Ethical Responsibility Research Articles

The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Cyber Security

The research paper explores the pivotal role of artificial intelligence (AI) in bolstering cyber security threat detection and protection measures. By leveraging advanced AI techniques such as machine learning, deep learning, and behavioral analysis, organizations can effectively identify and mitigate cyber threats in real-time. AI enables proactive threat detection by analyzing vast amounts of data, detecting patterns, and predicting potential security incidents. Moreover, AI-driven security solutions offer scalability, efficiency, and adaptability, making them indispensable in combating the evolving cyber threat landscape. Overall, AI plays a crucial role in fortifying cyber security defenses and safeguarding critical assets against sophisticated cyberattacks. As cyber threats continue to grow in complexity and frequency, the integration of AI into security frameworks will not only enhance response times but also empower organizations to stay one step ahead of potential attacks Furthermore, as organizations increasingly adopt AI-driven security measures, the importance of integrating ethical considerations and addressing potential biases in AI algorithms becomes paramount. While these technologies can significantly enhance threat detection capabilities, they also risk perpetuating existing inequalities if not meticulously designed and monitored. For instance, biased data sets may lead to disproportionate scrutiny of certain user groups, undermining trust in security systems. Additionally, the dynamic nature of cyber threats necessitates continuous learning and adaptation from AI systems, highlighting the need for ongoing research and collaboration among cybersecurity professionals, technologists, and ethicists alike. By fostering a holistic approach that emphasizes both technological advancement and ethical responsibility, organizations can better navigate the complexities of modern cyber environments while enhancing their overall security posture

Corporate Social Responsibility in Hypermodern Times: How to Identify Socially Responsible Consumers

Organizations have been increasingly paying attention to their myriad economic, ethical, social, and environmental responsibilities, partly driven by consumer pressure. It is imperative for organizations to identify who these socially responsible consumers are so that they can respond appropriately to their demands. Adopting the theoretical lens of hypermodernity, this study sought to develop a measurement to identify socially responsible consumers by their personality traits and behavioral intentions along five dimensions of hypermodernity. The study combined a systematic review of journal articles within business ethics, consumer psychology, and communication studies to propose a measurement, which was subsequently tested and refined. This study first offers a set of theoretically grounded psychographic variables that give robust insights into socially responsible consumers with high corporate social responsibility expectations. Second, the article offers practitioners a toolkit to identify socially responsible consumers.

Professionalization of Clinical Ethics Consultants: A Need for Liability Protection?

Clinical Ethics Consultation (CEC) has grown significantly in the last decade, and efforts are being made to professionalize the practice. The American Society for Bioethics and Humanities (ASBH) has been instrumental in this process, having published the Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibilities for Healthcare Ethics Consultants and founded and endorsed the creation of the Healthcare Ethics Consultant Certified (HCEC) Certification Commission. The ASBH also published "core competencies" for healthcare ethics consultants and has delineated a clear identity and role of such consultants distinct from that other healthcare professionals. In addition, more enter the field armed with advanced degrees (MA and PhD) or certification in clinical ethics consultation. While some have questioned the trend toward professionalization, the momentum is clearly in its favor. This paper explores three questions: Does the professionalization of healthcare ethics consultation expose those engaged in the field to the types of liability claims faced by professionals in other fields? What specific liabilities could affect a healthcare ethics consultant? And finally, what should healthcare ethics consultants do to protect themselves against liability claims? We conclude that while the risk of liability remains low, those engaged in the field should accept that risk just as part of their status as professionals and, like those in allied professions, seek appropriate protection in the form of liability insurance.

(Im)possibility of ethical encounters in places of separation: aesthetics as a quiet applied linguistics praxis

Abstract What is the possibility of ethical encounters in places that are historically, spatially, and morally configured to avoid them? And what can applied linguistics do to create such a possibility? This study is located in a rural community in eastern Slovakia with a history of separation between Slovak and Roma ethnic groups and the systemic spatial, economic and linguistic marginalisation of the latter. This paper draws on relational ethics to foreground the perceiving subject’s ethical responsibility. I take up the scholarship on semiotic repertoires and exploit their performative power to affect the perceiving subject. Advocating for aesthetics as an applied linguistics research praxis, this article both documents and invites a sensory entanglement with others through a series of aesthetic invitations. I see such an embodied engagement as a way for applied linguistics to stage the ground for ethical encounters, even if never guarantee an outcome. I discuss what this research pathway might mean for doing applied linguistics research in social and educational settings with entrenched narratives about the other and how quiet applied linguistics – one which privileges sensory attending and epistemological indeterminacy – might be a form of activism that disturbs the realm of the impossible.

