(Un)ethical Learning-Based Innovation (ETLI): A Longitudinal Ethnography of Innovation Consequences in Police and Technology Work

Innovations are often viewed as positive solutions to social, economic, and environmental challenges, even though they do not automatically lead to beneficial or ethically sustainable outcomes. This research project examines the (un)ethical nature of learning-based innovations in working life. Its aim is to deepen understanding on the nature and consequences of innovations, and to develop a framework for assessing their (un)ethical dimensions. Based on a longitudinal ethnographic strategy, the project will be carried out in two organizational contexts – the police and technology companies. The project provides a new knowledge on the consequences of learning-based innovations and the processes underlying them, offering practical tools for organizations and policymakers to promote more ethically sustainable innovation activities. At the same time, it creates a framework for evaluating and understanding the consequences of innovations across different organizational and societal contexts.