Goal-directed policy conflict detection and prioritisation

Abstract

A policy (or norm) is a guideline stating what is allowed, forbidden or obligated for an entity, in a certain situation, so that acceptable outcomes are achieved. Policies occur in many types of scenarios, whether they are loose social networks of individuals or highly structured institutions. It is important, however, for policies to be consistent and to support their goals. This requires a thorough understanding of the implications of introducing specific policies and how they interact. It is difficult, even for experts, to write consistent, unambiguous and accurate policies, and conflicts are practically unavoidable. In this paper we address this challenge of providing automated support for identifying and resolving logical and functional conflicts. © Springer-Verlag 2013.