Rights Contact Login For More Details
More About This Title Agent Technology For e-Commerce
English
Agent Technology for e-Commerce introduces the main theory behind and the applications of agent technology in e-Commerce in a way that is accessible to students with a basic background in computer science. Bringing together economics, game theory and multi-agent systems in a clear and accessible way, this book offers an introduction to agent technology and architectures, as well as providing more in-depth coverage of subjects such as negotiation, auctions, bargaining, voting protocols and coalition formation. Mobile agents and issues of trust and security are also addressed.
Containing exercises and topics for discussion, this book is ideal for classroom use or self-study, and will be of considerable interest to computing and IT professionals who wish explore the fast-moving discipline of agent technology for e-Commerce.
English
English
List of Figures xv
List of Tables xvii
Preface xix
CHAPTER 1 – Introduction 1
1.1 A paradigm shift 3
1.1.1 A brief history 5
1.1.2 The novelty in agents 8
1.1.3 Agent applications 9
1.2 Electronic commerce 10
1.2.1 E-commerce and organizations 12
1.2.2 E-commerce and the individual 14
1.3 Agents and e-commerce 16
1.4 Further reading 18
1.5 Exercises and topics for discussion 19
CHAPTER 2 – Software Agents 21
2.1 Characteristics of agents 22
2.2 Agents as intentional systems 25
2.3 Making decisions 26
2.3.1 Environments 26
2.3.2 Performance measure and rationality 30
2.3.3 Rational decision-making and optimal policies 32
2.3.4 Optimal policies in MDPs 34
2.4 Planning 37
2.5 Learning 38
2.6 Agent architectures 41
2.6.1 Logic-based architecture 41
2.6.2 Reactive architecture 45
2.6.3 Belief-Desire-Intention architecture 49
2.6.4 Hybrid architecture 54
2.7 Agents in perspective 57
2.7.1 Agents and objects 58
2.7.2 Agents and expert systems 59
2.7.3 Agents, Web Services and the Semantic Web 60
2.8 Methodologies and languages 62
2.8.1 Methodologies 62
2.8.2 Agent-oriented methodologies 62
2.8.3 Object-oriented based methodologies 66
2.8.4 Knowledge-engineering based and other methodologies 67
2.8.5 Programming languages and environments 67
2.8.6 From legacy systems to agents 69
2.9 Further reading 71
2.10 Exercises and topics for discussion 72
CHAPTER 3 – Multi-agent Systems 75
3.1 Characteristics of multi-agent systems 76
3.1.1 Potential and challenges 77
3.1.2 Closed multi-agent systems 79
3.1.3 Open multi-agent systems 79
3.2 Interaction 80
3.2.1 Elements of interactions 80
3.2.2 Modes of interaction 81
3.2.3 Interaction protocols 83
3.3 Agent communication 84
3.3.1 Speech Act theory 85
3.3.2 Agent communication languages 85
3.3.3 Knowledge and Query Manipulation Language (KQML) 86
3.3.4 FIPA ACL 90
3.3.5 Comparing KQML and FIPA ACL 93
3.3.6 Knowledge Interchange Format Language (KIF) 93
3.3.7 Dialogues 94
3.3.8 A layered model of communication 95
3.4 Ontologies 97
3.4.1 Explicit ontologies 98
3.4.2 Developing ontologies 99
3.4.3 OWL 100
3.5 Cooperative problem-solving 103
3.5.1 Task decomposition and distribution 104
3.5.2 The ContractNet Protocol 104
3.6 Virtual organizations as multi-agent systems 107
3.7 Infrastructure requirements for open multi-agent systems 108
3.8 Further reading 111
