Login | Register

The effects of interplay between negotiation tactics and task complexity in software agent to human negotiations

Title:

The effects of interplay between negotiation tactics and task complexity in software agent to human negotiations

Vahidov, Rustam, Saadé, Raafat G and Yu, Bo (2017) The effects of interplay between negotiation tactics and task complexity in software agent to human negotiations. Electronic Commerce Research and Applications . ISSN 15674223 (In Press)

[thumbnail of vahidov-ecra-2017.pdf]
Preview
Text (application/pdf)
vahidov-ecra-2017.pdf - Accepted Version
Available under License Spectrum Terms of Access.
802kB

Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.elerap.2017.09.007

Abstract

Modern networked business environment enables design of flexible and effective mechanisms of exchange between economic parties. Online negotiations allow geographically and temporally separated participants to engage in exchange of offers in search for acceptable agreements. The digital medium enables development of software agents, which can assist with negotiation tasks while saving time and human effort. The current paper investigates the prospects of utilizing software agents in negotiations with the human counterparts. It presents the findings from experiment where human subjects acted as buyers negotiating with software agent sellers over a mobile phone plan. An electronic negotiation system incorporating software agents was used in the experiment. The agents employed various concession-making schedules while engaging in negotiation tasks involving one of two complexity levels. Negotiation task complexity was manipulated using different number of issues involved in the negotiations. Subjects were recruited among university students. Negotiations between the subjects and agents took place during a two-day period in an asynchronous mode through the web. The findings suggest that interaction between negotiation task complexity and negotiation tactic has significant effects on negotiation outcomes and subjective assessments by the human participants. In particular, task complexity had a higher impact on the agreement rate when agents employed a competitive tactic vs. when they used a conceding one.

Divisions:Concordia University > John Molson School of Business > Supply Chain and Business Technology Management
Item Type:Article
Refereed:Yes
Authors:Vahidov, Rustam and Saadé, Raafat G and Yu, Bo
Journal or Publication:Electronic Commerce Research and Applications
Date:21 September 2017
Funders:
  • Royal Bank of Canada
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):10.1016/j.elerap.2017.09.007
Keywords:Concession-making; Electronic negotiations; Experimental studies; Mechanism design; Multi-issue negotiations; Negotiations; Software agents
ID Code:983092
Deposited By: Danielle Dennie
Deposited On:29 Sep 2017 16:49
Last Modified:01 Sep 2018 00:01

References:

Baarslag, T., Hindriks, K., Jonker, C., Kraus, S., Lin, R., 2012. The First Automated Negotiating Agents Competition (ANAC 2010), in: Ito, T., Zhang, M., Robu, V., Fatima, S., Matsuo, T. (eds.), New Trends in Agent-Based Complex Automated Negotiations. Springer, Berlin/ Heidelberg, pp. 113-135.

Bosse, T., Jonker, C.M., 2005. Human vs. computer behavior in multi-issue negotiation. In Proceedings of the 2005 Conference on Rational, Robust, and Secure Negotiation Mechanisms in Multi-Agent Systems, pp. 11–24.

Byde, A., Yearworth, M., Chen, K.-Y., Bartolini, C., 2003. Autona: A system for automated multiple 1–1 negotiation. In Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on E-Commerce, IEEE Comp. Soc. Press, pp. 59–67.

M. Cao, X. Luo, X. Luo, X. Dai Automated negotiation for e-commerce decision making: A goal deliberated agent architecture for multi-strategy selection Decision Support Systems, 73 (2015), pp. 1–14

A. Chavez, D. Dreilinger, R. Guttman, P. Maes A real-life experiment in creating an agent marketplace H. Nwana, N. Azarmi (Eds.), Software Agents and Soft Computing Towards Enhancing Machine Intelligence, Springer, Berlin / Heidelberg (1997), pp. 160–179

Chavez, A., Maes, P., 1996. Kasbah: An agent marketplace for buying and selling goods. First International Conference on the Practical Application of Intelligent Agents and Multi-Agent Technology. Practical Application Company, London, pp. 75–90.

