Agent-based Supply Web Coordination - A Computer Manufacturing Case

In the framework of our research project, the entities of a supply web are designed as software agents and are enabled to simulate autonomous decisions of production planning and logistics. Those are based on specifically designed protocols to coordinate the intra-organizational and inter-organizational trade of goods and services. The focus of this paper is the design of a mechanism that helps economic agents either autonomously or cooperatively planning to achieve Pareto-optimal allocation of resources via a completely decentralized coordination of a logistics network. By performing simulations with the implemented protocol using a scenario from the computer industry as a benchmark, we show the feasibility and efficiency of the designed mechanism. The approach enables each agent to exploit the external effects caused by resource constraints of its supply chain contractors by adapting its production planning. Additionally, the system’s capability to reconfigure itself in case of production resource failure is increased. Words: 3708