Diving into Experimentation: Part 4 of 4 —Beyond the Numbers

“Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do.” — Potter Stewart

Beyond Just Numbers

The most prevalent metrics that companies favour are productivity, growth, or cost-savings. Sometimes to the detriment of their employees or even customers. Sometimes these have lead to serious consequences, including legal and reputational damage. Some famous case studies are the following:

Foxconn:

• Prioritizing Metrics Over Well-being (2010): Foxconn, a key supplier for Apple and other tech giants, came under fire for poor labor conditions including extensive work hours, insufficient pay, and unsafe environments.
• Impact: This approach led to a series of worker suicides in 2010, drawing intense scrutiny and pushing the company to raise wages and cut working hours.

Boeing:

• Cost-Cutting Over Safety (2018–2019): Boeing faced widespread criticism following two crashes involving its 737 Max airplane, with investigations indicating a focus on cost-saving and quick production overshadowed safety concerns.
• Impact: The fallout included grounded fleets, lawsuits, and a hit to its reputation, eventually resulting in a…