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

Journal of Business Ethics

Volumn 109, Issue 4, 2012, Pages 553-567

  Gouvea, Raul ^a   Linton, Jonathan D ^b   Montoya, Manuel ^a   Walsh, Steven T ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO   (United States)

^b UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA   (Canada)

Author keywords

Creative enterprise; Economic development; Ethics; Government processes; Nanoscience; Nanotechnology; Regulation; Technology entrepreneurship

Indexed keywords

EID: 84866295269     PISSN: 01674544     EISSN: 15730697     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1007/s10551-012-1430-3     Document Type: Article

References (136)

1. Allarakhia, M., & Walsh, S. T. (2011). Analyzing and organizing nanotechnology development: Application of the institutional analysis development framework to nanotechnology consortia. Technovation, 31(2/3), 105-117.
2. Anson, S., Kautt, M., Walsh, S. T., & Bittner, K. (2008). Academic infrastructure and competence centers for a potentially evolving nano-manufacturing industry. International Journal of Technology Transfer and Commercialization, 7, 436-455.
3. Asian Scientist. (2011). Thailand Partners with Korea on Nanotechnology Research. Singapore: Asian Scientists. http://www. asianscientist. com/biotech-pharma/thailand-partners-korea-nanotechnology-research/. Accessed 7 Aug 2012.
4. Bailey, W., & Spicer, A. (2007). When does national identity matter?: Convergence and divergence in international business ethics. Academy of Management Journal, 50(6), 1462-1480.
5. Baldwin, R. E., & Krugman, P. (2004). Agglomeration, integration and tax harmonization. European Economic Review, 48(1), 1-23.
6. Barton, C. (2007). Nanotechnology, revolutionizing R&D to develop smarter diagnostics and therapeutics. London: Business Insights Ltd.
7. Battelle. (2010). 2011 Global Funding Forecast, Advantage. Columbus, OH: Battelle. http://www. battelle. org/ABOUTUS/rd/2012. pdf. Accessed 7 Aug 2012.
8. Blackburn, K., & Forgues-Puccio, G. (2009). Why is corruption less harmful in some countries than in others? Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 72(3), 797-810.
9. Boardman, P. (2008). Beyond the stars: The impact of affiliation with university biotechnology centers on the industrial involvement of university scientists. Technovation, 28, 291-297.
10. Boardman, P., & Ponomarioy, B. (2009). University researchers working with private companies. Technovation, 29, 142-153.
11. Bostrom, A., & Löfstedt, R. E. (2010). Nanotechnology risk communication past and prologue. Risk Analysis, 30(11), 1645-1662.
12. Braithwaite, J., & Drahos, P. (1999). Ratcheting up and driving down global regulatory standards. Development, 42(4), 109-114.
13. Breitzman, A., & Patrick, T. (2002). Using patent citation analysis to target/value M&A candidates. Research-Technology Management, 45(5), 28-36.
14. Brueckner, J. K. (2000). Welfare reform and the race to the bottom: Theory and evidence. Southern Economic Journal, 66(3), 505-525.
15. Chan, A., & Ross, R. S. J. (2003). Racing to the bottom: International trade without a social clause. Third World Quarterly, 24(6), 1011-1028.
16. Chen, H., Roco, M., Li, X., & Lin, Y. (2008). Trends in nanotechnology patents. Nature Nanotechnology, 3, 123-125.
17. Choi, J.-H., Doogar, R. K., & Ganguly, A. R. (2004). The riskiness of large audit firm client portfolios and changes in audit liability regimes: Evidence from the US audit market. Contemporary Accounting Research, 21(4), 747-785.
18. Cientifica. (2011). Global funding of nanotechnologies & its impact. London: Cientifica.
19. Cooley, D. (2009). Understanding social welfare capitalism, private property, and the government's duty to create a sustainable environment. Journal of Business Ethics, 89(3), 351-369.
20. Corbett, J., McKeown, P. A., Peggs, G. N., & Whatmore, P. (2000). Nanotechnology: International developments and emerging products. Manufacturing Technology, 49, 523-545.
