T-DepExp: Simulating transitive dependence based coalition formation

In this paper, we introduce T-DepExp system to simulate the transitive dependence based coalition formation (CF). It is a multi-agent based simulation (MABS) tool that aims to enhance cooperation between agents through transitive dependence. Previously, the transitive dependence was introduced by An and his colleagues for expressing the indirect dependence between agents in their cooperation. However, it did not receive much attention. Although it has a few problems need to be addressed, we try to propose our own mechanism to increase the efficiency of the transitive dependence based CF. To simulate MAS dependence relationship, we have included two fundamental dependence relationships in this MABS tool, which are AND-Dependence and OR-Dependence. In addition, the architecture of the T-DepExp system is presented and discussed. It allows possible integration of other features such as budget mechanism and trust model. Subsequently, hypothesis for the experiments and experimental setup are explained. The overall system will be demonstrated for its functionality and the experimental results will also be discussed

Strategies to Minimize the Bullwhip Effect in the Electronic Component Supply Chain

Supply chain leaders in the information technology industry face challenges regarding their ability to mitigate amplified demand and supply variability in a supply chain network--the bullwhip effect--and reduce adverse implications on their component supply chain networks. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the strategies supply chain leaders in the United States used to reduce the bullwhip effect. Bullwhip effect theory served as the conceptual framework. Participants in the study were 5 purposefully selected supply chain leaders in the state of Texas who successfully implemented strategies to reduce the bullwhip effect on their networks. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and analysis of documents from the participants\u27 websites. The data were analyzed using the 5 data analysis steps consistent with Yin\u27s approach: collection, stratification, reassembly, interpretation, and conclusion. Four themes emerged from data analysis: (a) collaboration strategy, (b) communication strategy, (c) component shortage reduction strategy, and (d) resource management strategy. Supply chain leaders might use the findings of this study to reduce the bullwhip effect within their networks and improve their profitability. The implications for positive social change include the potential for leaders to improve environmental sustainability by using effective supply chain strategies to reduce the accumulation of excess inventories, reduce transportation fuel usage, and lessen the consumption of natural resources

Modélisation et simulation sociale pour l'évaluation de l'empuissancement par des politiques publiques dans les territoires ruraux au Brésil

