E-CARGO and Role-Based Collaboration: Modeling and Solving Problems in the Complex World

Description

E-CARGO and Role-Based Collaboration A model for collaboratively solving complex problems E-CARGO and Role-Based Collaboration offers a unique guide that explains the nature of collaboration, explores an easy-to-follow process of collaboration, and defines a model to solve complex problems in collaboration and complex systems. Written by a noted expert on the topic, the book initiates the study of an effective collaborative system from a novel perspective. The role-based collaboration (RBC) methodology investigates the most important aspects of a variety of collaborative systems including societal-technical systems. The models and algorithms can also be applied across system engineering, production, and management. The RBC methodology provides insights into complex systems through the use of its core model E-CARGO. The E-CARGO model provides the fundamental components, principles, relationships, and structures for specifying the state, process, and evolution of complex systems. This important book: Contains a set of concepts, models, and algorithms for the analysis, design, implementation, maintenance, and assessment of a complex system Presents computational methods that use roles as a primary underlying mechanism to facilitate collaborative activities including role assignment Explores the RBC methodology that concentrates on the aspects that can be handled by individuals to establish a well-formed team Offers an authoritative book written by a noted expert on the topic Written for researchers and practitioners dealing with complex problems in collaboration systems and technologies, E-CARGO and Role-Based Collaboration contains a model to solve real world problems with the help of computer-based systems. Cover Title Page Copyright Page Contents Author Biography Preface A Guide to Reading This Book Acknowledgments Symbols and Notations (Nomenclature) Part 1 Backgrounds Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Collaboration and Collaboration Systems 1.1.1 Collaboration 1.1.2 Collaboration Systems 1.2 Collaboration as ``Divide and Conquer´´ 1.3 Key Components of Collaboration 1.4 The Nature of Collaboration 1.5 The Complexity of Collaboration 1.6 Collectivism or Individualism 1.7 Collaboration and Complex Systems 1.7.1 What Are Complex Systems? 1.7.2 Examples of Complex Systems 1.8 Collaboration and Problem Solving 1.9 Summary References Exercises Chapter 2 Role Concepts 2.1 Terminology 2.2 Modeling-Roles 2.3 Roles in Agent Systems 2.4 Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) 2.5 Roles in CSCW Systems 2.6 Roles in Social Psychology and Management 2.7 Convergence of Role Concepts 2.8 Summary References Exercises Part 2 Methodologies and Models Chapter 3 Role-Based Collaboration 3.1 Requirements for Role-Based Collaboration 3.2 Architecture of an RBC System 3.3 The Environment Established by Role-Based Collaboration 3.4 The Process of Role-Based Collaboration 3.5 Fundamental Principles of RBC 3.5.1 Object Principles 3.5.2 Agent Principles 3.5.3 Role Principles 3.5.4 Group Principles 3.6 Benefits of Role-Based Collaboration 3.6.1 Establish Trust in Collaboration 3.6.2 Establish Dynamics 3.6.3 Facilitate Interaction 3.6.4 Support Adaptation 3.6.5 Information Sharing 3.6.6 Other Benefits 3.7 Summary References Exercises Chapter 4 The E-CARGO Model 4.1 First Class Components 4.1.1 Objects and Classes 4.1.2 Roles and Environments 4.1.3 Agents and Groups 4.2 Second Class Components 4.2.1 Users or Human Users 4.2.2 Message 4.2.3 System 4.3 Fundamental Relationships in E-CARGO 4.3.1 The Relations Among Roles 4.3.2 The Relations Between Roles and Agents 4.3.3 The Relations Between Agents 