21. Cragg, W. (2000). Human rights and business ethics: Fashioning a new social contract. Journal of Business Ethics, 27(1/2), 205-214.
22. Crane, A., & Matten, D. (2005). Race to the bottom issues for business ethics education. Journal of Business Ethics, 54(4), 357-369.
23. Crepon, B., & Duguet, E. (1997). Estimating the innovation function from patent numbers: GMM on count panel data. Journal of Applied Economics, 12, 243-263.
24. Dillemuth, J., Frederick, S., Parker, R., Gereffi, G., & Appelbaum, R. (2011). Traveling technologies: Societal implications of nanotechnology through the global value chain. Journal of Nano Education, 3(1-2), 36-44.
25. Donaldson, T., & Dunfee, T. (1999). Towards a unified conception of business ethics: integrative social contracts theory. Academy of Management Review, 19(2), 252-284.
26. Drexler, K. E. (1986). Engines of creation: The coming era of nanotechnology. New York: Anchor Doubleday.
27. Drexler, K. E. (2004). Nanotechnology: From feynman to funding. Bulletin of Science Technology Society, 24, 21-27.
28. Dunfee, T. (1991). Business ethics and extant social contracts. Business Ethics Quarterly, 1(1), 23-51.
29. Dunfee, T. (2006). A critical perspective of integrative social contracts theory: Recurring criticisms and next generation research topics. Journal of Business Ethics, 68(3), 303-328.
30. Earle, J. S., Spicer, A., & Peter, K. S. (2010). The normalization of deviant organizational practices: The growth of wage arrears in Russia, 1992-1998. Academy of Management Journal, 53(2), 218-237.
31. Emerson, P. (2006). Corruption, competition, and democracy. Journal of Development Economics, 81(1), 193-212.
32. Enderle, G. (1997). A worldwide survey of business ethics in the 1990s. Journal of Business Ethics, 16(14), 1475-1483.
33. Feynman, R. (1960). There's plenty of room at the bottom. Engineering and Science, 23, 22-36.
34. Forker, L. (1990). Purchasing professionals in state government: How ethical are they? Journal of Business Ethics, 9(11), 903-911.
35. Gans, J. S., & Stern, S. (2003). The product market and the market for 'ideas': Commercialization strategies for technology entrepreneurs. Research Policy, 32(2 spec), 333-350.
36. Gao, Y. (2011). Government intervention, perceived benefit, and bribery of firms in transitional China. Journal of Business Ethics, 104(2), 175-184.
37. Global Industry Analysts. (2011) Nanotechnology-a global industry outlook. Global Industry Analyst report number GOS-094, 1-173. San Jose, CA: Global Industry Analyst Inc. http://www. strategyr. com/. Accessed 7 Aug 2012.
38. Goel, R., & Nelson, M. (2010). Causes of corruption: History, geography and government. Journal of Policy Modeling, 32(4), 433-447.
39. Goetz, S. J., Partridge, M. D., Rickman, D. S., & Majumdar, S. (2011). Sharing the gains of local economic growth: Race-to-the-top versus race-to-the-bottom economic development. Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy, 29(3), 428-456.
40. Gokhberg, L., & Kuznetsova, T. (2011). Russian Federation Chapter 11. In The current status of science around the world 2010 (pp. 215-232). Paris: UNESCO.
41. Gray, K. R. (2002). Foreign direct investment and environmental impacts-is the debate over? Review of European Community and International Environmental Law, 11(3), 306-313.
42. Griffin, A., & Hauser, J. R. (1996). Integrating R & D and marketing: A review and analysis of the literature. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 13(3), 191-215.
43. Groves, C., Frater, L., Lee, R., & Stokes, E. (2011). Is there room at the bottom for CSR? Corporate social responsibility and nanotechnology in the UK. Journal of Business Ethics, 101(4), 525-552.
44. Grupp, H., & Mogee, M. (2004). Indicators for national science and technology policy: How robust are composite indicators? Research Policy, 33, 1373-1384.
