Argumentation-based agents for eProcurement

ABSTRACT

Procurement is the complete process of obtaining goods and services -- from preparation and processing of a requisition through to receipt and approval of the invoice for payment. The support for eProcurement is important for realising agent-based eBusiness applications. This paper proposes the use of argumentation-based agents to support the selection of suppliers for goods and services within the negotiation phase of procurement. Argumentation is used to compare candidate suppliers and identify the one that best meets the buyer's business-specific needs. The use of argumentation-based technology presents important advantages over traditional procurement methods such as competitive bidding, direct negotiation or single-source acquisition in that it can cope with qualitative uncertainty and preferences as well as the construction of contracts. We apply the method to the industrial procurement of an eOrdering system.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  I. Computing Methodologies
  I.2 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
        I.2.11 Distributed Artificial Intelligence
            Subjects: Multiagent systems

Additional Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.3 INFORMATION STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL
      H.3.5 On-line Information Services
          Subjects: Commercial services
  H.4 INFORMATION SYSTEMS APPLICATIONS
      H.4.2 Types of Systems
          Subjects: Decision support (e.g., MIS)

  I. Computing Methodologies
  I.6 SIMULATION AND MODELING
      I.6.5 Model Development
          Subjects: Modeling methodologies

General Terms:
Algorithms, Design, Management, Theory