Publication - Multi-Linked Negotiation in Multi-Agent System

Authors: Xiaoqin Zhang; Victor Lesser
Title: Multi-Linked Negotiation in Multi-Agent System
Abstract: Multi-linked negotiation describes a situation where one agent needs to negotiate with multiple agents about different issues, and the negotiation over one issue influences the negotiations over other issues. Multi-linked issues will become important for the next generation of more complicated Multi-Agent Systems. However, most current negotiation research only looks at single issue negotiation and thus does not present techniques to reason and manage multi-linked issues. In this paper, we present a technique based on the use of a partial-order schedule and a measure of the schedule, called flexibility, which enables an agent to reason explicitly about the interactions among multiple negotiation issues. We show how an agent uses the partial-order schedule to effectively manage interacting negotiation issues; and how the flexibility is a key measure for ordering and managing negotiation issues. Experimental work is presented which shows this management technique for multi-linked negotiation leads to improved performance.
Keywords: Negotiation, Supply Chain
Publication: Proceedings of the First International Joint Conference on Autonomous Agents And MultiAgent Systems (AAMAS 2002), pp. 1207 - 1214
Date: 2002
Sources: HTML: http://mas.cs.umass.edu/~xqzhang/pub/ml.pdf
Reference: Xiaoqin Zhang; Victor Lesser. Multi-Linked Negotiation in Multi-Agent System. Proceedings of the First International Joint Conference on Autonomous Agents And MultiAgent Systems (AAMAS 2002), pp. 1207-1214. 2002.
bibtex:
@article{Zhang-245,
  author    = "Victor Lesser Xiaoqin Zhang",
  title     = "{Multi-Linked Negotiation in Multi-Agent System}",
  journal   = "Proceedings of the First International Joint
               Conference on Autonomous Agents And MultiAgent
               Systems (AAMAS 2002)",
  pages     = "1207-1214",
  year      = "2002",
  url       = "http://mas.cs.umass.edu/paper/245",
}