Purpose - Auctions and negotiations are key exchange mechanisms used in supply-chain transactions involving complex goods (including services) that have high profit impact. Negotiation was a prolonged and difficult process making interactions with several partners simultaneously impossible while auctions' disadvantage is their focus on price and inability to make distinctions between individual buyers and/or sellers. Providing a single negotiator with software agents that are able to support her activities, advise her on the best course of action, and act on her behalf allows her to engage in multiple interactions with human and software-based counterparts. In this paper we discuss the ANIMA system, designed to support negotiators engaged in multiple bilateral negotiations, and its loose integration with the Invite multi-bilateral e-negotiation system. Design/methodology/approach - The data collected from the initial experiments shows that agents are able to negotiate with humans and, using knowledge base, adapt their strategies to those that humans employ. The methodology here is based on experimental design and statistical analysis. Our findings will be used for the design of a knowledge base that will be accessible by human and artificial users of Imbins and Imaras. The methodology primarily consists of knowledge engineering and system design. Originality/value - The approach which we propose is novel in the following three aspects: 1. It proposes formal methods for multi-attribute auction and multi-bilateral negotiations which can be experimentally studied and used to build knowledge bases for the human and artificial e-market participants; 2. It proposes an integrated environment in which humans and software agents can collaborate, compete and inform themselves and others; and 3. It proposes a platform for coordination mechanism in agent-based supply chains, agent-mediated auctions and negotiations, and multi-agent market modelling. Practical implications - The outcomes of this research will be new generation of e-market systems and software agents capable of: combining auction and negotiation mechanisms and using them separately; aiding individual buyers and sellers in managing complex transactions; supporting both buyers and sellers in their achievement of joint and individual substantive outcomes (e.g., revenue, costs, deadlines, and quality); as well realizing relational outcomes (e.g., trust, satisfaction with dealing, reliability, and rapport).

Knowledge-based coordination and support for software agents in supply chains / Kersten, Gregory E.; Vahidov, Rustam; Pontrandolfo, Pierpaolo. - ELETTRONICO. - (2012), pp. 1275-1298. (Intervento presentato al convegno 7th International Forum on Knowledge Asset Dynamics IFKAD and 5th Knowledge Cities World Summit, KCWS tenutosi a Matera, Italy nel June 13-15, 2012).

Knowledge-based coordination and support for software agents in supply chains

Pontrandolfo, Pierpaolo
2012-01-01

Abstract

Purpose - Auctions and negotiations are key exchange mechanisms used in supply-chain transactions involving complex goods (including services) that have high profit impact. Negotiation was a prolonged and difficult process making interactions with several partners simultaneously impossible while auctions' disadvantage is their focus on price and inability to make distinctions between individual buyers and/or sellers. Providing a single negotiator with software agents that are able to support her activities, advise her on the best course of action, and act on her behalf allows her to engage in multiple interactions with human and software-based counterparts. In this paper we discuss the ANIMA system, designed to support negotiators engaged in multiple bilateral negotiations, and its loose integration with the Invite multi-bilateral e-negotiation system. Design/methodology/approach - The data collected from the initial experiments shows that agents are able to negotiate with humans and, using knowledge base, adapt their strategies to those that humans employ. The methodology here is based on experimental design and statistical analysis. Our findings will be used for the design of a knowledge base that will be accessible by human and artificial users of Imbins and Imaras. The methodology primarily consists of knowledge engineering and system design. Originality/value - The approach which we propose is novel in the following three aspects: 1. It proposes formal methods for multi-attribute auction and multi-bilateral negotiations which can be experimentally studied and used to build knowledge bases for the human and artificial e-market participants; 2. It proposes an integrated environment in which humans and software agents can collaborate, compete and inform themselves and others; and 3. It proposes a platform for coordination mechanism in agent-based supply chains, agent-mediated auctions and negotiations, and multi-agent market modelling. Practical implications - The outcomes of this research will be new generation of e-market systems and software agents capable of: combining auction and negotiation mechanisms and using them separately; aiding individual buyers and sellers in managing complex transactions; supporting both buyers and sellers in their achievement of joint and individual substantive outcomes (e.g., revenue, costs, deadlines, and quality); as well realizing relational outcomes (e.g., trust, satisfaction with dealing, reliability, and rapport).
2012
7th International Forum on Knowledge Asset Dynamics IFKAD and 5th Knowledge Cities World Summit, KCWS
978-88-96687-08-6
Knowledge-based coordination and support for software agents in supply chains / Kersten, Gregory E.; Vahidov, Rustam; Pontrandolfo, Pierpaolo. - ELETTRONICO. - (2012), pp. 1275-1298. (Intervento presentato al convegno 7th International Forum on Knowledge Asset Dynamics IFKAD and 5th Knowledge Cities World Summit, KCWS tenutosi a Matera, Italy nel June 13-15, 2012).
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11589/15877
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