Le Brésil a initié deux politiques publiques territoriales pour le développement rural durable, le Programme National pour le Développement Durable des Territoires Ruraux (PRONAT) et le Programme Territoires de la Citoyenneté (PTC). Ces politiques s’appliquent dans des Territoires Ruraux et visent entre autre, comme condition de leur effectivité, à ré-équilibrer les rapports de forces entre les acteurs au sein de la Collégialité pour le Développement Territorial (CODETER) de chaque Territoire Rural. Notre recherche étudie l’hypothèse selon laquelle, dans les Territoires Ruraux soumis aux politiques publiques PRONAT et PTC, les rapports de pouvoir et de réciprocité entre les acteurs engagés dans les CODETER ont effectivement évolué, en faveur des représentants de la société civile et au détriment des pouvoirs publics établis, notamment les mairies. Cette recherche a développé une méthode de modélisation et de simulation des relations de pouvoir et de réciprocité au sein des entités territoriales. Nous partons de l’idée que les processus sociaux territorialisés donnent lieu à des phénomènes complexes qu’il est pertinent d’appréhender par l’approche systémique. Cela nous conduit à proposer un modèle conceptuel des territoires ruraux considérés par les politiques publiques brésiliennes en matière de développement durable territorialisée, à savoir le concept de système socioterritorial complexe, puis à considérer les théories des sciences sociales qui peuvent être mobilisées pour étayer la représentation de ces systèmes sous la forme computationnelle de sociétés artificielles. Nous avons évalué deux courants sociologiques, l’individualisme méthodologie associé à la rationalité limitée à partir de la Sociologie de l’Action Organisée, et les Systèmes Sociaux de Luhmann plus attachés à la théorie de la complexité. Nous avons développé un métamodèle de la théorie luhmannienne qui s’avère insuffisant pour analyser l’impact des politiques publiques sur le territoire, mais qui peut être vu comme un outil pour la validation de la théorie de Luhmann. D’autre part, nous avons adopté le métamodèle SocLab, une formalisation computationnelle de la Sociologie de l’Action Organisée, pour modéliser, analyser et simuler les systèmes socioterritoriaux complexes. Pour évaluer les effets des politiques publiques sur les échanges symboliques entre les acteurs dans un modèle SocLab, nous proposons un indicateur, le taux de réciprocité, basé sur la théorie de la réciprocité. Cette démarche a été appliquée à l’étude de deux terrains, le Territoire Rural Sud de Sergipe et le Territoire Rural du Bas São Francisco. Les données nécessaires à l’élaboration d’un modèle SocLab ont été collectées par l’analyse documentaire et la recherche-action pour deux périodes de référence, 2008-2012 et 2013-2017. À partir de l’étude analytique des modèles SocLab des deux territoires et de l’analyse des résultats de leur simulation (notamment la capacité d’action, le pouvoir et le taux de réciprocité), nous pouvons dégager des évidences pour affirmer que les politiques publiques PRONAT et PTC ont donné lieu, entre les deux périodes considérées, à un nouvel équilibre des rapports de forces entre les représentants de la société civile et les pouvoirs publics. L’approche SocLab s’est avérée effective pour systématiser la connaissance sur les territoires, mettre en évidence la structure sociale informelle, quantifier les relations d’échanges symboliques entre les acteurs, et pour tester différentes hypothèses sociologiques.Brazil has initiated two territorial public policies for a rural sustainable development, the National Program for Sustainable Development of the Rural Territories (PRONAT) and Citizenship Territory Program (PTC). These public policies aims, as a condition for its effectiveness, the equilibrium of the power relations between actors which participate in the Collegiate for Territorial Development (CODETER) of each Rural Territory. Our research studies the hypotheses that, in the Rural Territories submitted to the PRONAT and PTC public policies, the power and reciprocity relations between actors engaged in the CODETER effectively have evolved in favor of the civil society representatives to the detriment of the public powers, notably the mayors. This research has developed a method for modeling and simulation of power and reciprocity relations in the Rural Territories to assess the impact of the public policies for local development (PRONAT and PTC). We have started from the idea that the territorialized social processes are complex phenomena which can be understood by the systemic approach. This induced us to propose a conceptual model of rural territories considered by Brazilian public policies in terms of territorialized sustainable development, the concept of socioterritorial complex system, as they were established by the Brazilians public policies with focus on territorial sustainable development. Then, to consider the theories of social sciences which can be mobilized to support the representation of these systems in the computational form of artificial