Socio-environmental tragedies from mine tailings dam failures: Capital prevailing over the state and citizen

Peripheral countries with an abundance of mineral wealth are victims of exploratory capitalism based on neo-extractivism. Production of profit is based on the predatory exploitation of mineral commodities, which corrupts the agents of the State and belittles local populations and their traditional values. This establishes what has been called the coloniality of life, i.e. a process of domination, exploitation, and submission, under the pretext that this will be the path to development. This study aims to show the social cost of this development at any price giving rise to onerous liabilities that trample on human dignity and cause environmental disasters. The consequent alterations to quality of life in populations that have become vulnerable through socio-economic conditioning factors have led to emergencies that must be dealt with, onto which bioethics may throw light, in terms of health, ethics, and the environment. Implications of ethics responsibility and absence of social responsability are discussed based on the tragedy resulting from the failure of two iron ore tailings dams in Brazil.

Possible beings: Deaf children and linguistic justice

ABSTRACT This paper discusses the case of Carter Churchill v. Newfoundland and Labrador English School District and analyses legal documents as they illuminate current understanding of linguistic justice and relational ethics. This case is a test case for the standard of education provided to deaf learners in Canada who benefit from sign language. Linguistic justice considers language issues as they are relevant to social justice. The paper first discusses the linguistic justice framework in relation to deaf children’s right to sign language, then analyses legal documents from the case for what they reveal about patterns of inaction on the part of senior educational administrators and deficiency views of American Sign Language (ASL) that are pervasive in Canadian early intervention and education systems for deaf children. While the 2023 Human Rights Commission of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Board of Inquiry decision found the school district failed to provide reasonable accommodation and discriminated against Carter during the first four years of his education, this decision and related events stop short of ordering linguistic justice for deaf children in the form of sign language policy and planning that fulfils a society’s ethical responsibilities to deaf people.

"Not my Priority:" Ethics and the Boundaries of Computer Science Identities in Undergraduate CS Education

Researchers in the CSCW community have long problematized the separation of social and ethical considerations from design work. Despite increasing attention to tech ethics and ethics education, however, computer scientists' sense of ethical responsibility remains of concern. This paper offers insights on how this boundary between tech and ethics is maintained and reinforced for students as they develop their identities as computer scientists. Drawing on interviews with eight undergraduate computer science (CS) students at McGill University, we explore the role that ethics play in the legitimate peripheral participation of students inside and outside their formal education. We found that while individual opinions on the importance of ethics varied, students agreed that ethics are not valued or rewarded in their education, extracurriculars, or future work prospects. We describe how placing ethics outside the boundary of computing acts as a form of occupational closure, excluding both important multidisciplinary work and marginalized bodies. We argue that in order to promote ethical practice in the design of CSCW systems, we must make it in the interest of future designers to learn socially grounded ethics. This requires that designers, researchers, and future employers actively reshape the boundaries of computing by asserting social and ethical considerations as values of computing and design.

Who Should Act? Distancing and Vulnerability in Technology Practitioners' Accounts of Ethical Responsibility

Attending to emotion can shed light on why recognizing an ethical issue and taking responsibility for it can be so demanding. To examine emotions related to taking or not taking responsibility for ethical action, we conducted a semi-structured interview study with 23 individuals working in interaction design and developing AI systems in Scandinavian countries. Through a thematic analysis of how participants attribute ethical responsibility, we identify three ethical stances, that is, discursive approaches to answering the question 'who should act': an individualised I-stance ("the responsibility is mine"), a collective we-stance ("the responsibility is ours"), and a distanced they-stance ("the responsibility is someone else's"). Further, we introduce the concepts of distancing and vulnerability to analyze the emotion work that these three ethical stances place on technology practitioners in situations of low- and high-scale technology development, where they have more or less control over the outcomes of their work. We show how the we- and they-stances let technology practitioners distance themselves from the results of their activity, while the I-stance makes them more vulnerable to emotional and material risks. By illustrating the emotional dimensions involved in recognizing ethical issues and embracing responsibility, our study contributes to the field of Ethics in Practice. We argue that emotions play a pivotal role in technology practitioners' decision-making process, influencing their choices to either take action or refrain from doing so.