3.9 Exercises and topics for discussion 111
CHAPTER 4 – Shopping Agents 115
4.1 Consumer buying behaviour model 116
4.2 Comparison shopping 117
4.3 Working for the user 119
4.4 How shopping agents work 120
4.5 Limitations and issues 122
4.6 Further reading 125
4.7 Exercises and topics for discussion 125
CHAPTER 5 – Middle Agents 127
5.1 Matching 128
5.1.1 Middle agent architecture 129
5.1.2 Interacting through a middle agent 130
5.2 Classification of middle agents 131
5.2.1 Matchmaker 132
5.2.2 Broker 134
5.2.3 Broadcaster 135
5.2.4 FIPA Directory Facilitator 136
5.3 Describing capabilities 136
5.4 LARKS 137
5.4.1 Matching in LARKS 139
5.4.2 Matching methods 140
5.5 OWL-S 144
5.6 Further reading 147
5.7 Exercises and topics for discussion 147
CHAPTER 6 – Recommender Systems 149
6.1 Information needed 151
6.2 Providing recommendations 152
6.3 Recommendation technologies 153
6.4 Content-based filtering 153
6.5 Collaborative filtering 155
6.5.1 How collaborative filtering systems work 155
6.5.2 Neighbourhood-based algorithms 156
6.5.3 Problems in collaborative filtering 158
6.5.4 Collaborative filtering systems 159
6.6 Combining content and collaborative filtering 161
6.7 Recommender systems in e-commerce 162
6.8 A note on personalization 163
6.9 Further reading 165
6.10 Exercises and topics for discussion 165
CHAPTER 7 – Elements of Strategic Interaction 167
7.1 Elements of Economics 168
7.1.1 A simple market economy 168
7.1.2 Consumption bundles and preferences 173
7.1.3 Utilities 177
7.1.4 Equilibrium 178
7.2 Elements of Game Theory 180
7.2.1 Strategic games 181
7.2.2 Extensive form representation 183
7.2.3 Information 184
7.2.4 Categories of games 185
7.2.5 Solution concepts 185
7.2.6 Mixed strategies 188
7.2.7 The prisoner’s dilemma 191
7.2.8 Repeated games 193
7.2.9 Dynamic games 194
7.2.10 Bayesian Nash games 196
7.2.11 Beliefs and sequential rationality 200
7.3 Further reading 203
7.4 Exercises and topics for discussion 204
CHAPTER 8 – Negotiation I 209
8.1 Negotiation protocols 211
8.2 Desired properties of negotiation protocols 212
8.3 Abstract architecture for negotiating agents 213
8.4 Auctions 215
8.5 Classification of auctions 217
8.6 Basic auction formats 220
8.6.1 English auction 220
8.6.2 Dutch auction 221
8.6.3 First-price sealed-bid auction 222
8.6.4 Vickrey auction 222
8.6.5 Allocation and revenue comparisons 223
8.6.6 Disadvantages of auctions 225
8.7 Double auctions 228
8.7.1 Mth and (M+ 1)st price rules 229
8.7.2 Implementation of the Mth and (M+ 1)st price rules 231
8.8 Multi-attribute auctions 234
8.9 Combinatorial auctions 236
8.10 Auction platforms 239
8.10.1 AuctionBot 239
8.10.2 e-Game 240
8.10.3 Trading agent competition 242
8.10.4 Online auctions 243
8.11 Issues in practical auction design 244
8.12 Further reading 247
8.13 Exercises and topics for discussion 248
CHAPTER 9 – Negotiation II 251
9.1 Bargaining 252
9.1.1 Bargaining power 253
9.1.2 Axiomatic bargaining 255
9.1.3 Strategic bargaining 256
9.1.4 The Strategic Negotiation Protocol 258
9.2 Negotiation in different domains 260
9.2.1 Task-oriented domains 260
9.2.2 Worth-oriented domains 266
9.3 Coalitions 267
9.3.1 Coalition formation 267
9.3.2 Coalition structure generation 268
9.3.3 Division of payoffs 271
