Small and medium enterprises' (SMEs) digital footprints and their ethical implications during the COVID-19 outbreak and beyond

COVID-19 爆发期间及之后中小企业 (SME) 的数字足迹及其道德影响

• 批准号: ES/V017551/1
• 负责人: Ozlem Arda
• 金额: $ 16.55万
• 依托单位: Brunel University London
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2021 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ES%2FV017551%2F1
• 关键词: Small; medium; enterprises; SMEs; digital

The aim of this project is to help SMEs deal with the management of digital footprints that increased usage of digital tools is creating, especially after the Covid-19 outbreak. It answers the questions: What are the main ethical concerns regarding Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) digital footprints, in terms of transparency strategies of organisations and equal opportunities for individuals? What are the processes that can help organisations understand their organisational digital footprints better? What would a transparency strategy look like both at an organisational (employer) and individual (employee) level? Digitisation of the business environment creates digital footprints such as electronic information each employee or organisation creates, transfers or receives in the form of emails, document-sharing, calls or chats. Digital footprints blur the boundaries between the individuals and organisations, which creates various risks in transparency, equality and inclusion. SMEs are not equipped to handle such an avalanche of digital footprints, particularly due to the COVID-19 crisis), which blur the boundaries between organisational and personal information. With an increasing portion of organisational and individual activities leave digital footprints in electronic-databases, many SMEs take advantage of such easily available online data to help shape their management, recruitment, and communication strategies. The more personal information included in the equation, the more it interferes with the privacy of the individuals concerned. Striving to carve out in the digital world, many SMEs are taking minimal and vague steps. Thus, these questions emerge; to whom does this digital footprint belong and who, ultimately, has the control of it, are the critical questions for organisations to consider.Our project aims to develop an analytical framework that helps SMEs to better understand their digital footprints and their ethical implication both at the organisational and individual level. Through our innovative approach of netnography, the project will be undertaken through a review of case studies and a collection of new information via digital ethnography. Two SMEs' digital footprints will be tracked and observed through participation in some online activities, mainly through social media, company websites, and other digital platforms. The team will undertake a total of 25 interviews with representatives of 10 SMEs, including leaders and employees. We will analyse data using a mixed-method approach. We will organise a number of virtual workshops with industry partners and other stakeholders.This work will result in academic publications, blogs and infographics for SMEs and employees. We will also provide briefings for business support entities and policymakers. We will disseminate the result via media channels. The outcome of the project will transpire a strong perspective in the future of work scenarios. It advances the understanding of how digital footprints are reshaping work, by addressing transparency strategies to help better understand SMEs digital footprints and its ethical implications.

该项目的目的是帮助中小企业处理数字足迹的管理，特别是在新冠肺炎疫情爆发后，数字化工具的使用增加正在产生数字足迹。它回答了以下问题：在组织的透明度战略和个人的平等机会方面，中小型企业（SME）数字足迹的主要道德问题是什么？哪些流程可以帮助组织更好地了解其组织数字足迹？在组织（雇主）和个人（雇员）层面上，透明度战略是什么样的？商业环境的数字化创造了数字足迹，例如每个员工或组织以电子邮件、文件共享、电话或聊天的形式创建、传输或接收的电子信息。数字足迹模糊了个人和组织之间的界限，这在透明度，平等和包容性方面带来了各种风险。中小企业没有能力处理如此大量的数字足迹，特别是由于COVID-19危机），这模糊了组织和个人信息之间的界限。随着越来越多的组织和个人活动在电子数据库中留下数字足迹，许多中小企业利用这些易于获得的在线数据来帮助制定其管理，招聘和沟通策略。等式中包含的个人信息越多，对相关个人隐私的干扰就越大。为了在数字世界中开拓市场，许多中小企业正在采取最小和模糊的步骤。因此，这些问题出现了;这些数字足迹属于谁，以及最终由谁控制，是组织需要考虑的关键问题。我们的项目旨在开发一个分析框架，帮助中小企业更好地了解其数字足迹及其在组织和个人层面上的道德含义。通过我们创新的网络方法，该项目将通过审查案例研究和通过数字民族志收集新信息来进行。通过参与一些在线活动，主要是通过社交媒体，公司网站和其他数字平台，跟踪和观察两家中小企业的数字足迹。调查小组将与10家中小企业的代表进行共25次访谈，包括领导人和员工。我们将使用混合方法分析数据。我们将与业界伙伴及其他持份者举办多个虚拟工作坊，并为中小企业及雇员制作学术刊物、博客及资讯图表。我们还将为业务支助实体和决策者提供简报。我们将通过媒体渠道发布结果。该项目的成果将在未来的工作场景中展现出强大的前景。它通过解决透明度战略来帮助更好地了解中小企业的数字足迹及其道德影响，从而促进了对数字足迹如何重塑工作的理解。