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This paper involves developing financial utility function that considers compliance to a certain qualitative characteristic and studies the impact on market equilibrium prices, should this criterion be Sharia compliance, fair-trade, environmental, social and governance principles or other ethical aspect. The goal is to show that individual utility can depend on other parameters than wealth and risk aversion, that therefore influence equilibrium market prices. This has been done by examining a possible utility function that takes into account individual sensitivity to the criterion and the intrinsic quality of compliance of this parameter. In order to prove the effectiveness of the proposed utility function, a simulation is made using agent-based approach with NetLogo platform. Upon examination of the impact of these parameters, it becomes clear that compliance to a qualitative characteristic would impact individual utility, supply and demand and result in equilibrium prices. This research highlights the importance of ethical arguments on individual decision making and how markets behave to this.

This article reviews the political and ethical dimensions of technology applications in social work by focusing on a descriptive case study. The case study is of an initiative undertaken by the New Zealand government between 2011 and 2015 to develop an algorithm that would allow child protection services to predict future child maltreatment at the point of birth and to pre-empt it before it occurs. The paper explores the new threats to human rights and social justice associated with the rise of algorithmic governance and explores the sources of algorithmic injustice. It also outlines some of the key ethical issues and political challenges associated with algorithmic governance.

This article presented empirical information to explore and examine the advocacy activities conducted by social workers in Hong Kong. The effectiveness of the advocacy activities as perceived by the social workers are measured and matched with the actual practice. Reasons for undertaking advocacy are collected. The determinants of advocacy include: recognition of the importance of empowerment and relationship building between social workers and service users, helping service users exercise their rights and broaden their life options are instrumental in driving advocacy efforts. The sense of guilt is also a contributing factor behind certain advocacy activities. The importance of research and education in advocacy are emphasized.

Human society is facing great challenges to address global climate change. How to move the international climate process forward is still a serious problem for politicians. Geoengineering's, so called Plan B to cope with climate change has attracted attentions of the international community with a lot of debate on its impact, risks from an ethical view as well as global governance at the level. In this paper, we focus on some important issues of geoengineering including the definition, characteristics, ethics and global governance, etc. and then put forward some suggestions for China's considerations.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is moving into a new phase where it is demonstrating the ability to supplement or replace humans across a range of decision-making activities. The transformative power of AI will require sensible regulation and heightened ethical sensitivity to ensure that it enhances rather than undermines human capabilities and values. The successful management of AI will necessitate coordination at the national, international and supranational levels among stakeholders of all types. Moreover, the shape of an AI-supplemented world will be heavily influenced by the rivalry between China and the United States as the world’s leading economic and AI powers. This paper will weave together the above themes to outline the relevant issues and stakes and the manner in which they can be managed to yield a productive AI-supplemented future, wherein AI’s promise is maximized and its potential perils avoided or mitigated.

Entrepreneurial firms, which include the new-age start-ups and an emerging era of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), have a central role to play in the economic growth of a country. Moreover, they have a central role in the economy and are imperative for employment generation and boosting technological advancement. It is well established that the management of established large-sized firms is significantly different from the challenges faced in the management of the small-sized entrepreneurial firms. Also, out of the numerous factors that influence the growth of SMEs and start-ups, one of the key differentiating factors is the leadership and the team/people that drive organisational growth. It has been seen that attracting, hiring and retaining key employees has always been challenging for any organisation, but in the case of small-scale entrepreneurial firms, it is even more daunting. In the context of this, the objective of the present chapter is to develop a framework for understanding the factors that affect employee retention in entrepreneurial firms using a systematic literature review. This chapter is an effort to find evidence from the past that indicates the factors affecting the employee retention in entrepreneurial firms. The findings from this study suggested that the HR policies can play the major role in retention practices.