Student Paper: Multi-Linked Negotiation in Multi-Agent System

Multi-linked negotiation describes a situation where one agent needs to negotiate with multiple agents about different issues, and the negotiation over one issue influences the negotiations over other issues. Multi-linked issues will become important for the next generation of more complicated Multi-Agent Systems. However, most current negotiation research looks only at single issue negotiation and thus does not present techniques to reason and manage multilinked issues. In this paper, we present a technique based on the use of a partial-order schedule and a measure of the schedule, called flexibility, which enables an agent to reason explicitly about the interactions among multiple negotiation issues. We show how an agent uses the partial-order schedule to effectively manage interacting negotiation issues; and how the flexibility is a key measure for ordering and managing negotiation issues. Experimental work is presented which shows this management technique for multilinked negotiation leads to improved performance.