IT Innovation

Chapter 2 IT Innovation “If a man does not know to what port he is a common mantra, or “rapid application development.” As steering, no wind is favorable to him.” a result of this approach, incredibly powerful machines are created in a mostly unregulated space without any ethical Seneca (1 BCE–CE 65) considerations. Technology is rapidly evolving around us, and if we believe in In this creative torrent, we risk creating machines that do the theory of accelerating returns, the pace of evolution will not serve human uses and moving toward a future in which only increase. Ray Kurzweil, a serious contemporary futurist, humans serve machines. Instead of helping people grow and expects that “measured by today’s rate of progress … we won’t advance—a great potential of information technology!— experience 100 years of technological advance in the twenty- innovation could turn against us and wash us onto the shores first century; we will witness on the order of 20,000 years of of a machine age that throws humanity back into what Kant progress” (2006, p. 11). His prediction, which most experts should call “immaturity” (Immanuel Kant, 1724–1804). conceptually acknowledge, is based on a key observation: Information technology (IT) is not only powerful in itself; it also facilitates the success and convergence of other powerful 2.1 Human Growth and Eudemonia technological domains such as nanotechnology, genetic engi- through IT neering, and robotics. Technological change is like a raging river into which individuals, companies, and societies dive Eudemonia has not only been recognized by Aristotle as enthusiastically, but then have trouble staying afloat. the core goal of human life, but many more current authors This book aims to help managers, entrepreneurs, and in the field of cybernetics and computer ethics, such as engineers to successfully maneuver through the explosion Norbert Wiener (1954), James Moor (1999), and Terrell of IT innovation by embracing a new vision for IT design: Ward Bynum (2006), have embraced human flourishing “ethical IT innovation” driven by values. In this case, value as a core concept in their ethical considerations vis-à-vis does not mean short-term financial profit. Value implies a IT. Using the word “happiness,” economists have started systematic shaping of future machines to support the growth to embrace eudemonia as an additional variable besides and welfare of people or, what Aristotle (384–322 bc) called economic return and productivity (Frey and Stutzer 2001; “eudemonia” (Greek: εύδαιμονία stands for “happiness, wel- Bruni and Porta 2007). Economists work is informed by fare”). Function-centered engineering is replaced by human- now decades of psychological research into the drivers of centered engineering. human motivation and well-being (Diener 2009). Peter Aiming for eudemonia through machines is not easy. Drucker spoke of companies’ “inescapable accountability to We currently prioritize machine functionality over ethi- the quality of life” (Smith and Lenssen 2009, p. 375). And cal requirements such as the privacy or security of systems, in 2011 Michael Porter laid the foundations for a “shared not to mention other human values such as trust, transpar- value” initiative at Harvard Business School in which he ency, attention-sensitivity, objectivity, accessibility, reliability, calls for the creation of economic value in a way that also autonomy, or property. At the core of current technological creates value for society. change is a current software engineering practice that lives Eudemonia is not something that comes easily. Its first an extremely rapid pace and has the tendency to minimize requirement is an optimal environment. In many respects, requirements engineering. “Release early, release often” is information technology has helped us to create a good 7 From Sarah Spiekermann, "Ethical IT Innovation: A Value-Based System Design Approach," ISBN 978-1-4822-2635-5, © 2016 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC 8 ◾ Ethical IT Innovation Need for self-actualization Esteem needs ([a] self-esteem, achievement, mastery [b] reputation, dignity, attention) IT IT Basic Positives Belongingness and life needs Negatives needs >> << (Friends, family, community) Safety needs (Security, protection, freedom from fear) Physiological needs (Freedom from hunger, healthiness) Knowledge (Desire to know and to understand) Pre- Freedom (Freedom to speak, to act, to investigate, …) conditions Figure 2.1 Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs. environment already. For the first time in human history, we support human eudemonia. Maslow’s list of human growth have reached—at least in the wealthy parts of the world—a needs has been illustrated as a pyramid. The pyramid sym- point where we start to understand important pieces of the bolizes that once people have fulfilled a lower need, they natural forces around us. IT helps to model and unravel are motivated by the outlook of achieving the next higher parts of their magic. We have started to influence some of one (Maslow 1970; Figure 2.1). Physiological needs are the these forces and experiment with them; also in great parts lowest needs that must be fulfilled before any higher needs helped by the simulation and processing power of our can actually materialize. If we are hungry or sick, we first machines. Some scholars have even called out the “age of have to overcome this state before we can truly benefit from the anthropocene.”