Towards a generic approach for analyzing the efficiency of complex networks

Abstract

A generic multi-agent model of a process industry is presented. The model is based on the system decomposition of a chemical process industry sector. The resulting system description was translated to a suitable analogy: a production chain for chocolate bars. Using this analogy a game has been developed and played to elucidate and explain complexities and interdependencies in the corresponding industrial network. The concepts extracted during the process decomposition and the development of the game have been formalized in an ontology, which is a specification of concepts. This ontology serves as the foundation of the representation of reasoning, communications and transactions in our multi-agent system. A prototype generic multi-agent model has been implemented and developed in Repast to serve as a simulation engine for real process industries and other applications. ©2006 IEEE.