45. Halme, M., & Laurila, J. (2009). Philanthropy, integration or innovation? Exploring the financial and societal outcomes of different types of corporate responsibility. Journal of Business Ethics, 84(3), 325-339.
46. Harhoff, D., Narin, F., Scherer, F. M., & Vopel, K. (1999). Citation frequency and the value of patented inventions. The Review of Economic and Statistics, 81(3), 511-515.
47. Heritage Foundation. (2011). The 2011 index of economic freedom. Washington, DC: The Heritage Foundation. http://www. heritage. org/index/. Accessed 7 Aug 2012.
48. Hightower, J. (1973). Hard tomatoes, hard times. Rochester, VT: Schenkman Publishing.
49. Huang, F., & Rice, J. (2012). Firm networking and bribery in China: Assessing some potential negative consequences of firm openness. Journal of Business Ethics, 107(4), 533-545.
50. Hullman, A., & Meyer, M. (2003). Publications and patents in nanotechnology. Scientometrics, 58(3), 507-527.
51. Hwang, D. (2010). Ranking the nations on nanotech. Lux Research: New York. www. electroiq. com. Accessed 7 Aug 2012.
52. Ideker, T. T., Galitski, L., & Hood, L. E. (2001). A new approach to decoding life: Systems biology. Annual Review Genomics and Human Genetics, 2, 343-372.
53. IMF. (2011). World economic database. Washington, DC: International Monetary Fund. http://www. imf. org/external/pubs. Accessed 7 Aug 2012.
54. Institute of Nanotechnologies. (2011). China triples sending on nanotechnology over the past five years. Glasgow: Institute of Nanotechnology. http://www. nano. org. uk/news/1204. Accessed 7 Aug 2012.
55. Jing, R., & Graham, J. L. (2008). Values versus regulations: How culture plays its role. Journal of Business Ethics, 80(4), 791-806.
56. Johnson, W. (2008). Roles, resources and benefits of intermediate organizations supporting triple helix collaborative R&D: The case of Precarn. Technovation, 28(8), 495-505.
57. Judge, W. Q., McNatt, B., & Xu, W. (2011). The antecedents and effects of national corruption: A meta-analysis. Journal of World Business, 46(1), 93-103.
58. Kautt, M., Walsh, S., & Bittner, K. (2007). Global distribution of micro-nano technology and fabrication centers: A portfolio analysis approach. Technology Forecasting and Social Change, 74, 1697-1717.
59. Khera, I. P. (2001). Business ethics east vs. west: Myths and realities. Journal of Business Ethics, 30(1), 29-39.
60. Kitano, H. (2001). Systems biology: Toward systems-level understanding of biological systems. In H. Kitano (Ed.), Foundation of systems biology (pp. 1-29). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
61. Kjølberg, K. (2009). Representations of nanotechnology in Norwegian newspapers-implications for public participation. Journal of NanoEthics, 3(1), 61-72.
62. Knowledge Transfer Network. (2010). Nanotechnology: A UK industry view. Swindon: Technology Transfer Board. http://www. matuk. co. uk/docs/Nano_report. pdf. Accessed 7 Aug 2012.
63. Kondratieff, N. D. (1937). The long wave cycle. New York: Richardson and Snyder.
64. Konisky, D. M. (2007). Regulatory competition and environmental enforcement: Is there a race to the bottom? American Journal of Political Science, 51(4), 853-872.
65. Kostoff, R., Koytcheff, R., & Lau, C. (2007). Global nanotechnology research literature overview. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 74(9), 1733-1747.
66. Kostoff, R., Murday, J., Lau, C., & Tolles, W. (2006). The seminal literature of nanotechnology research. Journal of Nanoparticle Research, 8, 193-213.
67. Kvist, J. (2004). Does EU enlargement start a race to the bottom? Strategic interaction among EU member states in social policy. Journal of European Social Policy, 14(3), 301-318.
68. Lee, S., Yoon, B., & Park, Y. (2009). An approach to discovering new technology opportunities: Keyword-based patent map approach. Technovation, 29(6-7), 481-497.
69. Leydesdorff, L. (2008). The delineation of nanoscience and nanotechnology in terms of journals and patents: A most recent update. Scientometrics, 76(1), 159-167.
70. Li, X., Lin, Y., Chen, H., & Roco, M. C. (2007). Worldwide nanotechnology development: A comparative study of USPTO, EPO, and JPO patents (1976-2004). Journal of Nanoparticle Research, 9(6), 977-1002.
71. Linton, J., & Walsh, S. (2008). A theory of innovation for process-based innovations such as nanotechnology. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 75(5), 583-594.
72. Liu, X., Zhang, P., Xin, L., Chen, H., Dang, Y., Larson, C., et al. (2009). Trends for nanotechnology development in China, Russia, and India. Journal of Nanoparticle Research, 11(8), 1845-1866.
73. Lux Research. (2008). Nanomaterials state of the market Q3 2008: Stealth success, broad impact. New York: Lux Research Inc.
74. Lux Research. (2011). Nanotechnology funding: Corporations grab the reins. New York: Lux Research Inc.
75. Maine, E., Lubik, S., & Garnsey, E. (2012). Process-based vs. product-based innovation: Value creation by nanotech ventures. Technovation, 32(3-4), 179-192.
76. Mangematin, V., & Walsh, S. (2012). The future of nanotechnologies. Technovation, 32(3-4), 157-160.
77. Manish, A., Balakrishnan, M., Batra, V., Das, P., Noronha, L., Sarma, S., & Srivastava, N. (2010). Nanotechnology developments in India-a status report. The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), New Delhi, India, Project Report No. 2006ST21: D5, 1-123. http://www. teriin. org/ResUpdate/nano. php. Accessed 7 Aug 2012.
78. Marchant, G. E., & Sylvester, D. J. (2006). Transnational models for regulation of nanotechnology. Journal of Law, Medicine and Ethics, 34(4), 714-725.
79. McGee, R. (2008). Ethical aspects of using government to subvert competition: Antidumping laws as a case study of rent seeking activity. Journal of Business Ethics, 83(4), 759-771.
80. Millimet, D. L. (2003). Assessing the empirical impact of environmental federalism. Journal of Regional Science, 43(4), 711-733.
81. MIT. (2010). Russia's nanotech revolution: How MIT sloan executive education is helping RUSNANO inject entrepreneurialism and innovation into the country's economy. Cambridge, MA: MIT. http://mitsloan. mit. edu. Accessed 7 Aug 2012.
82. Motoyama, Y., & Eisler, M. (2011). Bibliometry and nanotechnology: A meta-analysis. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 78(7), 1174-1182.
83. Muller, A. (2007). How to make the clean development mechanism sustainable-the potential of rent extraction. Energy Policy, 35(6), 3203-3212.
84. Nikulainen, T., & Palmberg, C. (2010). Transferring science-based technologies to industry-does nanotechnology make a difference? Technovation, 30(1), 3-11.
85. NNI. (2011). National nanotechnology initiative strategic plan. Arlington, VA: Nano. gov. http://www. nano. gov/. Accessed 7 Aug 2012.
86. NSB. (2010). Science and engineering indicators. Washington, DC: National Science Board.
87. O'Mathúna, D. (2009). Nanoethics: Big ethical issues with small technology (p. 235). London: Continuum.
88. OECD. (2010). Measuring innovation: A new perspective. Paris: OECD Publishing.
89. Pandza, K., Wilkins, T., & Alfoldi, E. (2011). Collaborative diversity in a nanotechnology innovation system: Evidence from the EU framework programme. Technovation, 31, 476-489.
90. Pearce, C. L., & Manz, C. C. (2011). Leadership centrality and corporate social Ir-responsibility (CSIR): The potential ameliorating effects of self and shared leadership on CSIR. Journal of Business Ethics, 102(4), 563-579.
91. Pelletier, K. L., & Bligh, M. C. (2008). The aftermath of organizational corruption: Employee attributions and emotional reactions. Journal of Business Ethics, 80(4), 823-844.