Tapping on Collective National Trauma

Tapping on Collective National Trauma

Nothing outside of the text in Aotearoa New Zealand

One of the longer-term effects of poststructuralism and its principles, in particular deconstruction, has been to direct fresh attention to reading as an ethical practice. A re-focus on the ethical responsibility of the reader is part of a large, historic process of moving beyond ‘structuralism’ – a name for the formerly-dominant paradigm of the academic disciplines, which embedded false ideas based on sexism, racism, and scientism in the heart of philosophical theory. We will consider how ethics applies to reading in our local milieu; a nation founded on a bilateral relationship between British settlers and iwi Māori, which was inscribed in 1840 in a national treaty, the Treaty of Waitangi/Te Tiriti o Waitangi. We read everything we see around us as part of a system of meanings determined by local histories and cultures. What does it mean to be ‘read’ as a Māori, a Pacific, or a Pākehā/White person in the local educational contexts of university and school, and what are the implications of different (cultural) forms of reading in a complex community?

Centring animal experience through comics-based research: The case of Pavlov’s dogs

The focus of this article is the collaborative creation of Pavlov and the Kingdom of Dogs, a graphic nonfiction novel aimed at highlighting the lives of dogs experimented upon by Ivan Pavlov in late 19th and early 20th-century Russia. The novel delves into the intricate human-canine relationships within the context of St. Petersburg’s scientific, cultural, and political landscape. The collaboration between a researcher, a professional illustrator, and a script editor aimed to challenge anthropocentric narratives prevalent in historical representations of Pavlov and experimental science. Rooted in animal studies and psychology, this project explores the potential of arts-based methods to centre animals and their relationships within historical contexts. It aims to deepen depictions of animal experiences and agency while bridging the gap between human-animal studies and psychology, where attention to animal lives in research settings remains limited. By focusing on Pavlov’s experiments, the project seeks to redefine experimental animals as active historical subjects, contributing to broader discussions on human-animal relationships and ethical responsibilities. The article delineates the theoretical and methodological underpinnings of the graphic novel, provides insights into the comics-based research process, and discusses the affordances and challenges of this approach. It concludes by reflecting on the potential of comics-based research to engage both academic and public audiences, ultimately advocating for a deeper understanding of human-animal entanglements and their implications in contemporary society.

Methodology for the Application of 3D Technologies for the Conservation and Recovery of Built Heritage Elements

ABSTRACT The advent of 3D technologies unlocks new possibilities for capturing, analysing and preserving the intricate details of heritage sites. However, these technologies also raise technical and ethical challenges regarding the preservation of authenticity, integrity, and reversibility. This paper firstly analyses the ethical boundaries for the application of 3D technologies to cultural heritage through scrutinizing the extant literature and gathering the advantages and shortcomings of these technologies vis-à-vis traditional approaches. A comprehensive methodology is proposed for the restoration and conservation of historical structures using photogrammetry and 3D printing. By harmonizing technological potential with the ethical responsibilities of heritage conservation, the proposed framework promotes a balanced approach that not only addresses labour shortages of restoration specialists but also opens a realm of possibilities for cost reduction and superior quality control. In addition, the consistent nature of automation ensures that restoration and conservation tasks will be undertaken with meticulous precision, minimising material waste. Ultimately, this work is an insightful contribution that aims to shift rehabilitation and conservation of heritage sites towards automation not only to meet the needs of the moment but to propel us into a future where efficiency and sustainability are seamlessly intertwined.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainability in Water Supply: A Systematic Review

Although access to clean and safe water is a fundamental human right, millions of people around the world lack this essential resource. Through their CSR initiatives, companies are promoting responsible and sustainable practices to ensure the appropriate use and management of water resources. Using a systematic review and PRISMA framework, this study examined the impact of CSR initiatives on sustainable water supply. A total of 108 articles were identified, and 33 were subjected to further reviews and analysis. This study found that CSR initiatives contribute to sustainable water supply through water conservation, water stewardship, responsible supply chains, and various educational and training initiatives. This study found that CSR initiatives have been effective in transforming behaviors and converting millions of people around the world into water activists. Corporations are also leveraging new technologies to enhance efficiency in their operations and minimize excessive water waste. This study also found that corporations must build responsible business practices through ethical, economic, and environmental responsibility. Although CSR initiatives can be too costly for many organizations, businesses can reduce costs through strategic partnerships and leveraging technological innovations to promote water conservation and hygiene.

