Ethical Responsibility and Sustainability (ERS) Development in a Metaverse Business Model

TLDR

Businesses are adopting the Metaverse to expand services and create new value, yet they must carefully assess the ethical implications of data collection for sustainability. The paper investigates the ethical concerns of using the Metaverse for competitive advantage and seeks to stimulate discussion on ethics when organizations misuse user data. The study employs an exploratory assessment of business ethics and a structured literature review to better understand the issue. Preliminary insights indicate that transparent policies on Metaverse applications are essential for fostering an ethical culture, and the work is relevant to technology and public policy stakeholders.

Abstract

Businesses are starting to use the Metaverse to expand their service network and establish new value co-creation for customers. However, businesses may need to carefully assess the ethical implications of their data collection and utilisation procedures for business sustainability. This paper examines the ethical concerns surrounding the usage of the Metaverse by organisations to obtain a competitive edge. This research was based on an exploratory assessment of business ethics and a Metaverse business model. A structured literature review was selected as the study’s design to get a better understanding of the issue. This research provides preliminary insights into the Metaverse and its business ethics, suggesting that any business must have a transparent policy regarding its Metaverse applications to foster a culture of ethics. This research aims to promote a constructive discussion on the issue of ethics in the context of the Metaverse that arises when an organisation conducts a violation or misuses user data. This paper is useful for people in the fields of technology and public policy, such as academics, businesspeople, and policymakers.