Skip to main content

Abstract

Hierarchical structures have been widely used by human organizations because they provide the natural means to delegate tasks, to reduce communication lines and to control the activities performed into them. This has motivated the development of different approaches to automate many of the activities that take place in hierarchical organizations. Recent frameworks, such as Gaia, Aalaadin, HarmonIA and OperA, among others, have considered the agent paradigm to do so without taking into account that organizations are dynamic entities that evolve with the time and, consequently, agents must adapt to changes. Here we develop a model for flexible and open hierarchical organizations where agents can dynamically adapt themselves to organizational changes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Luck, M., McBurney, P., Shehory, O., Willmott, S.: Agent Technology: Computing as Interaction (A Roadmap for Agent Based Computing). AgentLink (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Ferber, J., Gutknecht, O.: A meta-model for the analysis and design of organizations in multi-agent systems. In: ICMAS 1998. Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Multi-Agent Systems, pp. 128–135 (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Hannoun, M., Boissier, O., Sichman, J.S., Sayettat, C.: MOISE: An organizational model for multi-agent systems. In: Monard, M.C., Sichman, J.S. (eds.) SBIA 2000 and IBERAMIA 2000. LNCS (LNAI), vol. 1952, pp. 156–165. Springer, Heidelberg (2000)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  4. DeLoach, S.A., Wood, M.F., Sparkman, C.H.: Multiagent systems engineering. International Journal of Software Engineering and Knowledge Engineering 11(3), 231–258 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Zambonelli, F., Jennings, N.R., Wooldridge, M.: Developing multiagent systems: The gaia methodology. ACM Transaction on Software Engineering Methodology 12(3), 317–370 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Gonzalez-Palacios, J., Luck, M.: A framework for patterns in gaia: A case-study with organisations. In: Odell, J.J., Giorgini, P., Müller, J.P. (eds.) AOSE 2004. LNCS, vol. 3382, pp. 174–188. Springer, Heidelberg (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Vázquez-Salceda, J.: Thesis: The role of norms and electronic institutions in multi-agent systems applied to complex domains. The harmonia framework. AI Communications 16(3), 209–212 (2003)

    MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  8. Dignum, V.: A model for organizational interaction: based on agents, founded in logic. PhD thesis, Utrecht University (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  9. Carley, K.M., Gasser, L.: Computational organization theory. In: Weiss, G. (ed.) Multiagent systems: A modern Approach to Distributed Artificial Intelligence, pp. 299–330. MIT Press, Cambridge (1999)

    Google Scholar 

  10. López, F., Luck, M., d’ Inverno, M.: A normative framework for agent-based systems. In: NorMAS 2005: Proceedings of the Symposium on Normative Multiagent Systems, The Society for the Study of Artificial Intelligence and the Simulation of Behaviour, pp. 24–35 (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  11. López, F., Luck, M.: A model of normative multi-agent systems and dynamic relationships. In: Lindemann, G., Moldt, D., Paolucci, M. (eds.) RASTA 2002. LNCS (LNAI), vol. 2934, pp. 259–280. Springer, Heidelberg (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  12. Gama, E.: In: Bases para el Análisis de los Puestos. Manual Moderno, ch. 4, pp. 59–89 (1992)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Chiavenato, I.: Teoría Clásica de la Administración. In: Introducción a la Teoría General de la Administración, pp. 88–112. McGraw-Hill, New York (2000)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Chiavenato, I.: Teoría Neoclásica de la Administración. In: Introducción a la Teoría General de la Administración, pp. 201–250. McGraw-Hill, New York (2000)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Chiavenato, I.: Implicaciones de la Teoría de las Relaciones Humanas. In: Introducción a la Teoría General de la Administración, pp. 141–196. McGraw-Hill, New York (2000)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Rumbaugh, J., Jacobson, I., Booch, G.: Unified Modeling Language Reference Manual. Addison-Wesley, Reading (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  17. López, F., Luck, M., d’ Inverno, M.: Constraining autonomy through norms. In: AAMAS 2002. Proceedings of the First International Joint Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems, pp. 674–681. ACM Press, New York (2002)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  18. López, F., Luck, M.: Modelling norms for autonomous agents. In: Chavez, E., Favela, J., Mejia, M., Oliart, A. (eds.) ENC 2003. Proceedings of the Fourth Mexican International Conference on Computer Science, Washington, DC, USA, pp. 238–245. IEEE Computer Society Press, Los Alamitos (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  19. López, F., Arenas, A.: An architecture for autonomous normative agents. In: ENC 2004. Proceedings of the Fifth Mexican International Conference in Computer Science, Washington, DC, USA, pp. 96–103. IEEE Computer Society Press, Los Alamitos (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  20. Felicíssimo, C., Choren, R., Briot, J.P., Lucena, C.: Supporting regulatory dynamics in open mas. LNCS, vol. 4386, pp. 140–155. Springer, Heidelberg (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  21. Montealegre, L.: Modelado de organizaciones jerárquicas usando sistemas multiagentes normativos. Master’s thesis, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  22. López, F., Luck, M., d’Inverno, M.: Normative agent reasoning in dynamic societies. In: Jennings, N., Sierra, C., Sonenberg, L., Tambe, M. (eds.) AAMAS 2004. Proceedings of the Third International Joint Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems, pp. 732–739. IEEE Computer Society, Los Alamitos (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  23. Boella, G., van der Torre, L.: Contracts as legal institutions in organizations of autonomous agents. In: Proceedings of the 3rd International Joint Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems, pp. 948–955 (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  24. Sandholm, T., Lesser, V.: Leveled-commitment contracting: A backtracking instrument for multiagent systems. AI Magazine 23(3), 89–100 (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  25. Kendall, E.: Agent roles and role models: New abstractions for intelligent agent system analysis and design. In: Proceedings of the International Workshop on Intelligent Agents in Information and Process Management, Bremen, Germany (September 1998)

    Google Scholar 

  26. Russell, S., Norving, P.: Artificial Intelligence. A Modern Approach. Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ (1995)

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  27. Aldewereld, H., Vázquez-Salceda, J., Dignum, F., Meyer, J.: Verifying norm compliancy of protocols. In: Boissier, O., Padget, J., Dignum, V., Lindemann, G., Matson, E., Ossowski, S., Sichman, J.S., Vázquez-Salceda, J. (eds.) Coordination, Organizations, Institutions, and Norms in Multi-Agent Systems. LNCS (LNAI), vol. 3913, pp. 127–141. Springer, Heidelberg (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  28. Hermoso, R., Billhardt, H., Ossowski, S.: Integrating trust in virtual organisations. LNCS, vol. 4386, pp. 17–29. Springer, Heidelberg (2007)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Pablo Noriega Javier Vázquez-Salceda Guido Boella Olivier Boissier Virginia Dignum Nicoletta Fornara Eric Matson

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2007 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this paper

Cite this paper

Montealegre Vázquez, L.E., López y López, F. (2007). An Agent-Based Model for Hierarchical Organizations. In: Noriega, P., et al. Coordination, Organizations, Institutions, and Norms in Agent Systems II. COIN 2006. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 4386. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-74459-7_13

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-74459-7_13

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-74457-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-74459-7

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics