Mediating Negotiations in a Virtual Enterprise via Mobile Agents

The manufacturing process in a Virtual Enterprise (VE) is a more complex task than in the single integrated enterprise case. We are proposing an architectural systematisation of the manufacturing and control structures in a VE, in the context of business processes and highlevel planning. For the Information Technology (IT) integration of the VE, we propose the mobile agent paradigm, defining the concept of a Mobile Agent Web (MA-web). The role of the agents in this environment is to track and monitor the manufacturing processes and to mediate negotiations between the parties of the VE when it is necessary. We are making some assumptions about the new behaviour and code of conduct in the envisaged MA-web, such as the willingness to share data and knowledge, and the inclination to cooperative interaction, both induced by the usage of collaborative agents. We are presenting some of the basic principles of architecturing such systems and show a way of how mobile agents can be used in practice.