Towards a Theory of Flexible Holons: Modelling Institutions for Making Multi-Agent Systems Robust

Multi-agent systems have a reputation for bringing with them the property of robustness. However, multi-agent systems need to be specifically designed to display this property and until now it is unclear how this can be achieved. One way of approaching this, is to try to simulate social systems, as social order is in close analogy to robustness. We discuss this analogy, give an attempt to a definition of robustness, and a detailed analysis of delegation in multi-agent systems that we believe to help to achieve robustness. Delegation is an integral part of MAS and can be a source of flexibility. We discuss delegation on the spectrum between the absence of norms to the complete specification by norms. We argue that the concept of flexible holons, i.e. flexible grouping of agents due to task and social delegation, is a cornerstone to understanding the formation of institutions in multi-agent systems and to exploiting their potential contribution to robustness.