Foundation (FSF) with the goal of promoting the use of free software. In 1991, Linus Torvalds released the first version of Linux, an open source operating system that has since become one of the most widely used operating systems in the world. The term “open source” was first coined in 1998 by a group of developers who wanted to create a more business-friendly alternative to the term “free software”. The Open Source Initiative (OSI) was founded in the same year with the goal of promoting open source software and providing a framework for its development. Since then, open source software has become increasingly popular and has been used to develop a wide range of applications and technologies. Today, many companies and organizations use open source software as part of their operations, and many developers contribute to open source projects as a way to gain experience and build their portfolios.

Open Source Software Ethics from a Developer Perspective

Developers face a number of ethical issues including:

  • Privacy and security: Developers must ensure that their software is secure and that it protects users’ privacy.
  • Intellectual property: Developers must respect the intellectual property rights of others and ensure that their software does not infringe on those rights.
  • Accessibility: Developers must ensure that their software is accessible to all users, including those with disabilities.
  • Transparency: Developers must be transparent about how their software works and what data it collects.
  • Bias: Developers must ensure that their software is free from bias and does not discriminate against any group of people.
  • Community engagement: Developers must engage with the open source community and work collaboratively to improve their software.
  • Sustainability: Developers must ensure that their software is sustainable over the long term and that it can continue to be developed and maintained.
  • User empowerment: Developers must empower users to control their own data and make informed decisions about how it is used.
  • Social responsibility: Developers must consider the social impact of their software and work to ensure that it has a positive impact on society.
  • Ethical leadership: Developers must lead by example and set high ethical standards for themselves and others in the open source community.

Open Source Software Ethics from a User Perspective

Adopters of open source software also face ethical issues. Here are some of the top ethical issues for adopters of open source software:

  • Legal compliance: Adopters must ensure that they comply with the terms of the open source license and that they do not infringe on any intellectual property rights.
  • Security: Adopters must ensure that the open source software they use is secure and that it does not pose a risk to their systems or data.
  • Transparency: Adopters must be transparent about how they use open source software and what data it collects.
  • Bias: Adopters must ensure that the open source software they use is free from bias and does not discriminate against any group of people.
  • Community engagement: Adopters must engage with the open source community and work collaboratively to improve the software they use.
  • Sustainability: Adopters must ensure that the open source software they use is sustainable over the long term and that it can continue to be developed and maintained.
  • Social responsibility: Adopters must consider the social impact of the open source software they use and work to ensure that it has a positive impact on society.
  • Data privacy: Adopters must ensure that they protect the privacy of their users’ data and that they do not misuse or abuse that data.

Open Source Software Ethics from a Business Model Perspective

Open source software business models also face ethical issues when adopting open source software. Here are some of the top ethical issues for the business models of open source software:

  • Intellectual property: Open source software business models must ensure that they do not infringe on any intellectual property rights.
  • Transparency: Open source software business models must be transparent about how they use open source software and what data it collects.
  • Security: Open source software business models must ensure that the open source software they use is secure and that it does not pose a risk to their systems or data.
  • Community engagement: Open source software business models must engage with the open source community and work collaboratively to improve the software they use.
  • Sustainability: Open source software business models must ensure that the open source software they use is sustainable over the long term and that it can continue to be developed and maintained.
  • User empowerment: Open source software business models must empower users to control their own data and make informed decisions about how it is used.
  • Social responsibility: Open source software business models must consider the social impact of the open source software they use and work to ensure that it has a positive impact on society.
  • Ethical leadership: Open source software business models must lead by example and set high ethical standards for themselves and others in their organization.
  • Data privacy: Open source software business models must ensure that they protect the privacy of their users’ data and that they do not misuse or abuse that data.
  • Bias: Open source software business models must ensure that the open source software they use is free from bias and does not discriminate against any group of people.
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Virtue Signaling vs Virtue Ethics

ethics in action

Virtue ethics is an approach to ethics that treats the concept of moral virtue as central. Virtue ethics is usually contrasted with two other major approaches in ethics, consequentialism and deontology, which make the goodness of outcomes of an action (consequentialism) and the concept of moral duty or rule (deontology) as central. Virtue ethics focuses on the character of the agent rather than their actions or their adherence to rules. It holds that an individual’s ethical behavior should be measured by their trait-based characteristics such as honesty, courage, and wisdom, rather than by the consequences of their actions or the particular duties they are obliged to obey. Virtue ethics is based on the idea that we acquire virtue through practice and habituation. By practicing being honest, brave, just, generous, and so on, a person develops an honorable and moral character. Virtue ethics also emphasizes the role of practical wisdom or phronesis, which is the ability to discern the right course of action in a given situation. Practical wisdom involves both intellectual and emotional capacities and requires a sensitivity to context and circumstances. Virtue ethics traces its origins to ancient Greek philosophy, especially to Plato and Aristotle, who identified various virtues and vices and discussed how they relate to human flourishing or eudaimonia.