9.4 Applications of coalition formation 272
9.4.1 Customer coalitions 273
9.4.2 Coalition Protocols 275
9.4.3 Post-negotiation protocol 277
9.4.4 Pre-negotiation protocol 278
9.4.5 Distribution of costs and utility 279
9.4.6 Other applications 280
9.5 Social choice problems 280
9.5.1 Making a social choice 281
9.5.2 Voting protocols 282
9.5.3 Maximizing social welfare 286
9.6 Argumentation 287
9.6.1 Generating arguments 289
9.6.2 The PERSUADER system 291
9.6.3 Logic-based argumentation 293
9.6.4 Negotiation as dialogue games 295
9.7 Further reading 299
9.8 Exercises and topics for discussion 300
CHAPTER 10 – Mechanism Design 305
10.1 The mechanism design problem 306
10.2 Dominant strategy implementation 308
10.3 The Gibbard–Satterthwaite Impossibility Theorem 311
10.4 The Groves–Clarke mechanisms 312
10.4.1 Quasilinear environments 312
10.4.2 The Groves mechanism 313
10.4.3 The Clarke mechanism 314
10.4.4 The Generalized Vickrey Auction 315
10.4.5 Inducing truth-telling in voting mechanisms 318
10.5 Mechanism design and computational issues 319
10.6 Further reading 322
10.7 Exercises and topics for discussion 322
CHAPTER 11 – Mobile Agents 325
11.1 Introducing mobility 326
11.2 Facilitating mobility 328
11.2.1 Migration 329
11.2.2 Modes of migration 330
11.3 Mobile agent systems 331
11.3.1 Non-Java mobile agent systems 332
11.3.2 Java-based mobile agent systems 333
11.4 Aglets 335
11.4.1 Programming model 336
11.4.2 Communication 337
11.4.3 Security 338
11.5 Mobile agent security 339
11.5.1 Threats 340
11.5.2 Security services 343
11.5.3 Protecting the host 344
11.5.4 Protecting the mobile agent 345
11.5.5 Dealing with the perpetrators 347
11.6 Issues on mobile agents 348
11.7 Further reading 350
11.8 Exercises and topics for discussion 350
CHAPTER 12 – Trust, Security and Legal Issues 351
12.1 Perceived risks 353
12.2 Trust 355
12.3 Trust in e-commerce 356
12.3.1 Trust in agent technology 357
12.3.2 Trust in the marketplace 359
12.4 Electronic institutions 360
12.4.1 Norms, institutions and organizations 361
12.4.2 From norms to institutions 362
12.4.3 Formalizing norms 364
12.4.4 Agents in electronic institutions 365
12.5 Reputation systems 366
12.5.1 Reputation systems in practice 367
12.5.2 Issues and problems 369
12.6 Security 370
12.7 Cryptography 373
12.7.1 Symmetric cryptosystems 374
12.7.2 Asymmetric cryptosystems 375
12.7.3 Applications of public key cryptography 376
12.7.4 Digital signatures 378
12.7.5 Digital certificates 380
12.8 Privacy, anonymity and agents 381
12.8.1 Agents and privacy 381
12.8.2 Anonymity 383
12.8.3 Protecting privacy 384
12.9 Agents and the law 386
12.10 Agents as legal persons 389
12.11 Closing remarks 391
12.12 Further reading 392
12.13 Exercises and topics for discussion 394
APPENDIX A – Introduction to Decision Theory 395
A.1 Probability theory 396
A.1.1 Prior probability 397
A.1.2 Conditional probability 397
A.1.3 Independence 398
A.1.4 Bayes’ rule 398
A.2 Making decisions 399
A.2.1 Non-probabilistic decision-making under uncertainty 401
A.2.2 Probabilistic decision-making under uncertainty 403
A.3 Utilities 403
A.3.1 Preferences 404
A.3.2 Utility functions 405
A.3.3 Utility and money 407
A.3.4 Multi-attribute utility functions 411
A.4 Further reading 411
Bibliography 413
Index 445
