Continental Network

About the Continental Network

The Continental Network is an international community of the British Academy of Management officially founded in the course of the Annual Conference 2018 in Bristol to build BAM’s representation in continental Europe. It has the aim to connect scholars from the European Continent with British scholars, to establish a platform for regular, inter and transdisciplinary knowledge exchange and joint events as well as to strengthen the ties of academic cooperation.

Blog Series: Artificial Intelligence and Ethics – Navigating Present and Future 

We find ourselves in an era of ongoing digital transformation, which is driven by the rapid evolution of technologies and therefore marks a turning point in the life we have known thus far. One component of digital transformation is Artificial Intelligence, which will from now on be referred to as AI. While this disruptive technology offers manifold possibilities, the use of AI also raises ethical questions as it substantially impacts our private, academic, and business lives. 

At the moment, there is no scientific consensus as to what the exact definition of AI is. Kaplan defines it as “the concept of creating computer programs or machines capable of behavior we would regard as intelligent if exhibited by humans” (Kaplan, 2016, p. 1). Another definition states that traditionally the thought behind AI was to simulate the human way of thinking and acting (Mainzer, 2018). A precise definition of the term cannot be established due to the lack of common understanding of what the word ‘intelligent’ means. However, both given definitions suggest that on the one hand artificially intelligent machines and computers possess the ability to act based on the data they are provided with, and on the other hand are able to learn from past scenarios and thus rethink their future decisions. This is the aspect on which the following blog series sets its focus. 

AI is becoming more prominent in many areas, one of them being business and management. The advancement of this technology in said areas requires businesses to quickly adapt to these changing conditions for reasons of competitiveness. AI cannot only be applied to facilitate business processes and management decisions, but it can also be part of the product range offered by businesses. Hence, AI affects business and management both internally and externally. Therefore, the impact this technology has on individuals in both their business and private lives, as well as the ethical implications behind it need to be taken into consideration.  

The purpose of this blog series is to establish a base for discussion and interdisciplinary exchange on a scientific level. We aim to present various facets of AI and the ethical questions concerning this topic in order to achieve a broad overview over this complex issue. Hence, this blog series supports the general idea of the British Academy of Management’s Continental Network, whose objective it is to bring about the international exchange of knowledge. The advancements in AI represent a great chance for the research community in that the scientific exchange on the manifold aspects of this topic is made possible. 

References:

Kaplan, J. (2016) Artificial Intelligence : What Everyone Needs to Know. What Everyone Needs to Know® Ser. Oxford: Oxford University Press, Incorporated.

Mainzer, K. (2018) Künstliche Intelligenz – Wann übernehmen die Maschinen? Technik im Fokus Second edition. edn. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer.
 

1. Artificial Intelligence and Employment – A Conflict between Ethics and Economic Efficiency?

2. Responsibility of Distributed Environments Within Human, Artificial and Hybrid Agents

3. Influence of Digitalisation, Artificial Intelligence and the Development of Core Values in an International and Intercultural Context

4. Do we care? An Exploratory Review of Moral Sentiments upon Artificial Intelligence

5. Artificial Intelligence in our Private Lives – A Trade-Off between Simplicity and Security?

6. Competences for Producing Artificial Intelligence - Granting Access in an Ethically Acceptable Way

7. Artificial Intelligence: Initiator of Opportunities or Creator of Ethical Concerns?

8. Democratic Artificial Intelligence and the Fourth Industrial Revolution

9. Artificial Intelligence and Ethics in Practice – Deep Analysis

10. Reflections on Ethical Artificial Intelligence

 

The Continental Network Executive Committee

Treasurer and Secretary: Chantal Kling

Committee Members: Aizhan Tursunbayeva and Thanh Huynh

 

Background to the Foundation of the Continental Network

Throughout Europe, there is a variety of different research cultures and competences with a huge potential for synergy and opportunities for learning from each other. The BAM Continental Network aspires, especially in times of Brexit, to connect scholars and industry representatives from these different backgrounds for an international exchange of knowledge, ideas and approaches/methods to the benefit of the BAM community. In this initiative also lays great potential for the growth of the BAM community, as peers in continental Europe could become members of BAM to benefit from joint activities and events

Aims and Objectives

• Establish a platform for knowledge exchange between the scholars in the UK and continental Europe
• Strengthen the ties between the UK and European institutions and associations in times of Brexit through cooperation and joint activities
• Provide the BAM community with international events in other (research) cultures
• Enrich academic debates with perspectives from other research cultures
• Create a nucleus for further growth in Continental Europe
• Provide opportunities for participation to the wider community of BAM outside the UK
• Being an organic part of the BAM organisational structure and processes

Board of Advisers

The board of advisers of the Continental Network supports the initiative through an exchange of knowledge and expertise, the opportunity for holding joint workshops and events as well as the provision of excellent keynote speakers.

Currently, the following organisations and representatives are represented on the board

• Gesellschaft für Weiterbildung | Prof Dr Rainer Marr
• Kühne & Nagel | Dr Jörg Wolle
• Münchner Kreis | Dr Rahild Neuburger/ Prof Michael Dowling
• Interdisciplinary Body for Digital Transformation of the Association of German Engineers | Dr Dagmar Dirzus / Dr Kurt Bettenhausen