4.3.4 Properties of an RBC System 4.4 Related Work 4.5 Summary References Exercises Chapter 5 Group Role Assignment (GRA) 5.1 Role Assignment 5.2 A Real-World Problem 5.3 Extended Expression of the E-CARGO Model 5.4 Group Role Assignment Problems 5.4.1 Simple Role Assignment 5.4.2 Rated Group Role Assignment 5.4.3 Weighted Role Assignment 5.5 General Assignment Problem and the K-M Algorithm 5.6 Solutions to GRA Problems 5.7 Implementation and Performance Analysis 5.8 Case Study by Simulation 5.9 Related Work 5.10 Summary References Exercises Chapter 6 Group Role Assignment with Constraints (GRA+) 6.1 Group Multi-Role Assignment (GMRA) 6.1.1 A Real-World Scenario 6.1.2 Problem Formalization 6.1.3 The CPLEX Solution and Its Performance Experiments 6.1.4 Improvement of the CPLEX Solution 6.1.5 Comparisons 6.2 Group Role Assignment with Conflicting Agents (GRACA) 6.2.1 A Real-World Scenario 6.2.2 Problem Formalization 6.2.3 The Benefits of Avoiding Conflicts 6.2.4 GRACAR/G Problems Are Subproblems of an NP-Complete Problem 6.2.5 Solutions with CPLEX 6.3 Group Role Assignment with Cooperation and Conflict Factors 6.3.1 A Real-World Scenario 6.3.2 Problem Formalization 6.3.3 A Practical Solution 6.3.4 Performance Experiments 6.3.5 The Benefits 6.3.6 Cooperation and Conflict Factor Collection 6.4 Related Work 6.5 Summary References Exercises Chapter 7 Group Role Assignment with Multiple Objectives (GRA++) 7.1 Group Role Assignment with Budget Constraints (GRABC) 7.1.1 A Real-World Scenario 7.1.2 Problem Formalization 7.1.3 Solutions with an ILP Solver 7.1.4 Simulations of GRABC-WS and GRABC-Syn 7.1.5 Performance Experiments and Improvements 7.1.6 Synthesis 7.2 Good at Many Things and Expert in One (GMEO) 7.2.1 A Real-World Scenario 7.2.2 Problem Formalizations 7.2.3 A Solution with CPLEX 7.2.4 Performance Experiments and Improvements 7.2.5 A Simple Formalization of GMEO with an Efficient Solution 7.2.6 A More Efficient Solution for GMEO-1 7.3 Related Work 7.4 Summary References Exercises Part 3 Applications Chapter 8 Solving Engineering Problems with GRA 8.1 Group Role Assignment with Agents´ Busyness Degrees 8.1.1 A Real-World Scenario 8.1.2 Problem Formalization 8.1.3 Solutions 8.1.4 Simulations and Benefits 8.1.4.1 Simulation 1 8.1.4.2 Simulation 2 8.1.4.3 Simulation 3 8.2 Group Multi-Role Assignment with Coupled Roles 8.2.1 A Real-World Scenario 8.2.2 The Problem Specification 8.2.3 The Solutions with CPLEX and Initial Results 8.2.4 Verification Experiments 8.3 Most Economical Redundant Assignment 8.3.1 A Real-World Scenario 8.3.2 Problem Formalizations 8.3.3 A Solution with CPLEX 8.3.4 A New Form of the MERA Problem and a More Efficient Solution 8.4 Related Work 8.5 Summary References Exercises Chapter 9 Role Transfer 9.1 Role Transfer Problems 9.2 The M-M Role Transfer Problems 9.2.1 M-1 Problem 9.2.2 1-M Problem 9.2.3 M-M Problem 9.3 From M-M RTPs to Role Assignment Problems 9.4 Temporal M-M Role Transfer Problems 9.4.1 Temporal Transfer with Weak Restriction 9.4.2 Temporal Transfer with Strong Restriction 9.4.3 A Near-Optimal Solution to SRTP with the Kuhn-Munkres Algorithm 9.4.4 Performance Experiments 9.5 Role Transfer Tool 9.6 Related Work 9.7 Summary References Exercises Chapter 10 More to Investigate 10.1 Role Negotiation 10.2 Role Specification 10.3 Agent Evaluation 10.4 Collective Group Role Assignment 10.4.1 One-Way Collective Role Assignment 10.4.2 Two-Way Collective Role Assignment 10.5 Role Engine 10.5.1 Role Dynamics 10.5.2 Role Interaction 10.5.3 Role Presentation 10.6 Social Simulation 10.7 Adaptive Collaboration 10.8 Other Challenges in RBC and E-CARGO 10.8.1 Optimizations 10.8.2 Agent-Oriented Software Engineering (AOSE) 10.8.3 Multi-Agent Systems 10.9 Not the End References Index EULA