Ubi Lex Ibi Poena: Designing Norm Enforcement in Electronic Institutions

Abstract

The viability of the application of the e-Institution paradigm for obtaining overall desired behavior in open multiagent systems (MAS) lies in the possibility of bringing the norms of the institution to have an actual impact on the MAS. Institutional norms have to be implemented in the society. The paper addresses two possible views on implementing norms, the so-called regimentation of norms, and the enforcement of norms, with particular attention to this last one. Aim of the paper is to provide a theory for the understanding of the notion of enforcement and for the design of enforcement mechanisms in e-Institutions.