Using cost-aware transitions for reorganizing multiagent systems

Abstract

Current approaches for reorganization in Multiagent Systems are mainly focused on providing solutions that maximize the organization utility but that do not include an in-depth evaluation of the reorganization impact in terms of costs. Reorganization requires determining the consequences of applying changes not only in terms of the benefits provided, but also measuring the reorganization costs as well as indirect impact that these changes have on in all the components of the organization. In this paper we present an infrastructure for reorganization based on transitions, which is focused on obtaining the transition with the highest potential for improvement in utility based on the transition costs. The approach provides an accurate measurement of the transition impact, since it determines the organization that is to be transition to as well as the changes required to carry out this transition. We show an example based on a tourist application in order to demonstrate that the measurement of the transition impacts taken by the service improve the organization performance. We also provide a performance evaluation of the service proposed and an example of a transition execution. & 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.