Transcending Boundaries
Transcending Boundaries
Authors’ contributions
This work was carried out in collaboration between both authors. Both authors read and approved the
final manuscript.
Article Information
DOI: 10.9734/JEMT/2024/v30i51209
Received: 05/02/2024
Original Research Article Accepted: 10/04/2024
Published: 17/04/2024
ABSTRACT
The emergence of transhumanism – the belief in using technology to enhance the human body and
experience – has the potential to profoundly disrupt international business landscapes. As genetic
engineering, brain-computer interfaces, and human augmentation become increasingly
sophisticated, the business world is poised to encounter unprecedented challenges and
opportunities. These advancements not only reshape the structure of markets but also redefine the
nature of human capital and work dynamics. This paper investigates the implications of these
technologies on international business, while also exploring the potential for new markets, ethical
considerations, and the complexities of managing a future workforce of augmented humans. This
paper investigates the implications of these technologies on international business, while also
exploring the potential for new markets, ethical considerations, and the complexities of managing a
future workforce of augmented humans.
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Sharma and Makhija; J. Econ. Manage. Trade, vol. 30, no. 5, pp. 48-56, 2024; Article no.JEMT.115685
navigate the societal implications of such o Enhanced Augmented Reality (AR) and
divides. Virtual Reality (VR): BCIs can elevate AR
o Regulatory Challenges: As the potential and VR experiences, making them more
of genetic engineering grows, so does the immersive by integrating directly with user
need for stringent regulations. Companies thoughts or emotions. This has
will need to anticipate and adapt to diverse implications for industries like
regulatory landscapes, especially in global entertainment, real estate, tourism, and
markets where norms might vary education.
significantly.
o Public Perception and Branding: The 2.6.2 Data privacy and security
public's view on genetic engineering,
influenced by ethical, religious, or cultural o Neural Hacking Threats: With the rise of
beliefs, can impact a company's brand BCIs, the possibility of "neural hacking" or
image and market positioning. Proactive unauthorized access to someone's neural
public relations and stakeholder data becomes real. This necessitates
engagement will become essential. advancements in cybersecurity tailored to
protect brain data.
I assert that the realm of genetic engineering, o Ethical Considerations of Data Use:
while offering unprecedented possibilities, also Companies will have to navigate the
introduces intricate challenges for global ethical maze of utilizing neural data. This
businesses. The landscape is not just about includes concerns over consent, misuse of
harnessing the potential of genetic innovations personal thoughts or emotions, and the
but also about navigating the intricate socio- potential psychological impact of data
economic, ethical, and regulatory terrains that breaches.
they unearth. o Regulations and Compliance: BCIs will
2.5 Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) compel governments to draft new
regulations around data privacy.
BCIs offer direct communication between the International businesses will need to
brain and digital devices, enabling ensure compliance across varying
unprecedented data processing speeds and regulatory landscapes, especially when
augmented reality experiences. Brain-Computer dealing with something as intimate as brain
Interfaces (BCIs), also known as brain-machine data.
interfaces, are direct communication pathways o
between the human brain and external devices. 2.6.3 Healthcare innovations and challenges
BCIs can be invasive (implanted directly into the
brain) or non-invasive (external devices that pick- o Medical Treatments: BCIs offer
up brain signals). These interfaces offer therapeutic applications, especially for
transformative potentials in realms like neurological disorders like Parkinson's or
communication, healthcare, entertainment, and paralysis. This could open up new market
more [4]. avenues for medical device manufacturers
and healthcare providers.
2.6 Detailed Implications o Rehabilitation: Patients recovering from
2.6.1 Tech and data markets expansion strokes or injuries could benefit from BCI-
driven prosthetics or therapies, broadening
o Direct Communication Devices: BCIs the scope of rehabilitation medicine.
can revolutionize communication devices, o Mental Health Monitoring: Continuous
enabling thought-to-text or thought-to- neural monitoring might offer insights into
speech applications. This could redefine an individual's mental health, leading to
industries dependent on human-computer proactive treatments. However, this also
interaction, such as customer service, raises concerns about the constant
gaming, or software development. surveillance of one's emotional state.
