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

该项目的目的是帮助中小企业管理数字足迹，特别是在2019冠状病毒病爆发后，数字工具的使用增加了。它回答了以下问题：就机构的透明度策略和个人的平等机会而言，中小型企业（sme）的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他们的组织数字足迹？在组织（雇主）和个人（员工）层面上，透明度策略是什么样子的？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，尤其是在新冠肺炎危机的情况下，这模糊了组织信息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种容易获得的在线数据来帮助制定他们的管理、招聘和沟通策略。等式中包含的个人信息越多，它对相关个人隐私的干扰就越大。在数码世界中，许多中小企业都在努力开拓市场，他们采取的措施微不足道，含糊不清。因此，这些问题出现了；这些数字足迹属于谁，最终由谁来控制，是企业需要考虑的关键问题。我们的项目旨在建立一个分析框架，帮助中小企业更好地了解他们的数字足迹及其在组织和个人层面上的道德影响。通过我们创新的网络志方法，该项目将通过审查案例研究和通过数字人种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。小组将与10家中小企业的代表（包括领导和雇员）进行共25次访谈。我们将使用混合方法分析数据。我们将与业界伙伴和其他持份者举办若干虚拟工作坊。这项工作将为中小企业和员工提供学术出版物、博客和信息图表。我们还将为商业支持实体和政策制定者提供简报。我们将通过媒体渠道传播结果。项目的结果将在未来的工作场景中产生强烈的观点。它通过解决透明度战略，帮助更好地了解中小企业的数字足迹及其道德影响，促进了对数字足迹如何重塑工作的理解。

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.