92. Pollack, M. A. (1997). Representing diffuse interests in EC policy-making. Journal of European Public Policy, 4(4), 572-590.
93. Prakash, A., & Kollman, K. (2003). Biopolitics in the EU and the US: A race to the bottom or convergence to the top? International Studies Quarterly, 47(4), 617-641.
94. Preschitschek, N., & Bresser, D. (2010). Nanotechnology patenting in China and Germany-a comparison of patent landscapes by bibliographic analyses. Journal of Business Chemistry, 7(1), 3-13.
95. Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN). (2011). US nano metro map. Washington, DC: Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. http://www. nanotechproject. org/inventories/map/. Accessed 7 Aug 2012.
96. Qerimi, Q., & Sergi, B. S. (2012). The effects of economic freedom on institutional performance in the Western Balkans countries. International Journal of Business Governance and Ethics, 7(1), 18-36.
97. Raisner, J. (1997). Using the "ethical environment" paradigm to teach business ethics: The case of the Maquiladoras. Journal of Business Ethics, 16(12/13), 1331-1346.
98. Ratinho, T., & Henriques, E. (2010). The role of science parks and business incubators in converging countries: Evidence from Portugal. Technovation, 30(4), 278-290.
99. Richardson, B., & Curwen, P. (1995). Do free-market governments create crisis-ridden societies? Journal of Business Ethics, 14(7), 551-560.
100. Rivioli, P. (2003). Labor standards in the global economy: Issues for investors. Journal of Business Ethics, 43(3), 223-232.
101. Roco, M. C. (2003). Broader societal issues of nanotechnology. Journal of Nanoparticle Research, 5, 181-189.
102. Roco, M. C. (2005). International perspective on government nanotechnology funding in 2005. Journal of Nanoparticle Research, 7(6), 707-712.
103. Roco, M. C. (2011). The long view of nanotechnology development: The national nanotechnology initiative at 10 years. Journal of Nanoparticle Research, 13, 427-445.
104. Rogers, E. M. (1995). The diffusion of innovations. New York: Free Press.
105. Romig, A., Baker, A., Johannes, J., Zipperian, T., Eijkel, K., Kirchhoff, B., et al. (2007). An introduction to nanotechnology policy: Opportunities and constraints for emerging and established economies. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 74, 1634-1642.
106. Safran, D. G., Montgomery, J. E., Chang, H., Murphy, J., & Rogers, W. H. (2001). Switching doctors: Predictors of voluntary disenrollment from a primary physician's practice. Journal of Family Practice, 50(2), 130-136.
107. Sah, R. (2007). Corruption across countries and regions: Some consequences of local osmosis. Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, 31(8), 2573-2598.
108. Sargent, J. (2008). Nanotechnology and US competitiveness: Issues and options. CRS report for Congress code RL34493 1-26; Washington, DC: US Department of State. http://www. fas. org/sgp/crs/misc/RL34493. pdf. Accessed 7 Aug 2012.
109. Schneiberg, M., & Bartley, T. (2008). Organizations, regulation, and economic behavior: Regulatory dynamics and forms from the nineteenth to twenty-first century. Annual Review of Law and Social Science, 4, 31-61.
110. Schumpeter, J. A. (1934). The theory of economic development: An inquiry into profits, capital, credit, interest, and the business cycle. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
111. Shin, S. (2004). Economic globalization and the environment in China: A comparative case study of Shenyang and Dalian. Journal of Environment and Development, 13(3), 263-294.
112. Solleiro, J. L., & Castanon, R. (2005). Competitiveness and innovation systems: The challenges for Mexico's insertion in the global context. Technovation, 25(9), 1059-1070.
113. Stokes, D. E. (1997). Pasteur's quadrant: Basic science and technological innovation. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press.
114. Strong, M. (2009). Peace through access to entrepreneurial capitalism for all. Journal of Business Ethics, 89(suppl. 4), 529-538.