image credit: Adobe Stockvirtue signaling

Virtue Signaling

Virtue signaling is a term that is often used pejoratively to describe the public expression of opinions or sentiments intended to demonstrate one’s good character or social conscience or the moral correctness of one’s position on a particular issue. Virtue signaling is often used to imply that the person expressing such opinions or sentiments is doing so insincerely or hypocritically, without actually being committed to the cause or issue they claim to support. Virtue signaling is also seen as a form of self-glorification or self-righteousness, rather than a genuine expression of moral concern or conviction. Virtue signaling is often associated with social media platforms, where people can easily share their views on various topics and receive validation or criticism from others. Some examples of virtue signaling are: expressing outrage over a social injustice without taking any concrete action to address it; posting a picture of oneself with a marginalized group or a charitable cause without having any meaningful involvement with them; displaying symbols or slogans that indicate one’s alignment with a certain political or ideological movement without understanding its implications or consequences.

The main difference between virtue ethics and virtue signaling is that virtue ethics is a normative ethical theory that aims to provide guidance for how to live a good life and cultivate moral character, while virtue signaling is a descriptive term that criticizes the superficial or self-serving display of moral attitudes or opinions. Virtue ethics is concerned with the internal qualities of the agent, such as their motives, intentions, emotions, and reasoning, while virtue signaling is concerned with the external appearance of the agent, such as their words, actions, and symbols. Virtue ethics requires consistent practice and habituation of virtues, while virtue signaling does not require any effort or sacrifice on the part of the agent. Virtue ethics values practical wisdom and contextual sensitivity, while virtue signaling disregards the complexity and diversity of moral situations. In short, virtue ethics is about being virtuous, while virtue signaling is about appearing virtuous.

Greenwashing is a form of advertising or marketing spin in which green PR and green marketing are deceptively used to persuade the public that an organization’s products, aims and policies are environmentally friendly or have a greater positive environmental impact than they actually do. Greenwashing involves making an unsubstantiated claim to deceive consumers into believing that a company’s products are environmentally friendly or have a greater positive environmental impact than they actually do. Greenwashing may also occur when a company attempts to emphasize sustainable aspects of a product to overshadow the company’s involvement in environmentally damaging practices. Greenwashing is a play on the term “whitewashing,” which means using false information (misinformation) to intentionally hide wrongdoing, error, or an unpleasant situation in an attempt to make it seem less bad than it is.

Greenwashing is an example of virtue signalling, which is the public expression of opinions or sentiments intended to demonstrate one’s good character or social conscience or the moral correctness of one’s position on a particular issue. Virtue signalling is often used to imply that the person expressing such opinions or sentiments is doing so insincerely or hypocritically, without actually being committed to the cause or issue they claim to support. Virtue signalling is also seen as a form of self-glorification or self-righteousness, rather than a genuine expression of moral concern or conviction.

Greenwashing can be used by individuals, companies and governments to appear more virtuous than they actually are, and to gain favour with consumers, investors, voters or other stakeholders who are concerned about environmental issues. However, greenwashing can be seen as a dishonest and manipulative practice that undermines the credibility and trustworthiness of the entity and its products, services or policies. Greenwashing can also have negative consequences for the environment and society, as it may mislead people into buying products that are harmful or wasteful, investing in companies that are polluting or exploiting, supporting policies that are ineffective or detrimental, or discouraging them from taking more effective actions to reduce their environmental impact. Greenwashing can also create confusion and skepticism among people about the genuine environmental claims and initiatives of other entities. Some examples of greenwashing by individuals, companies and governments are:

Individuals: Some people may engage in greenwashing by buying products that have green labels or packaging, but are not actually eco-friendly. They may also post pictures or messages on social media that show their support for environmental causes, but do not reflect their actual lifestyle choices or actions.

Companies: Some companies may engage in greenwashing by renaming, rebranding or repackaging their products to make them seem more natural, organic or sustainable. They may also launch PR campaigns or commercials that portray them as eco-friendly or socially responsible, but do not match their actual practices or performance.

Governments: Some governments may engage in greenwashing by announcing policies or initiatives that claim to address environmental issues, but are either insufficient, ineffective or counterproductive, such as HSBC’s climate ads or Ikea’s illegal logging. They may also use green rhetoric or symbols to appeal to voters or other countries, but do not follow through with concrete actions or commitments.