Introduction: applied linguistics, ethics and aesthetics of encountering the Other

Abstract This article explains the rationale for proposing an applied linguistics of ethical encounters. It does so by extending the current reach beyond the critical and ideological commentary of unjust linguistic practices and considers how applied linguistics research might play an active role in both theorising and enabling ethical encounters. By ethical encounters we mean those that enact the political vision of an inclusive and just society in face-to-face meetings with particular others, i.e. the Other. We ground our inquiry in a relational framework, which places the subject’s responsibility at the heart of ethical relationships and as a basis for a political achievement of just society in settings of trauma, social stigma and unequal power relationships. We argue that the subject’s ethical responsibility is not merely interactionally accomplished but also aesthetically experienced in particular moments of proximity to others. We examine opportunities for an engaged applied linguistics that arise when its inquiry is pursued through the ethical and aesthetic lens.

The humanism of the other in sociolinguistic ethnography

Abstract This article describes the social and ethical responsibility researchers experience in undertaking ethnographic research under conditions of neoliberalism. It acknowledges the hierarchical nature of working in large ethnographic teams in which a mixture of employment contracts and statuses exist. Drawing on relational ethics (Levinas 2003. Humanism of the Other. Champaign: University of Illinois Press.), and its attention to the humanizing potential of difference, the paper describes researchers’ propensity for relationality in the face of competitive neoliberalism. It presents a case study of a large research team and investigates the use of research vignettes to represent and relate in difference. Subjectivity is theorized not in terms of identity but rather through alterity and opacity arguing this direction opens up social and political alliances (Butler 2005. Giving an Account of Oneself. New York: Fordham University Press.). Specifically, the paper suggests the research vignette is a genre well suited to documenting the way humans live in difference, illustrating how the researcher yields to the face of the Other in field work encounters. As a form the research vignette is said to bridge the aesthetic and the scientific, demanding of its reader an engagement with a variety of interpretations. Further, the vignette is considered for its methodological potential in creating a dialogic relational space for research teams within the neoliberal university.

Literature Review and Theoretical Generalizations of the Ethics Role in Business and Management: Family Business as a Case Study

The article contains the results of the analysis of the world’s scientific achievements and theoretical generalizations regarding the functions of ethics in business organizations, the range of its application in management, and its role and place in ensuring the effectiveness of the company’s economic activity. This study considers ethics not as an obstacle to business development that requires additional resources but as a relationship based on trust and cooperation that determines the firm’s strategy and competitive advantages. The article summarizes approaches to integrating ethics into management practice and considers the taxonomy of management ethics in organizations. Using the example of a family business, the article identifies general mechanisms for reconciling ethical principles and economic efficiency of a company so that care about ethical responsibility has a favorable impact on fulfilling the main mission – making a profit. The ethical practices of family and non-family businesses are compared. Although family businesses do not always have a formal code of ethics, they are more likely to model ethical behaviour through their actions; family values and their transmission from generation to generation play a significant role in shaping ethical practices in this business; family businesses become more involved in social activities and feel responsible to the community; their image and reputation are an absolute priority. Based on the theory of legitimacy, the article examines the concept of socio-emotional wealth using the example of the family business, which includes values related to emotions and non-financial aspects of business that meet the emotional needs of the family (identity, ability to influence the family and perpetuate the family dynasty). The article considers ethics an integral element of a company’s social capital. It summarizes the approaches and stages of ethical policy formation, through which ethical standards are specified and implemented through formal and informal rules and procedures established by individuals and organizations. While forming an ethical policy, it is important to start from the components of the company’s context (culture, values, internal regulations), choose a business model that is consistent with values and ethical principles, and formalize the procedures for the transition from individual ethical behaviour of managers (loyalty, honesty, ethics, fidelity) to the creation of collective ethics (dissemination of these values within the company). The article provides recommendations for the successful integration of ethical policy: coordination between ethics and corporate image, between ethics and company performance, and coordination of mechanisms for formalizing ethics and corporate culture.