115. Swiss Business Hub Russia. (2011). Russia Nanotechnology. Zurich, Switzerland: OSEC Business Network. http://www. osec. ch/sites/default/files/BB_Russia_Commercial_Nanotechnologies_2011. pdf. Accessed 7 Aug 2012.
116. Taniguchi, N. (1974). On the basic concept of nanotechnology. In Proceeding of International Conference on Production Engineering (pp. 18-23). Tokyo: JSPE 2.
117. Thukral, I., Von Ehr, J., Walsh, S., Groen, A., van de Sijde, P., & Adham, K. (2008). Entrepreneurship, emerging technologies, emerging markets. International Small Business Journal, 26, 101-116.
118. Tierney, R., Hermina, W., & Walsh, S. T. (2012). The pharmaceutical technology landscape: A new form of technology roadmapping. doi: 10. 1016/j. techfore. 2012. 05. 002.
119. Tornatzky, L. G., & Fleischer, M. (1990). The process of technological innovation. Lexington, KY: Lexington Books.
120. Transperancy International. (2011). The 2010 corruption perception index. Berlin, Germany: Transparency International. http://www. transparency. org/policy_research/surveys_indices/cpi/2010. Accessed 7 Aug 2012.
121. Urpelainen, J. (2010). Regulation under economic globalization. International Studies Quarterly, 54(4), 1099-1121.
122. Vance, A. (2008). Ambitious China firms military and commercial R&D ties when else fails-copy the US. Mountain View, CA: The Register. http://www. theregister. co. uk/2008/03/04/pentagon_2008_report_china/. Accessed 7 Aug 2012.
123. von Weltzein Hoivik, H., & Shankar, D. (2011). How can SMEs in a cluster respond to global demands for corporate responsibility? Journal of Business Ethics, 101(2), 175-195.
124. Walsh, S. (2004). Roadmapping a disruptive technology: A case study: The emerging microsystems and top-down nanosystems industry. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 71(1), 161-185.
125. Walsh, S., Kirchhoff, B., & Newbert, S. (2002). Differentiating market strategies for disruptive technologies. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 49(4), 341-351.
126. Warner, J., Cannon, A., & Dye, K. (2004). Green chemistry. Environmental Impact Assessment Review, 24(7-8), 775-799.
127. Warren, D. E., & Laufer, W. S. (2009). Are corruption indices a self-fulfilling prophecy? A social labeling perspective of corruption. Journal of Business Ethics, 88(suppl. 4), 841-849.
128. Wheeler, D. (2001). Racing to the bottom? Foreign investment and air pollution in developing countries. Journal of Environment and Development, 10(3), 225-245.
129. Wilhelm, P. (2002). International validation of the corruption perceptions index: Implications for business ethics and entrepreneurship education. Journal of Business Ethics, 35(3), 177-189.
130. Winans, B. (2011). European nanotechnology landscape report, ObservatoryNANO Work Package 3. Glasgow, UK: ObservatoryNano. www. observatorynano. eu. Accessed 7 Aug 2012.
131. Wong, J. (2011). China's economy 2010: Continuing strong growth, with possible soft landing for 2011 (East Asian Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore). EAI Background Brief No. 591.
132. Wong, P. K., Ho, Y. P., & Chan, C. K. (2007). Internationalization and evolution of application areas of an emerging technology: The case of nanotechnology. Scientometrics, 70(3), 715-737.
133. Wonglimpiyara, J. (2005). The nano-revolution of Schumpeter's Kondratieff cycle. Technovation, 25, 1349-1354.
134. World Bank. (2011). Doing business: Measuring business regulation, ease of doing business rank. Washington, DC: The World Bank. http://www. doingbusiness. org/rankings. Accessed 7 Aug 2012.
135. Youtie, J., Schapira, P., & Porter, A. (2008). Nanotechnology publications and citations by leading countries and blocs. Journal of Nanoparticle Research, 10, 981-986.
136. Zeng, K., & Eastin, J. (2007). International economic integration and environmental protection: The case of China. International Studies Quarterly, 51(4), 971-995.