o Neural Data Storage: The vast amounts
of neural data that BCIs can collect might 2.6.4 Workforce and Training
necessitate novel storage solutions. New
sectors focused on neural data clouds or o Skill Enhancement: BCIs can potentially
specialized neural storage devices could be used for rapid skill acquisition or
emerge. training, allowing workers to "download"
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knowledge or abilities. This can transform could birth an entirely new segment of
workforce training and development [5]. consumer electronics.
o Remote Work and Communication: As o Entertainment and Lifestyle: Augmented
BCIs enhance telepathic communication, individuals might seek experiences tailored
remote work dynamics could shift with to their enhanced capabilities. This can
teams communicating seamlessly without lead to niche markets, from augmented
traditional devices. sports leagues to entertainment platforms
o Cognitive Load Monitoring: Companies that leverage enhanced sensory
can gauge employee fatigue or cognitive perceptions.
overload in real-time, leading to better
work distribution and enhanced 2.8.2 Job Market Evolution
productivity. However, this again raises
privacy concerns. o Augmented Labor: Industries that rely
heavily on manual labor, such as
BCIs, as a frontier technology, are primed to construction or logistics, could benefit
redefine numerous sectors, from technology and immensely from augmented workers.
healthcare to workforce dynamics. However, the Wearable exoskeletons, for instance, could
convergence of technology with the most allow workers to lift heavy loads with ease
intimate part of humans – the brain – means or work in challenging environments with
businesses must tread with a combination of reduced fatigue.
ambition and caution, always weighing o Specialized Roles: Augmented individuals
innovation against ethics and security. may have unique skills or capabilities,
leading to specialized job roles
2.7 Augmentation that only they can fill. This can
redefine job markets, creating new roles
Physical augmentations, ranging from prosthetics while making some traditional roles
to organ replacements, can enhance human obsolete.
capacities beyond their natural limits. Human o Ethical Hiring Practices: Businesses will
augmentation refers to technologies and face challenges related to hiring
methods used to enhance or restore human augmented individuals. Will an augmented
performance. Augmentations can be external individual have an unfair advantage in
(like exoskeletons or wearable devices) or certain roles? Should companies give
internal (implanted devices, artificial organs, or preference to natural abilities over
biomechanical modifications). They offer the augmented ones, or vice versa?
promise of transcending biological limitations,
opening new avenues in personal 2.8.3 Healthcare and rehabilitation
capabilities, and providing solutions for physical
impairments. o Replacement Organs: Biomechanical and
bio-printed organs can offer solutions for
2.8 Detailed Implications organ transplant shortages, leading to new
business opportunities in the biomedical
2.8.1 Consumer market opportunities sector.
o Therapeutic Augmentation: Individuals
o Customizable Augmentation Devices: with disabilities or impairments can
As augmentation technologies advance, benefit from augmentative devices tailored
there will be a growing demand for to their needs, from advanced
customizable devices tailored to individual prosthetics to neural implants that
needs or aesthetic preferences. This restore lost functions. This will boost the
opens opportunities for businesses to offer market for therapeutic augmentation
bespoke solutions, from prosthetics with solutions.
personalized designs to exoskeletons that o Post-Augmentation Care: Just as there's
can be adjusted for specific tasks. a need for post-operative care after
o Enhanced Wearables: Beyond simple surgeries, individuals who undergo
health trackers, the future of wearables augmentation may require specialized care
could include devices that offer and rehabilitation. This paves the way for
superhuman sensory capabilities, like new healthcare services focusing on post-
infrared vision or ultrasonic hearing. This augmentation recovery.
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Sharma and Makhija; J. Econ. Manage. Trade, vol. 30, no. 5, pp. 48-56, 2024; Article no.JEMT.115685
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4.1.4 Long-term and accountability fashion and apparel tailored for physically
augmented individuals [12].
o Unforeseen Consequences: o Augmented Tourism: Enhanced sensory
Transhumanist technologies are in their capabilities or physical augmentations
nascent stages, and their long-term effects might create a demand for experiences
on individuals and societies are still not that cater specifically to such individuals,
fully understood. Companies must be leading to the birth of "augmented
prepared to take responsibility for tourism."
unforeseen consequences linked to their o Tech Support and Maintenance:
products or services. Augmented humans will need regular
o Post-augmentation Support: If updates, maintenance, and potential
individuals face challenges or repairs, spawning an entire industry akin to
complications post-augmentation, today’s tech support for gadgets.