E. Chen, R. Vahidov, G.E. Kersten Agent-supported negotiations in the e-marketplace International Journal of Electronic Business, 3 (2005), pp. 28–49

F.D. Davis Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and user acceptance of information technology MIS Quarterly, 13 (3) (1989), pp. 319–340

F.D. Davis, R.P. Bagozzi, P.R. Warshaw User acceptance of information technology: A comparison of two theoretical models Management Science, 35 (1989), pp. 982–1003

C.M. de Melo, P. Carnevale, J. Gratch The effect of expression of anger and happiness in computer agents on negotiations with humans Autonomous Agents and Multi-Agent Systems, Taipei, Taiwan (2011), pp. 937–944

M.T. Dishaw, D.M. Strong Extending the technology acceptance model with task–technology fit constructs Information & Management, 36 (1999), pp. 9–21

P. Faratin, C. Sierra, N.R. Jennings Negotiation decision functions for autonomous agents Robotics and Autonomous Systems, 24 (1998), pp. 159–182

P. Faratin, C. Sierra, N.R. Jennings Using similarity criteria to make issue trade-offs in automated negotiations Artificial Intelligence, 142 (2002), pp. 205–237

D.L. Goodhue Understanding user evaluation of information systems Management Science, 41 (12) (1995), pp. 1827–1844

D.L. Goodhue, R.L. Thompson Task-technology fit and individual performance MIS Quarterly, 19 (2) (1995), pp. 213–236

Haim, G., Gal, Y.a., Gelfand, M., Kraus, S., 2012. A cultural sensitive agent for human-computer negotiation. In Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems, 1, Valencia, Spain, pp. 451–458.

S.-L. Huang, F.R. Lin The design and evaluation of an intelligent sales agent for online persuasion and negotiation Electronic Commerce Research and Applications, 6 (2007), pp. 285–296

B.A. Jain, J.S. Solomon The effect of task complexity and conflict handling styles on computer-supported negotiations Information & Management, 37 (2000), pp. 161–168

G. Kersten, E. Chen, D. Neumann, R. Vahidov, C. Weinhardt On comparison of mechanisms of economic and social exchanges: The times model In Negotiation and Market Engineering, Dagstuhl Seminar, Dagstuhl, Germany (2006)

G. Kersten, S.J. Noronha WWW-based negotiation upport: Design, implementation, and use Decision Support Systems, 25 (1999), pp. 135–154

G.E. Kersten, G. Lo Aspire: An integrated negotiation support system and software agents for e-business negotiation International Journal of Internet and Enterprise Management, 1 (2003), pp. 293–315

R. Lin, Y.A. Gal, S. Kraus, Y. Mazliah Training with automated agents improves people's behavior in negotiation and coordination tasks Decision Support Systems, 60 (2014), pp. 1–9

R. Lin, S. Kraus Can automated agents proficiently negotiate with humans? Comm ACM, 53 (2010), pp. 78–88

P. Maes, R. Guttman, A. Moukas Agents that buy and sell Comm. ACM, 42 (1998), pp. 81–91

H. Raiffa The Art and Science of Negotiation Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA (1982)

Traum, D., Rickel, J., Gratch, J., Marsella, S., 2003. Negotiation over tasks in hybrid human-agent teams for simulation-based training, Proceedings of the Second International Joint Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems. ACM Press, Melbourne, Australia, pp. 441–448.

R. Vahidov, E. Chen, G. Kersten Experimental assessment of agent-supported electronic negotiations International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, 29 (2013), pp. 764–774

R. Vahidov, G. Kersten, R. Saade An experimental study of software agent negotiations with humans Decision Support Systems, 66 (2014), pp. 135–145

Vahidov, R., Kersten, G.E., Gimon, D., 2012a. Interaction between software agent-enabled system with invite ENS users: Multi-bilateral negotiations. In Proceedings of the 2012 Conference Group Decision & Negotiation, Recife, Brazil.

Vahidov, R., Kersten, G.E., Saade, R., 2012b. Human–software agent negotiations: An experimental study. In: Shaw, M.J., Zhang, D., Yue, W.T. (eds.), E-Life: Web-Enabled Convergence of Commerce, Work, and Social Life. Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing (108). Springer, Berlin / Heidelberg, Germany, pp. 356–367.

Yang, Y., Singhal, S., 2009. Designing an intelligent agent that negotiates tactfully with human counterparts: A conceptual analysis and modeling framework. In Proceedings of the 42nd Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, ACM Press, New York, NY, 2009, pp. 1–10.

Yu, B., Vahidov, R., Saade, R., 2015. Agents and e-commerce: Beyond automation. In Proceedings of the 2015 Americas Conference on Information Systems, Puerto Rico, Assoc. for Info, Sys. Atlanta, GA.
All items in Spectrum are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved. The use of items is governed by Spectrum's terms of access.

Repository Staff Only: item control page

Downloads per month over past year

Research related to the current document (at the CORE website)
- Research related to the current document (at the CORE website)
Back to top Back to top