A Peer-to-Peer Normative System to Achieve Social Order

International audienceSocial order in distributed descentralised systems is claimed to be obtained by using social norms and social control. This paper presents a normative P2P architecture to obtain social order in multi-agent systems. We propose the use of two types of norms that coexist: rules and conventions. Rules describe the global normative constraints on autonomous agents, whilst conventions are local norms. Social control is obtained by providing a non-intrusive control infrastructure that helps the agents build reputation values based on their respect of norms. Some experiments are presented that show how communities are dynamically formed and how bad agents are socially excluded

Normative Perspectives for Ethical and Socially Responsible Marketing

This article presents a normative set of recommendations for elevating the practice of marketing ethics. The approach is grounded in seven essential perspectives involving multiple aspirational dimensions implicit in ethical marketing. More important, each basic perspective (BP), while singularly useful, is also integrated with the other observations as well as grounded in the extant ethics literature. This combination of BPs, adhering to the tenets of normative theory postulation, generates a connective, holistic approach that addresses some of the major factors marketing managers should consider if they desire to conduct their marketing campaigns with the highest levels of ethics and social responsibility

The Non-Modularity of Moral Knowledge: Implications for the Universality of Human Rights

Many contemporary human rights theorists argue that we can establish the normative universality of human rights despite extensive cultural and moral diversity by appealing to the notion of overlapping consensus. In this paper I argue that proposals to ground the universality of human rights in overlapping consensus on the list of rights are unsuccessful. I consider an example from Islamic comprehensive doctrine in order to demonstrate that apparent consensus on the list of rights may not in fact constitute meaningful agreement and may not be sufficient to ground the universality of human rights. I conclude with some general suggestions for establishing the universality of human rights. Instead of presuming the universality of human rights based on apparent overlapping consensus we need to construct universality through actual dialogue both within and between communities

Private experiments in global governance : primary commodity roundtables and the politics of deliberation

Emerging scholarship on global governance offers ever-more detailed analyses of private regulatory regimes. These regimes aim to regulate some area of social activity without a mandate from, or participation of, states or international organizations. While there are numerous empirical studies of these regimes, the normative theoretical literature has arguably struggled to keep pace with such developments. This is unfortunate, as the proliferation of private regulatory regimes raises important issues about legitimacy in global governance. The aim of this paper is to address some of these issues by elaborating a theoretical framework that can orientate normative investigation of these schemes. It does this through turning to the idea of experimentalist governance. It is argued that experimentalism can provide an important and provocative set of insights about the processes and logics of emerging governance schemes. The critical purchase of this theory is illustrated through an application to the case of primary commodities roundtables, part of ongoing attempts by NGOs, producers, and buyers to set sustainability criteria for commodity production across a range of sectors. The idea of experimentalist governance, we argue, can lend much needed theoretical structure to debates about the normative legitimacy of private regulatory regimes

INSTITUTIONAL ANALYSIS ON POVERTY REDUCTION PROGRAM IN THE SOCIETY: A CASE STUDY OF NATIONAL PROGRAM FOR COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT OF INDEPENDENT URBAN (PNPM-MP) IN SEMARANG, INDONESIA

Institutional PNPM-MP in Semarang put poverty alleviation as the main priority of the empowerment-based development policy. The strategy developed is to synergize government agencies with community institutions built by PNPM-MP program at the village and base level, that is, Community Institutional Agency (BKM) and the Community Self-Reliance Group (KSM). The problem studied in this research is: How does PNPM-MP institutional in society involve in poverty reduction, with the aim of describing and analyzing institutional programs in the community. The research approach used phenomenological qualitative, by conducting interviews, observation, focus group discussion to obtain data from informants (BKM / KSM). Informants include two BKM and ten KSM which is purposively selected (deliberately) from two villages in two districts. The analysis was performed interactively, that is, analysis techniques which are integral cycle among data collection, data reduction, data performance and conclusion withdrawal. Research conclusion: PNPM-MP institutional at the village and base level (BKM / KSM) has not been able to be a driving force in poverty reduction and is still seen by the community as a program requirement, not institutionalized on both horizontal and vertical level. Recommendation for the research result is that it needed awareness that poverty reduction requires a synergy between government agencies and community agencies embodied in the development planning of one village one planning

An Economic Theory of Academic Engagement Norms: The Struggle for Popularity and Normative Hegemony in Secondary Schools

[Excerpt] Why and how do groups create norms? Kenneth Arrow proposed that “norms of social behavior, including ethical and moral codes, ….are reactions of society to compensate for market failure”. This internalize the real externalities explanation for norms is also standard among rational choice theorists in sociology. The situation becomes more complex when we recognize some actions create positive externalities for some individuals and negative externalities for others. Often this results in no norm being established. However, sometimes one segment of a social system has normative hegemony and enforces norms that enhance their power and prestige at the expense of other groups. Norms regarding caste in India, for example, were functional for Brahmins but humiliating for Harijans. Caste and status norms of this type will also be referred to as “Honor us; Not them” norms. Such norms arise when one group is much more powerful (has greater ability to enforce their preferred social norm) than other groups and it imposes its will on others. An additional requirement is that the people who oppose the norm established by the dominant group must be unable or unwilling to leave the social system in which the norm operates

On the Nature of “Good” Goods and the Ethical Role of Marketing

The purpose of this essay is to elaborate on an important section of a document titled, Vocation of the Business Leader, published by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. Subtitled “A Reflection,” this document is an 87 paragraph, 13,000 word (in English) statement about the ideals of business leadership as inspired by Christian values and ethics. It was sponsored by Peter K.A. Cardinal Turkson and Bishop Mario Toso in consultation with assorted educators, theologians, economists, and philosophers. The document developed from reflections and discussions on Pope Benedict XVI’s social encyclical Caritas in Veritate, particularly a seminar organized by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace in February 2011. As such, it extends Caritas in Veritate, especially with regard to economics and business

Seeking the Real Adam Smith and Milton Friedman

In this paper we will analyze the relationship between free market principles and ethics through an exploration of how too many business managers often approach the ideas of Adam Smith and Milton Friedman. In doing so, we aim to provide a thoughtful foundation for future discussions of how we ought to navigate this intersection. We briefly examine questions such as: What is the relationship between the “best” economy in terms of efficiency and the common good for society? Is pursuing one’s individual economic advantage the same as promoting the general interest? As we analyze and discuss these questions, specifically in the context of Smith and Friedman, we also make some alternative normative assertions, grounded in social welfare, about adopting a broader societal perspective for the purpose of business