Metamodelling for Agent-Based Modelling: An Application for Posted Pricing Institutions

Agent-Based Modelling is gaining wider acceptance as a paradigm for social research. However, it still presents limitations in the management of the process to generate the simulations from the initial conceptual models. This makes it difficult to reuse the knowledge from available models and to adapt it to different hypotheses. This paper proposes the use of metamodels in order to define explicitly the core concepts of a problem domain and to differentiate the aspects involved in the process. A case study for posted pricing institutions shows how to define the related metamodel and use it to address alternative situations in these auctions. The case study drives the discussion on the advantages and limitations that metamodelling can bring to social simulation. Rubén Fuentes-Fernández holds a PhD in Computer Science from the Complutense University of Madrid, Spain. He is Associate Professor at this university and member of the GRASIA Research Group. He has published more than 50 research papers in international conferences and journals. Previously, he worked as a consultant in database systems for four years. His main interests are concerned with the application of Social Sciences to software development, model-driven engineering, agent-oriented methodologies and social simulation. José M. Galán is trained in Industrial Engineering from the University of Valladolid, Spain. He works as Associate Professor lecturing Economics and Complex Systems at the University of Burgos, Spain. He obtained his PhD from the University of Burgos, supervised by Ricardo del Olmo and by Adolfo López-Paredes of the INSISOC Research Group. He is interested in complex systems, agent-based modelling, game theory, social networks and the use of models in general. Samer Hassan is lecturer at the American University of Science & Technology (Beirut). He holds a PhD in Artificial Intelligence obtained after his research in Social Simulation in the Complutense University of Madrid (Spain) and the University of Surrey (UK). He has a multidisciplinary background in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence and Political Science. His research interests include the potential applications of computational sociology, the modelling of social network communities, and commons-based peer production. Félix A. Villafañez is graduated from the University of Valladolid (Spain) in Industrial Engineering. Currently he is doing his PhD thesis at the University of Valladolid, supervised by Adolfo López-Paredes and by Javier PajaresGutiérrez of the INSISOC Research Group. He is interested in complex systems, auction theory, agent-based modelling and project management.