societies. We evaluated two sociological currents, the methodological individualism associated with the bounded rationality from the Sociology of the Organized Action, and the Luhmann’s Social Systems more attached to the complexity theory. We have developed a metamodel of the luhmannian theory that showed to be limited to the analyses of the impact of the territorial public policies, but it can be seen as a tool to instantiate parts of the Luhmann theory. On the other hand, we have adopted the metamodel SocLab, a computational formalization of the Sociology of the Organized Action, to model, analyze and simulate complex socio-territorial systems. To evaluate the effects of the public policies on the symbolic exchanges between actors in a SocLab model, we have proposed an indicator, the reciprocity rate, based on the reciprocity theory. This approach has been applied in two case studies, the Southern Rural Territory of Sergipe and the São Francisco Rural Territory. The data needed to design the SocLab models were collected using literature review and performing action-research for two referential periods, 2008-2012 and 2013-2017. From the analytic study of the SocLab models of the two territories and the analysis of the results of their simulation (notably the capacity of action, the power and the rate of reciprocity), we can draw evidences to states that the public policies PRONAT and PTC resulted in a new balance of power relations between representatives of civil society and the public authorities between the two periods under review. The SocLab approach showed a strong effectiveness to systematize the knowledge about the territories, highlighting the informal social structure, quantifying symbolic exchange relations between actors, and testing different sociological hypotheses.O Brasil iniciou duas políticas públicas territoriais para o desenvolvimento sustentável, o Programa Nacional para o Desenvolvimento Sustentável de Territórios Rurais (PRONAT) e o Programa Territórios da Cidadania (PTC). Estas políticas públicas se aplicam aos Territórios Rurais e visam entre outros objetivos, como condição de sua efetividade, o equilíbrio das relações de força entre os atores que participam do Colegiado de Desenvolvimento Territorial (CODETER) de cada Território Rural. Nossa pesquisa estuda a hipótese segundo a qual, nos Territórios Rurais submetidos às políticas públicas PRONAT e PTC, as relações de poder e reciprocidade entre os atores engajados no CODETER efetivamente evoluíram em favor dos representantes da sociedade civil em detrimento dos poderes públicos, notadamente dos prefeitos. Esta pesquisa desenvolveu um método de modelagem e simulação das relações de poder e reciprocidade dentros das entidades territoriais. Nós partimos da ideia de que os processos sociais territorialisados são fenômenos complexos que podem ser compreendidos pela abordagem sistêmica. Isto nos conduziu a propor um modelo conceitual de territórios rurais, o conceito de sistema socioterritorial complexo, assim como eles são estabelecidos pelas políticas públicas brasileiras com enfoque de desenvolvimento territorial sustentável, depois consideramos as teorias oriundas das ciências sociais que podem ser utilizadas para sustentar a representação desses sistemas sob a forma computacional de sociedades artificiais. Avaliamos duas correntes sociológicas, o individualismo metodológico associado à racionalidade limitada a partir da Sociologia da Ação Organizada, e os Sistemas Sociais de Luhmann mais relacionados à teoria da complexidade. Desenvolvemos um metamodelo da teoria luhmanniana que se mostrou insuficiente para a análise do impacto de políticas públicas territoriais, mas que pode ser visto como uma ferramenta para validação da teoria de Luhmann. Por outro lado, adotamos o metamodelo SocLab, uma formalização computacional da Sociologia da Ação Organizada, para modelar os sistemas sociais complexos. Para avaliar os efeitos das políticas públicas sobre as trocas simbólicas entre os atores no contexto SocLab nós propomos um indicador, a taxa de reciprocidade, baseado na teoria da reciprocidade. Esta abordagem foi aplicada a dois estudos de caso, o Território Rural Sul Sergipano e o Território Rural Baixo São Francisco. Os dados necessários para a elaboração dos modelos SocLab foram coletados por análise documental e por pesquisa-ação para dois períodos de referência, 2008-2012 e 2013-2017. A partir do estudo analítico e da análise dos resultados das simulações dos modelos SocLab dos dois territórios (notadamente a capacidade de ação, o poder e a taxa de reciprocidade), nos podemos retirar evidências para afirmar que as políticas públicas PRONAT e PTC deram origem, entre os dois períodos considerados, a um novo equilíbrio de relações de força entre os representantes da sociedade civil e os poderes públicos. A abordagem SocLab demonstrou bastante efetividade para sistematizar o conhecimento sobre os territórios, colocar em evidência a estrutura social informal, quantificar as relações de trocas simbólicas entre os atores, e também para testar hipóteses sociológicas

