The multiple criteria paradigm as a background for agent methodologies

Agent theory and multi-agent systems have been used in a broad and interdisciplinary set of applications concerning a great variety of research areas. Lately, the field of decision theory has occupied researchers at an increasing rate while analyzing and implementing agent systems. A large part of agency concerns decision making features and/or negotiation issues. Multiple criteria techniques can adequately fit in both these issues as many methodologies that can support artificial entities who operate in complex and uncertain environments have been proposed. This study tries to demonstrate the emerging potentials of the multiple criteria techniques concerning agents’ critical features. In the first part, we present a short review of how agency and multiple criteria are combined. In the second one, we unfold our thoughts about a general framework of how these techniques can be adjusted in order to support decision making in agents’ trivial problems.