This book investigates fundamental aspects of
automated bargaining using software agents, as well
as business-related applications. Software agents are
programs which are capable of autonomously and
intelligently realise a given task. By means of such
agents, the bargaining process can be automated,
allowing products and services to be flexible and
tuned to the individual preferences of the people
concerned. The fundamental part investigates
bargaining within a stylised world, and studies the
factors that influence bargaining outcomes in such a
setting. This can provide insights for the production
of software agents, strategies, and setting up
bargaining rules for practical situations. This is
achieved using computational simulations, as well as
game theory. A framework is then introduced where
negotiation is used for recommending shops to
customers, for example on a web page of an electronic
shopping mall. Furthermore, a system is presented for
selling and personalising so-called information
goods, such as news articles, software, and music.
The system is capable of taking into account
important business-related conditions such as the
fairness of the negotiation.
automated bargaining using software agents, as well
as business-related applications. Software agents are
programs which are capable of autonomously and
intelligently realise a given task. By means of such
agents, the bargaining process can be automated,
allowing products and services to be flexible and
tuned to the individual preferences of the people
concerned. The fundamental part investigates
bargaining within a stylised world, and studies the
factors that influence bargaining outcomes in such a
setting. This can provide insights for the production
of software agents, strategies, and setting up
bargaining rules for practical situations. This is
achieved using computational simulations, as well as
game theory. A framework is then introduced where
negotiation is used for recommending shops to
customers, for example on a web page of an electronic
shopping mall. Furthermore, a system is presented for
selling and personalising so-called information
goods, such as news articles, software, and music.
The system is capable of taking into account
important business-related conditions such as the
fairness of the negotiation.