Corporate Social Responsibility Practices of Global Automakers in Asia: Application of Carroll Model with Multi-Case Study Method

In spite of acknowledging the importance of sustainable and socially responsible practices; researchers have not been able to unanimously identify the priority areas of CSR for the automotive sector. This research was designed to understand the CSR activities of the global automakers in the Asian countries by applying the Carroll model wherein researchers wished to analyse the CSR programs of the global automakers, identify the priority CSR areas and assess the effect of CSR strategies on business performance of global automakers. Case study method was used in the existing study. This study utilised multiple case study research strategy whereby two automobile companies were studied in depth namely, Toyota and Volkswagen. The data for the study was secured from different- structured data sources like company reports, sustainability data records and media coverage. Data was analysed using content analysis. The study concluded that both companies are widely engaged in CSR initiatives that covered ethical, philanthropic, legal, and economic responsibilities. Toyota focused on their production process and policies that was employee centric, Volkswagen worked on industry modernization as well in their ethical practices. The philanthropic initiatives at both places worked towards education/training, employment generation, collaborations/partnerships, environmental and social welfare. Volkswagen also focused on sports and, art and cultural aspects in their humanitarian responsibilities. Both the peers were on the same page regarding economic practices where the cutting costs and improving efficiency was in focus. Both Toyota and Volkswagen gave more priority to the philanthropic and ethical aspect than the economic aspect. Both the companies experienced similar outcomes from these CSR initiatives like positive financial measures, quality metrics, brand identity improvement and differentiation, worker and consumer satisfaction, risk management and aversion, improved partnership opportunities.

Process kinetics optimization for extraction of essential oil from the peel of Citrus sinensis for the development of food packaging film

AbstractThe goals of the present work were to achieve maximum extraction efficiency from Citrus sinensis peel and effective utilization of its bioactive compounds. This work focused on studying the physicochemical characteristics and yield percentage of citrus essential oil (CEO) extracted from citrus peels at different extraction times, extraction temperatures, solid–liquid ratios, and solvent combinations, and the data of yield percentage was subjected to find the best kinetic model for better yield. C. sinensis peel powder was subjected to Soxhlet extraction of essential oil at varied solid:liquid ratios (1/2, 1/4, 1/6, 1/8, and 1/10), time intervals in minutes (120, 150, 180, 210, 240, 270, and 280), temperatures (50, 60, 70, 80, 90, and 100°C), and solvents (n‐hexane, petroleum ether, chloroform, methanol, and water) to characterize their impact on yield percentage. The essential oil extraction kinetics were assessed using the experimental data and two different kinetic models (zero‐order and first‐order kinetic model). The bioactive compounds were assessed using GC–MS, as well. Amongst the other solvents, maximum extraction yield was observed at 90°C for 270 min using n‐hexane. GC–MS results showed that d‐limonene was the predominant compound constituting 41.41%. A good agreement between applied kinetic models and experimental data was demonstrated by the first‐order model (R2 = .9830) and the zero‐order kinetic model (R2 = .9719). Thus, the effective conditions for maximum extraction yield of CEO peels were optimized and the extracted CEO can be used in food packaging applications for shelf‐life extension.Practical applicationsEffective food waste management is vital for promoting sustainable resource usage, reducing environmental impact, saving money and energy, addressing global hunger, and upholding ethical and social responsibilities. It is important to minimize food waste throughout the entire food supply chain. Citrus peels are the by‐products of the citrus fruit processing industry and households which contribute to organic waste and its management is an important consideration for environmental sustainability. Thus, this study aims to manage these wastes by extracting essential oil from them and optimizing their process. The role of Citrus sinensis essential oil in the food industry includes natural flavoring with a consistent flavor profile, versatility in culinary applications, provides a natural and clean label, and are cost‐effective. Also, the universally recognized and enjoyed flavor of C. sinensis makes its essential oil a popular choice for products with broad consumer appeal. However, it is essential to follow regulatory guidelines for food‐grade essential oils and adhere to recommended usage levels. The results of this study have practical implications for improving yield, quality, efficiency, and sustainability of the extracted essential oil in the food industry. The optimized data can positively impact various aspects of food production, by enhancing flavor profiles, reducing the processing time and costs, and thus facilitating scale‐up potential. In addition, proper storage conditions should be maintained to ensure the stability and quality of the extracted essential oil over time.

