Multi-agent systems are a particular type of distributed intelligent systems in which autonomous agents inhabit a world with no global control or globally consistent knowledge. A virtual enterprise is a set of networked enterprises with specific expertise, that share a common goal. An appropriate way to model a virtual enterprise is by a multi-agent system approach. In such an implementation, the coordination problem solving is an important issue that needs to be addressed. The paper discusses different coordination techniques that could be used in the development of an agent-based virtual enterprise. A case study of coord.ination implementation for a simulated agent-based virtual enterprise, VIRT_CONSTRUCT, is discussed in detail.
Multi-agent systems, coordination models, virtual enterprise, agent-based virtual enterprise.
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