Technology and Business Ethics Theory

The various theories about business ethics need to take much more notice of technology, realising that technology has its own increasing momentum which is driving business, and that, whereas business people think they control technology as a simple neutral means to their ends, in fact the reverse is true: business is the servant of technological development. Jacques Ellul, however, offers some hope for the future to help us 'reappropriate our humanity'. Dr Davies is a senior lecturer in Strategic Management and Business Ethics at the Buckingham Business School, Buckinghamshire College [a College of Brunel University], Newland Park Campus, Gorelands Lane, Chalfton-St-Giles, Buckinghamshire HP8 4PB (Tel 01494-874441, ext. 2240; fax 01494-874230; Email pdavie01@buckscol.ac.uk). His background is in mining and production engineering and he would like to hear from others interested in the new field of engineering ethics.