Modélisation et simulation sociale pour l'évaluation de l'empuissancement par des politiques publiques dans les territoires ruraux au Brésil

Le Brésil a initié deux politiques publiques territoriales pour le développement rural durable, le Programme National pour le Développement Durable des Territoires Ruraux (PRONAT) et le Programme Territoires de la Citoyenneté (PTC). Ces politiques s’appliquent dans des Territoires Ruraux et visent entre autre, comme condition de leur effectivité, à ré-équilibrer les rapports de forces entre les acteurs au sein de la Collégialité pour le Développement Territorial (CODETER) de chaque Territoire Rural. Notre recherche étudie l’hypothèse selon laquelle, dans les Territoires Ruraux soumis aux politiques publiques PRONAT et PTC, les rapports de pouvoir et de réciprocité entre les acteurs engagés dans les CODETER ont effectivement évolué, en faveur des représentants de la société civile et au détriment des pouvoirs publics établis, notamment les mairies. Cette recherche a développé une méthode de modélisation et de simulation des relations de pouvoir et de réciprocité au sein des entités territoriales. Nous partons de l’idée que les processus sociaux territorialisés donnent lieu à des phénomènes complexes qu’il est pertinent d’appréhender par l’approche systémique. Cela nous conduit à proposer un modèle conceptuel des territoires ruraux considérés par les politiques publiques brésiliennes en matière de développement durable territorialisée, à savoir le concept de système socioterritorial complexe, puis à considérer les théories des sciences sociales qui peuvent être mobilisées pour étayer la représentation de ces systèmes sous la forme computationnelle de sociétés artificielles. Nous avons évalué deux courants sociologiques, l’individualisme méthodologie associé à la rationalité limitée à partir de la Sociologie de l’Action Organisée, et les Systèmes Sociaux de Luhmann plus attachés à la théorie de la complexité. Nous avons développé un métamodèle de la théorie luhmannienne qui s’avère insuffisant pour analyser l’impact des politiques publiques sur le territoire, mais qui peut être vu comme un outil pour la validation de la théorie de Luhmann. D’autre part, nous avons adopté le métamodèle SocLab, une formalisation computationnelle de la Sociologie de l’Action Organisée, pour modéliser, analyser et simuler les systèmes socioterritoriaux complexes. Pour évaluer les effets des politiques publiques sur les échanges symboliques entre les acteurs dans un modèle SocLab, nous proposons un indicateur, le taux de réciprocité, basé sur la théorie de la réciprocité. Cette démarche a été appliquée à l’étude de deux terrains, le Territoire Rural Sud de Sergipe et le Territoire Rural du Bas São Francisco. Les données nécessaires à l’élaboration d’un modèle SocLab ont été collectées par l’analyse documentaire et la recherche-action pour deux périodes de référence, 2008-2012 et 2013-2017. À partir de l’étude analytique des modèles SocLab des deux territoires et de l’analyse des résultats de leur simulation (notamment la capacité d’action, le pouvoir et le taux de réciprocité), nous pouvons dégager des évidences pour affirmer que les politiques publiques PRONAT et PTC ont donné lieu, entre les deux périodes considérées, à un nouvel équilibre des rapports de forces entre les représentants de la société civile et les pouvoirs publics. L’approche SocLab s’est avérée effective pour systématiser la connaissance sur les territoires, mettre en évidence la structure sociale informelle, quantifier les relations d’échanges symboliques entre les acteurs, et pour tester différentes hypothèses sociologiques.Brazil has initiated two territorial public policies for a rural sustainable development, the National Program for Sustainable Development of the Rural Territories (PRONAT) and Citizenship Territory Program (PTC). These public policies aims, as a condition for its effectiveness, the equilibrium of the power relations between actors which participate in the Collegiate for Territorial Development (CODETER) of each Rural Territory. Our research studies the hypotheses that, in the Rural Territories submitted to the PRONAT and PTC public policies, the power and reciprocity relations between actors engaged in the CODETER effectively have evolved in favor of the civil society representatives to the detriment of the public powers, notably the mayors. This research has developed a method for modeling and simulation of power and reciprocity relations in the Rural Territories to assess the impact of the public policies for local development (PRONAT and PTC). We have started from the idea that the territorialized social processes are complex phenomena which can be understood by the systemic approach. This induced us to propose a conceptual model of rural territories considered by Brazilian public policies in terms of territorialized sustainable development, the concept of socioterritorial complex system, as they were established by the Brazilians public policies with focus on territorial sustainable development. Then, to consider the theories of social sciences which can be mobilized to support the representation of these systems in the computational form of artificial societies. We evaluated two sociological currents, the methodological individualism associated with the bounded rationality from the Sociology of the Organized Action, and the Luhmann’s Social Systems more attached to the complexity theory. We have developed a metamodel of the luhmannian theory that showed to be limited to the analyses of the impact of the territorial