* In rich nations a majority of the popula- higher needs, such as love, reputation, or creativity. The same tion does not have to struggle any more for daily survival. is true for safety. If we feel insecure or threatened, our only Globally integrated, IT-controlled supply chains provide urge is to first reestablish order before we can turn to higher us with the food, shelter, and luxuries we desire. Efforts goals in life. Once our physiological needs and safety needs are being made to extend some of this wealth to the Third are fulfilled we strive for the satisfaction of the higher social World. In fact, IT-driven manufacturing provides goods and and individual needs, such as love, belongingness, and self- services in quantities that often surpass demand. A majority esteem. The highest level of the hierarchy is self-actualization, of people is employed and earn enough income to live. This in which people aim to leverage their potential and talents to income, as well as remaining faith in the democratic balance the fullest degree. “What a man can be he must be,” wrote of power between citizens, corporations, and elected govern- Maslow (1970, p. 46). None of these needs can be realized ments, has led to a perception of personal safety and security if not two preconditions are met. These are—according to in large parts of First World societies. Maslow—first the freedom to speak, to act, to investigate, Against this background, the majority of readers of this and to defend oneself. Second, he discusses the importance book currently benefit from the fulfillment of what Abraham of knowledge. Humans’ desire to know and to understand Maslow would consider to be the lower physiological and enables them to build the competencies to fulfill their needs. safety needs of people. Maslow is the founding father of Over the last decades, IT has helped to not only secure humanistic psychology, a school of psychology that aims to our basic physiological and safety needs, but also provided us with many opportunities to address our higher needs. For example, IT helps us address our need for belonging by * “The Anthropocene—A Man-Made World,” The Economist, May 26, 2011, accessed October 9, 2014, http://www.economist.com enabling us to stay in touch with friends and family more /node/18741749. closely and over greater distances through e-mail, chats, and From Sarah Spiekermann, "Ethical IT Innovation: A Value-Based System Design Approach," ISBN 978-1-4822-2635-5, © 2016 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC IT Innovation ◾ 9 videotelephony. We can easily share precious moments by devices; and opaque, uncontrollable, and undocumented IT exchanging digital photos and videos, sending each other systems. Over a billion people have joined virtual worlds, emojis, or jointly visiting a museum while on two separate many of them using their artificial lives as a replacement for continents. Individual needs for esteem is represented by the natural environments. These are the downsides of our infor- next step in the ladder. It includes on one side the desire for mation technology riches, and they are perhaps only warning self-esteem through feelings of personal achievement and signs of what lies ahead. competence. On the other side we desire reputation and The negative phenomena of the IT world would surely appreciation from others. Shared online resources help us not be present at their current scale if the technologies that to be more informed. For example: In situations where we caused them had been better designed—if they had been feel insecure because we do not know something by heart, more thoughtfully and prudently engineered and placed into a quick lookup on Wikipedia feels really good. Many of us the market more responsibly. Documents stored in company have started to write blogs, share what we find important, databases and private desktops as well as e-mail could have and publish our own videos and photos. Being part of an been encrypted by default for a long time (Zimmermann online group again has potential to gratify us with esteem 1995). The collection of personal data through browsers, from others. We get likes (recognition) on Facebook. We mobile phones, and video cameras could have been pro- are retweeted on Twitter. “In every person there is an art- hibited by default from the start. E-mail servers could have ist,” said Joseph Beuys, himself one of the most famous been configured in an attention-sensitive way to protect twentieth-century artists.

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