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Emerging Technologies and Ethics: A Race-to-the-Bottom or the Top?

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  • Raul Gouvea
  • Jonathan Linton
  • Manuel Montoya
  • Steven Walsh

Abstract

Does national success with an emerging technology require ethical sacrifices? This question is considered through the simultaneous consideration of ethics, investment, and outcomes in the nine jurisdictions that are making the largest investments in nanotechnologies—an important emerging technology. It is found that while ethical environment has no notable effect on pure and applied research, a more positive ethical environment is associated with measures associated with invention and commercialization. In summary, a race-to-the-top supports invention and commercialization of emerging technologies. A critical finding as it suggests that issues such as corruption and regulation could be critical in limiting the extraction of social and economic benefit from emerging technologies (like nanotechnologies). Copyright Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2012

Suggested Citation

  • Raul Gouvea & Jonathan Linton & Manuel Montoya & Steven Walsh, 2012. "Emerging Technologies and Ethics: A Race-to-the-Bottom or the Top?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 109(4), pages 553-567, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:109:y:2012:i:4:p:553-567
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-012-1430-3
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    2. Karaulova, Maria & Shackleton, Oliver & Liu, Weishu & Gök, Abdullah & Shapira, Philip, 2017. "Institutional change and innovation system transformation: A tale of two academies," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 196-207.
    3. Jonathan Linton & Steven Walsh, 2012. "Introduction to the Field of Nanotechnology Ethics and Policy," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 109(4), pages 547-549, September.
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    6. Haessler, Philipp & Giones, Ferran & Brem, Alexander, 2023. "The who and how of commercializing emerging technologies: A technology-focused review," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).

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