public policies, but it can be seen as a tool to instantiate parts of the Luhmann theory. On the other hand, we have adopted the metamodel SocLab, a computational formalization of the Sociology of the Organized Action, to model, analyze and simulate complex socio-territorial systems. To evaluate the effects of the public policies on the symbolic exchanges between actors in a SocLab model, we have proposed an indicator, the reciprocity rate, based on the reciprocity theory. This approach has been applied in two case studies, the Southern Rural Territory of Sergipe and the São Francisco Rural Territory. The data needed to design the SocLab models were collected using literature review and performing action-research for two referential periods, 2008-2012 and 2013-2017. From the analytic study of the SocLab models of the two territories and the analysis of the results of their simulation (notably the capacity of action, the power and the rate of reciprocity), we can draw evidences to states that the public policies PRONAT and PTC resulted in a new balance of power relations between representatives of civil society and the public authorities between the two periods under review. The SocLab approach showed a strong effectiveness to systematize the knowledge about the territories, highlighting the informal social structure, quantifying symbolic exchange relations between actors, and testing different sociological hypotheses.O Brasil iniciou duas políticas públicas territoriais para o desenvolvimento sustentável, o Programa Nacional para o Desenvolvimento Sustentável de Territórios Rurais (PRONAT) e o Programa Territórios da Cidadania (PTC). Estas políticas públicas se aplicam aos Territórios Rurais e visam entre outros objetivos, como condição de sua efetividade, o equilíbrio das relações de força entre os atores que participam do Colegiado de Desenvolvimento Territorial (CODETER) de cada Território Rural. Nossa pesquisa estuda a hipótese segundo a qual, nos Territórios Rurais submetidos às políticas públicas PRONAT e PTC, as relações de poder e reciprocidade entre os atores engajados no CODETER efetivamente evoluíram em favor dos representantes da sociedade civil em detrimento dos poderes públicos, notadamente dos prefeitos. Esta pesquisa desenvolveu um método de modelagem e simulação das relações de poder e reciprocidade dentros das entidades territoriais. Nós partimos da ideia de que os processos sociais territorialisados são fenômenos complexos que podem ser compreendidos pela abordagem sistêmica. Isto nos conduziu a propor um modelo conceitual de territórios rurais, o conceito de sistema socioterritorial complexo, assim como eles são estabelecidos pelas políticas públicas brasileiras com enfoque de desenvolvimento territorial sustentável, depois consideramos as teorias oriundas das ciências sociais que podem ser utilizadas para sustentar a representação desses sistemas sob a forma computacional de sociedades artificiais. Avaliamos duas correntes sociológicas, o individualismo metodológico associado à racionalidade limitada a partir da Sociologia da Ação Organizada, e os Sistemas Sociais de Luhmann mais relacionados à teoria da complexidade. Desenvolvemos um metamodelo da teoria luhmanniana que se mostrou insuficiente para a análise do impacto de políticas públicas territoriais, mas que pode ser visto como uma ferramenta para validação da teoria de Luhmann. Por outro lado, adotamos o metamodelo SocLab, uma formalização computacional da Sociologia da Ação Organizada, para modelar os sistemas sociais complexos. Para avaliar os efeitos das políticas públicas sobre as trocas simbólicas entre os atores no contexto SocLab nós propomos um indicador, a taxa de reciprocidade, baseado na teoria da reciprocidade. Esta abordagem foi aplicada a dois estudos de caso, o Território Rural Sul Sergipano e o Território Rural Baixo São Francisco. Os dados necessários para a elaboração dos modelos SocLab foram coletados por análise documental e por pesquisa-ação para dois períodos de referência, 2008-2012 e 2013-2017. A partir do estudo analítico e da análise dos resultados das simulações dos modelos SocLab dos dois territórios (notadamente a capacidade de ação, o poder e a taxa de reciprocidade), nos podemos retirar evidências para afirmar que as políticas públicas PRONAT e PTC deram origem, entre os dois períodos considerados, a um novo equilíbrio de relações de força entre os representantes da sociedade civil e os poderes públicos. A abordagem SocLab demonstrou bastante efetividade para sistematizar o conhecimento sobre os territórios, colocar em evidência a estrutura social informal, quantificar as relações de trocas simbólicas entre os atores, e também para testar hipóteses sociológicas

A review on dependence graph in social reasoning mechanism

Dependence between heterogeneous agents has gained attention from researchers because dependence influences the capabilities of a particular agent in a multi-agent system. In this paper, we have reviewed and discussed the dependence graph which is also known as interdependence graph in some author’s work. Dependence graph is originally proposed in the social reasoning mechanism to visualize the dependence network. In this paper, dependence network is explained and an in depth analysis of the dependence graph is presented as well. Next, we are going to discuss about the social phenomena and group formation of the dependence graph. In addition, the further works of other authors are listed in this paper. Also, we discuss the drawbacks and propose some potential solution for enhancing the dependence graph