Greenwashing involves making false or exaggerated claims about the environmental friendliness or impact of an entity or its products, services or policies. It is a deceptive and unethical practice that can harm both the environment and the people who are misled by it.

Are you a technical, business or legal professional who works with technology adoption? Do you want to learn how to apply ethical frameworks and principles to your technology work and decision-making, understand the legal implications and challenges of new technologies and old laws, and navigate the complex and dynamic environment of technology innovation and regulation? If so, you need to check out this new book: Ethics, Law and Technology: Navigating Technology Adoption Challenges. This book is a practical guide for professionals who want to learn from the experts and stay updated in this fast-changing and exciting field.

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The Power of Perspective for Business Professions

The ability to take diverse perspectives is a valuable problem-solving skill for anyone seeking to improve their problem-solving, communication, and collaboration skills.  When attacking those difficult “problems that matter” it often helps to take a business, technical or legal perspective – especially if this perspective is diverse from your normal perspective. But even for business professionals, the Power of Perspective can play an important role in their everyday tasks.

Image Credit: Adobe StockThe Power of Perspective

The Power of Perspective for Business Professionals

Here are some  business professions that would benefit from the power of perspective-taking:

These are just some examples of business professions that would benefit from the power of perspective-taking. Of course, perspective-taking is a valuable skill for anyone who wants to improve their problem-solving, communication, and collaboration abilities in any domain. If you are interested in taking this Power of Perspective course, please visit our website for more information and registration details. Don’t miss this opportunity to unlock the power of perspective for yourself and your organization.

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Privacy Ethical Issues

Ethics in Action

image credit: Adobe StockPrivacy Ethical Issues

Privacy Ethical Issues

Listing Privacy Ethical Issues

Ethical issues that involves the right of individuals or groups to control or limit access to their personal or sensitive information are commonly referred to as privacy ethical issues. Privacy can be applied to various domains and contexts, such as health care, education, finance, social media, and security. It can also be challenged or violated by various actors or factors, such as technology, government, business, or society. Here are some of the main ethical issues with privacy:

Consent and choice: Privacy asserts the ability to consent or decline whether to share  and to choose how their information is used or disclosed. However, consent and choice can be undermined by factors such as lack of awareness, information asymmetry, power imbalance, coercion, manipulation, or deception.

Transparency and accountability: Privacy asserts the right to know who collects, processes, and uses their information, for what purposes, and with what safeguards. However, transparency and accountability can be compromised by factors such as complexity, opacity, secrecy, or negligence.

Security and protection: Privacy asserts that their information is secure and protected from unauthorized or malicious access, use, or disclosure. However, security and protection can be breached by factors such as hacking, theft, loss, or corruption.

Accuracy and quality: Privacy asserts the right to ensure that their information is accurate and complete. However, accuracy and quality can be affected by factors such as errors, biases, inconsistencies, or incompleteness.

Access and control: Privacy requires that individuals or groups have the right to access and control their information. However, access and control can be denied or limited by factors such as legal restrictions, technical barriers, or organizational policies.

Benefit and harm: Privacy asserts the right to benefit from their information and to avoid harm from its misuse. However, benefit and harm can be difficult to measure or balance by factors such as uncertainty, unpredictability, or trade-offs.

Equality and fairness: Privacy requires that individuals or groups have the right to equal and fair treatment regarding their information. However, equality and fairness can be violated by factors such as discrimination, prejudice, stereotyping, or exclusion.

Dignity and respect: Privacy asserts the right to dignity and respect regarding their information. However, dignity and respect can be undermined by factors such as humiliation, degradation, or exploitation .

Trust and confidence: Privacy requires that individuals or groups have the right to trust and confidence regarding their information . However, trust and confidence can be eroded by factors such as deception, dishonesty, or betrayal .

Values and ethics: Privacy asserts the right to values and ethics regarding their information . However, values and ethics can be challenged or conflicted by factors such as cultural differences, moral dilemmas, or social norms

Are you a technical, business or legal professional who works with technology adoption? Do you want to learn how to apply ethical frameworks and principles to your technology work and decision-making, understand the legal implications and challenges of new technologies and old laws, and navigate the complex and dynamic environment of technology innovation and regulation? If so, you need to check out this new book: Ethics, Law and Technology: Navigating Technology Adoption Challenges. This book is a practical guide for professionals who want to learn from the experts and stay updated in this fast-changing and exciting field.

