Ethonomics is the provisional name for the discipline of formally mapping and defining the prioritization of values within value systems, with the intent of understanding differences between seemingly disparate value systems, the people who hold those value systems, and the decisions they make based on those value systems. The intent is also to provide a mechanism for resolving conflicts between value systems through rational analysis.
Some would assert that an implicit consequence of ethonomics as applied to human value systems would be a form of moral universalism, derived from choosing an "optimal" value system via a formal process that "mathematically" proves the correctness of a particular prioritization of values. While some "ethonomists" might have such a goal, it is not inherent in the discipline itself. All that can be shown through ethonomics is how internally consistent a value system would be if applied in real life. For example, ethonomics could be used to demonstrate the consistency (or lack thereof) in a "might makes right" value system or moral code, but this would not make such a system superior to any other value system that is also internally consistent.
A new definition of ethonomics ("the corporate social responsibility definition") has been proposed by Ethonomics (organisation): In this definition, ethonomics is defined by reference to economics:
• Economics is the study of material things in the marketplace, derived from the Greek words 'oikos' - house (and by extension material things), and 'nomos' - custom or law.
• Ethonomics, by analogy therefore, is the study of ethics in the marketplace.
The analogy and parallels with economics show that ethonomics, in this definition, has the potential to be a rich, influential and multi-faceted academic area. The growth of interest in areas such as corporate social responsibility, fair trade and microfinance underline this.
An example of the power of ideas from ethonomics, in this definition, can be illustrated with a parallel to economic rivalry during the Cold War. There the ultimate economic dominance of capitalist societies over communist societies showed the superiority of an economic system that tapped the economic creativity and involvement of its citizens.
By analogy, in the context of ethonomics this suggests that the highest possible level of citizen engagement in ethical decision-making (for example as employees, investors or consumers) will produce the most flexible, efficient and effective determination of ethical norms. The implication of this is that management of ethics in the marketplace through non-regulatory methods has significant advantages over management through regulation. Ethonomics (organisation) was set up to work on identifying the most effective non-regulatory ethonomic options (i.e. non-regulatory ethical options in the marketplace).
Alt: Ethinomics: The philosophy that all transactions and efforts should be such that all parties involved benefit from said transactions. Ant: Any efforts to create advantage by subterfuge, sabotage, or slander. Ethonomics was suggested by Christopher Flynn in 2007 as a solution to Corrupt Capitalism; the ruling faction of the era. Ethonomics is used and was coined by the Dons Net Cafe (social entrepreneurial student run business) as the mix between ethics and Economics, a way to make money by engaging in ethical activities 2005 *see DonsNetCafe.com