businesses should provide avenues for
support, be it in the form of therapies, 5.1.2 Shifts in Consumer Behaviour
helplines, or compensations.
o Ecological Footprint: Like any o New Aesthetic Standards: As
technology, augmentation tools and augmentations become commonplace,
devices will have environmental they might influence societal standards of
implications, from manufacturing to beauty, leading to shifts in consumer
disposal. Companies must consider and behavior in sectors like fashion, cosmetics,
mitigate their ecological footprint [10]. and personal care.
o Redefining Luxury: If augmentations
The ethical landscape surrounding transhumanist initially cater to the elite, they might be
technologies is intricate and charged with perceived as status symbols. Over time, as
profound moral considerations. For businesses, they become more accessible, businesses
success in this realm is not merely about market will need to continuously redefine what
share or innovation – it hinges on ethical constitutes "luxury" in the augmentation
foresight, a deep respect for human dignity, and space.
a commitment to fairness and responsibility. o Evolving Privacy Expectations:
Navigating this space requires an alignment of Consumers will likely prioritize their neural
technological ambition with moral compass, and biological data privacy. Businesses will
ensuring that the march of progress doesn't need to offer transparency and robust
trample on the sanctity of individual and societal security measures to gain trust.
values.
5.1.3 Supply chain and manufacturing
5. GLOBAL MARKET EVOLUTION AND adaptations
BUSINESS STRATEGY
o Biomaterials Demand: Augmentation
The integration of transhumanist technologies technologies, especially those related to
will inevitably reshape the global market organic enhancements, will increase the
landscape. As these technologies penetrate demand for specific biomaterials [13]. This
different sectors and regions, international could reshape supply chains and drive
businesses must adapt, strategize, and re- research in sustainable biomaterial
envision their place within this evolving matrix production [14].
[11]. o Localized Manufacturing: Different
regions may have distinct regulatory
5.1 Detailed Implications environments for producing augmentation
devices or products. To remain compliant,
5.1.1 New market segments businesses might lean towards more
localized manufacturing models.
o Specialized Products/Services: The rise o Rapid Tech Evolution: The rapid pace of
of augmented humans will lead to a surge technological advancement means that
in demand for products and services products may have a short lifecycle,
tailored to their unique abilities and needs. necessitating agile manufacturing and
These could range from specialized supply chain processes [15].
software for brain-computer interfaces to
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5.1.4 Geopolitical and regulatory navigation Talent acquisition, training paradigms, and
organizational culture need significant
o Inter-country Disparities: Not every realignment. The profound ethical dimensions
country will adopt or accept transhumanist underpinning transhumanist technologies call for
technologies at the same rate. businesses to embrace a heightened sense of
International businesses must be attuned responsibility. The evolution of the international
to these disparities, tailoring their market market in response to transhumanism demands
entry and growth strategies accordingly. agility and foresight from international
o Regulatory Advocacy: To ensure a businesses. The challenges of navigating
conducive environment for their products regulatory landscapes, shifts in consumer
or services, businesses might engage in behaviours, and adapting supply chains are
regulatory advocacy, working alongside intensified in a world where human enhancement
governments to shape favourable policies. technologies are prevalent. It's evident that the
o Ethical Branding: Given the deep ethical success of global businesses in the age of
considerations around transhumanism, transhumanism will be defined not just by
businesses might lean into "ethical technological adaptation but by ethical integrity,
branding," ensuring consumers of their social responsibility, and the ability to anticipate
commitment to responsible and humane the profound societal shifts these technologies
practices [16]. usher in. To navigate this new world, global
businesses must commit to continuous learning,
As the global market metamorphoses under the ethical introspection, and a genuine engagement
weight of transhumanist technologies, with the broader societal implications of their
businesses stand at a critical juncture [17]. The actions. Only then can they truly thrive and
future isn't just about capitalizing on the contribute positively to the augmented future.
emergent opportunities; it's about foresight,
adaptability, and a commitment to navigating the COMPETING INTERESTS
ethical maze that accompanies this evolution.
Businesses that align their strategies with the Authors have declared that no competing
broader societal and individual implications of interests exist.
these technologies will not only thrive but also
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Peer-review history:
The peer review history for this paper can be accessed here:
https://www.sdiarticle5.com/review-history/115685
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