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The Power of Perspective …

for creativity and innovation

Do you want to boost your creativity and innovation skills?  … solve problems more effectively and collaboratively? … learn how to see the world from different perspectives and discover new possibilities? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you might be interested in taking a course on the Power of Perspective. This course will teach you how to use perspective-taking, a cognitive skill that allows you to imagine the world from another’s vantage point, to enhance your creativity and innovation.

Perspective-taking is not only a social skill, but also a cognitive skill. It enables you to broaden your horizons, challenge your assumptions, and discover new possibilities. Perspective-taking can also help you to overcome biases, stereotypes, and prejudices that may limit your creativity and innovation, and help you think outside the box .

Photo credit Adobe Stock

Power of Perspective enabling creativity and Innovation.

In this course, you will learn how perspective-taking can benefit you at each stage of the innovation process:

  • Define your problem or challenge. You will learn how to identify the needs and preferences of your customers, users, and beneficiaries by taking their perspectives. You will also learn how to frame your problem or challenge in a way that invites multiple perspectives and solutions.
  • Generate ideas from different perspectives. You will learn how to use your imagination and curiosity to come up with new and original ideas that address the problem or challenge from different angles – e.g. temporal, geographic or other perspectives.. You will also learn how to use brainstorming techniques that leverage perspective-taking. There are many tools such as SCAMPER (Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, Reverse) or TRIZ (Theory of Inventive Problem Solving) that can assist in expanding your power of perspective.
  • Evaluate and refine your ideas. You will learn how to compare and contrast your ideas with the existing solutions and the stakeholders’ needs and preferences by taking their perspectives. You will also learn how to improve your ideas based on feedback from others.
  • Communicate and implement your ideas. You will learn how to choose the best idea or combination of ideas that meet your criteria for creativity and innovation. You will also learn how to explain how your idea solves the problem or challenge from different perspectives. You will also learn how to demonstrate how your idea adds value and impact.

By taking this course, you will not only improve your creativity and innovation skills, but also your collaboration, communication, and leadership skills. You will be able to work with diverse teams and leverage their skills, knowledge, and insights. You will also be able to inspire others and make a difference by taking their perspectives.

If you are interested in taking this Power of Perspective course, please visit our website for more information and registration details. Don’t miss this opportunity to unlock the power of perspective for yourself and your organization.

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Regulation of Technology

Ethics in Action

Technology adoption carries with it a number of ethical risks. A society under the rule of law often creates legal regulations to constrain technology adoption. Regulations may be developed for a variety of policy purposes, but from an ethical perspective regulations can be categorized in terms of the ethical harms they seek to avoid and the ethical virtues that they seek to encourage.

image credit: Adobe Stock

Regulation of Technology

The regulation of new technology seeks to provide a number of ethical virtues. One of the main virtues is that regulations can help to ensure that new technologies are developed and used in ways that are safe and beneficial to individuals and society as a whole. For example, regulations can help to ensure that new technologies do not pose a risk to public health or safety.Another ethical virtue associated with the regulation of new technology is the potential for regulations to promote social justice and equality. For example, regulations can help to ensure that new technologies are developed in ways that are inclusive and that benefit everyone. Finally, regulation can help to promote environmental sustainability by ensuring that new technologies are developed in ways that do not harm the environment. By promoting sustainable development, regulations can help to ensure that future generations are able to enjoy a healthy and prosperous planet.

The regulation of new technology seeks to avoid a number of ethical harms. One of the main concerns is that new technologies may be developed and used in ways that are harmful to individuals or society as a whole. For example, new technologies may be used to invade people’s privacy or to discriminate against certain groups.

Another ethical harm that regulation seeks to avoid is the potential for new technologies to exacerbate existing social inequalities. For example, new technologies may create new opportunities for some people while leaving others behind1. It is important to ensure that new technologies are developed in ways that are inclusive and that benefit everyone.

Finally, regulation seeks to avoid the potential for new technologies to be used in ways that are harmful to the environment. For example, new technologies may be developed that contribute to climate change or that pollute the environment. It is important to ensure that new technologies are developed in ways that are sustainable and that do not harm the environment.

Overall, the regulation of new technology is an important issue that requires careful consideration of many different factors. By taking an ethical approach to regulation, we can ensure that new technologies are developed in ways that are beneficial to society as a whole.

Are you a technical, business or legal professional who works with technology adoption? Do you want to learn how to apply ethical frameworks and principles to your technology work and decision-making, understand the legal implications and challenges of new technologies and old laws, and navigate the complex and dynamic environment of technology innovation and regulation? If so, you need to check out this new book: Ethics, Law and Technology: Navigating Technology Adoption Challenges. This book is a practical guide for professionals who want to learn from the experts and stay updated in this fast-changing and exciting field.

