Ranking for human rights? The formative power of indicators for business responsibility

Epigenetics and Responsibility

“…However, awareness of the importance of lifestyle and environment for health outcomes is far from new Chiapperino and Panese, 2019). Neither is the claim that society should take responsibility for the wellbeing of its citizens; the debate about where to draw the line between individual and societal responsibility, or between the private and the public sphere, has been a core concern in political and philosophical thinking for centuries (Bexell, 2005). Moreover, the development of the welfare state, which takes on responsibility for the well-being of all citizens -especially those who are worse off (Aravacik, 2019) -has taken place independently of emerging knowledge concerning epigenetic mechanisms.…”

AI and Epigenetic Responsibility

“…However, awareness of the importance of lifestyle and environment for health outcomes is far from new (Hedlund, 2012;Chiapperino and Panese, 2019). Neither is the claim that society should take responsibility for the wellbeing of its citizens; the debate about where to draw the line between individual and societal responsibility, or between the private and the public sphere, has been a core concern in political and philosophical thinking for centuries (Bexell, 2005). Moreover, the development of the welfare state, which takes on responsibility for the well-being of all citizens -especially those who are worse off (Aravacik, 2019) -has taken place independently of emerging knowledge concerning epigenetic mechanisms.…”

‘Un-responsible’ Organization: How More Organization Produces Less Responsibility

“…In public discourse as in theoretical analyses, the concept of responsibility has been defined in several ways (Bovens, 2010; Hart, 2008). Highly relevant for organizational studies is the distinction between prospective and retrospective responsibility (Bexell, 2005; Cane, 2002). Prospective responsibility is forward looking, as when someone is given responsibility for a certain task, implying the expectation that this person will handle this task in the future – a meaning close to duty or obligation.…”

“…This ‘future retrospective’ aspect of prospective responsibility is often explained in terms of accountability , a common concept in the organization and accounting literature that should not be confused with responsibility (Bexell, 2005; Bovens, 2010; Heimstädt & Dobusch, 2020; Messner, 2009; Roberts, 1991; Roberts & Scapens, 1985). Accountability can be defined as an expectation to provide an account of one’s actions after the fact and before some sort of public forum (Bovens, 2010; van Gunsteren, 1976).…”