The reporter's responsibility: Journalists and anthropologists

This guest editorial explores the parallel ethical responsibilities and institutional challenges faced by anthropologists and journalists, highlighting their shared commitment to reporting faithfully on the complexities of global conflicts, cultural transformations and sensitive social issues. It examines the pressures both professions encounter from institutional review boards and media sponsors, which can impede their ability to conduct in‐depth, culturally sensitive research and reporting. The text underscores the importance of honesty, expertise, open‐mindedness and courage in navigating the intricate cultural situations and conflicts within contemporary global issues. By examining the institutional pressures that demand conformity to specific ethical models or journalistic practices, the article calls for re‐evaluating these constraints to support reporters’ investigative integrity and ethical obligations better in both fields.

Front and Back Covers, Volume 40, Number 2. April 2024

Front and back cover caption, volume 40 issue 2THE ETHNOGRAPHER'S LABYRINTHThe path of ethnographic research winds through a labyrinth of ethics procedures, each a potential minefield of doubt and uncertainty. How do I uphold my commitment to my research interlocutors when my every step faces scrutiny from probably well‐meaning but theoretically detached oversight bodies?The overseers demand consent forms, but what of those unspoken moments of shared understanding? What if the most illuminating insights are offered only after trust is established, with no document to seal the pact? My informants, my friends, might change their minds and withdraw their words. But how can I know with certainty? Should I second‐guess their smiles, their hesitation? What right do I have to dissect and categorize the complexities of their consent?The questions spiral endlessly. What if their traditions or past experiences forbid signing? What if they sign with an inscrutable shrug of the shoulders? What if I do not know enough to read their non‐verbal signals? Should I abandon my cherished research altogether? But … what if my work, however imperfect, might be useful or a source of pride for the people I study? What would they say if I never used all the precious insights they gave me?Ethics committees, populated by colleagues unfamiliar with my informants’ worlds and my methods, view friendship as suspect, threatening objectivity. Yet isn't connection at the heart of what we do? Meanwhile, lawyers loom, citing obscure regulations that threaten my university and, through it, my work. The once distant spectre of ethics oversight solidifies into a barricade, its voices a chorus of suspicion.I desperately cling to my ethical principles, but will they be understood as such? Can I navigate this maze, safeguarding the trust of my participants while justifying my approach to those who hold my research – and my career – in their hands? This special issue explores the challenges ethnographers face as they navigate the ethical tensions now complicating the very foundations of knowledge and understanding.BUREAUCRACY VS ETHNOGRAPHYWhile presumed to be well‐intentioned and designed to protect researchers and participants, the bureaucratization of research ethics poses a fundamental challenge to ethnography. Ethics boards, often prioritizing biomedical or legalistic models, struggle to grasp our work's immersive, relationship‐driven reality. Rigid protocols replace nuanced and contextual insight, forms undermine painstakingly built trust and fixed‐term approval timelines clash with the open‐ended nature of long‐term fieldwork.This special issue investigates how ethnographers experience and face these tensions, balancing ethical principles with respect for the practices and perspectives of the communities they study. Contributors explore the disconnect between universalist ethics frameworks and the specific cultural contexts in which ethnographers operate. They question the prioritization of legal compliance over the relational ethical responsibilities developed through deep, long‐term engagement.Conflicting demands pit the protection of sensitive knowledge against transparency mandates, emphasizing written consent versus culturally specific expectations of trust in verbal agreements and existing personal attachments. Ethnographers increasingly find themselves pressured to adapt their methodologies, sometimes in ways that feel fundamentally at odds with the core ethics of personal commitment and the inevitable unpredictability of a discipline so conceived.While ethics committees aim to reduce risk and uphold standards, they can unintentionally stifle the very approaches that make ethnography unique and valuable.Can we find a path that allows for genuine ethical oversight while preserving the core of ethnographic research – its commitment to in‐depth understanding, the prioritization of participants’ voices and the flexibility to respond to the dynamic realities of lived experience?