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The Power of Perspective for Entrepreneurs and Innovators

Perspectives are the lenses through which we see the world. They shape how we interpret information, solve problems, and make decisions. Perspectives can be distinguished by three factors: (i) the data they observe, (ii) the methods of processing that data, and (iii) the values attributed to the outcomes of that data processing. The Power of Perspective is that taking diverse perspectives exposes assumptions and inconsistencies, enabling better problem-solving. This is especially important for entrepreneurs and innovators who face complex and uncertain challenges in creating new products, services, business models, or strategies. In this blog post, we will explore why and how entrepreneurs and innovators can leverage the power of perspective to achieve success and solve the correct problem.

Photo Credit: Adobe StockThe Power of Perspective

The Power of Perspective for Entrepreneurs and Innovators

Why Perspective Matters for Entrepreneurs and Innovators

Entrepreneurs and innovators are constantly looking for new ways to create value for their customers, stakeholders, and society. The entrepreneurial perspective needs to identify unmet needs, generate novel ideas, test assumptions, iterate solutions, and scale impact. To do this effectively, they need to adopt multiple perspectives that can help them:

  • Understand their customers’ needs, preferences, pain points, and motivations from different angles – ie their perspective.
  • Explore alternative solutions that may not be obvious or conventional from the entrepreneur’s own perspective.
  • Evaluate the feasibility, desirability, and viability of their ideas from different criteria and perspectives.
  • Collaborate with teams having diverse perspectives that can bring different skills, experiences, insights, and opinions to the table.
  • Communicate their value proposition to different audiences that may have different expectations, interests, and concerns. Effective communication requires understanding the audience’s perspective

How to Cultivate Perspective for Entrepreneurs and Innovators

Entrepreneurs and innovators can cultivate perspectives by embracing four key mindsets:

  • Leading with passion: Passion is the fuel that drives entrepreneurs and innovators to pursue their vision and overcome obstacles. Passion also helps them connect with their customers’ emotions and empathize with their needs, which requires understanding their customer’s perspectives.
  • Thinking globally: Global thinking is the ability to see beyond one’s own context and consider the broader implications and opportunities of one’s actions. Global thinking also helps entrepreneurs and innovators tap into diverse markets, cultures, trends, and resources. Global thinking requires embracing diverse geographical perspectives.
  • Embracing social responsibility: Social responsibility is the commitment to create a positive social impact through one’s products, services, business models, or strategies. Social responsibility also helps entrepreneurs and innovators align their values with their customers’ values and build trust and loyalty.
  • Banking on connectivity: Connectivity is the use of technology to access information, communicate ideas, collaborate with others, and scale impact. Connectivity also helps entrepreneurs and innovators leverage data-driven insights, feedback loops, network effects, and platforms.

Entrepreneurs and innovators can also utilize perspective-taking skills when applying some practical tools and techniques:

These widely used practical tools and techniques for entrepreneurs and innovators all rely on underlying skills to utilize the Power of Perspective.

  • Design thinking: Design thinking is a human-centered approach to innovation that involves empathizing with users, defining problems, ideating solutions, prototyping concepts, and testing assumptions.
  • Divergent thinking: Divergent thinking is the ability to generate many different ideas or solutions for a given problem or challenge e.g. by brainstorming techniques.
  • Convergent thinking: Convergent thinking is the ability to evaluate and select the best idea or solution for a given problem or challenge e.g. using decision-making tools such as SWOT Analysis (Strengths,
    Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats), PEST Analysis (Political, Economic, Social, Technological), or Cost-Benefit Analysis (comparing the pros
    and cons of different options).
  • Perspective-taking: Perspective-taking is the ability to adopt another person’s point of view and understand their thoughts and feelings. Perspective-taking can be practiced by using empathy maps, role-playing, or storytelling ( from another person’s perspective).

Conclusion

Perspective is a powerful tool for entrepreneurs and innovators who want to create value for their customers and society. By taking diverse perspectives and exposing assumptions and inconsistencies they can improve their problem-solving skills and generate more innovative solutions. To cultivate perspective they need to develop four key mindsets: leading with passion, thinking globally, embracing social responsibility, and banking on connectivity. They also need to apply some practical tools and techniques such as design thinking divergent thinking convergent thinking and perspective-taking.

If you want to learn more about the power of perspective for entrepreneurs and innovators you can enroll in our online course that will teach you how to apply perspective in your own projects and ventures. To register for the Power of Perspective course please visit our website.