A multi-agent framework for the coordination and integration of information systems

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Sikora, R; Shaw, MJ
• 署名单位: University of Illinois System; University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; University of Illinois System; University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
• 刊物名称: MANAGEMENT SCIENCE
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0025-1909
• DOI: 10.1287/mnsc.44.11.S65
• 发表日期: 1998
• 页码: S65-S78
• 关键词: system integration; coordination theory; intelligent manufacturing; intelligent agents; distributed information systems; enterprise integration

摘要

This paper describes a framework for the coordination and integration of information systems. By modeling typical enterprise information systems as consisting of multiple agents with different functionalities, the methodology provides the representational formalism, coordination mechanisms, and control schemes necessary for integrating heterogeneous units of an information system while meeting such performance criteria as overall effectiveness, efficiency, responsiveness, and robustness. The framework is applied to the development of a manufacturing information system for managing the production processes for making printed circuit boards. Performance results confirm that the system integration framework is important to support complex business processes that involve multiple steps of activities processed by a group of agents across a variety of functionalities.