Abstract
Alternating-offer bargaining protocol is the most predominant way for solving bilateral bargaining problem. However, alternating-offer may consume much time and cause a low efficiency in some cases. Especially, a deadlock in which both negotiators are unwilling to concede or refuse to disclose more information may arise. Then mediation is required. This paper presents an agent-based sealed-offer simultaneous bargaining protocol by introducing a nonbiased mediator. The information of both agents is considered completely private. In our agent-based model, both agents simultaneously submit their respective offers to the mediate agent. The offers of each agent are not revealed to the opponent. This design can discourage counter-speculation and effectively control fraud and misrepresentation in a certain extent. Further, we analyze how an agent can exploit the available information in selecting a strategy that maximizes its expected utility and give the optimal offers of each agent at each stage of the negotiation. Four groups of automated experiments are conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed automated negotiation procedure.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Rubinstein A. Perfect equilibrium in a bargaining model. Econometrica, 1982, 50: 97–109
Chatterjee K, Lee C C. Bargaining and search with incomplete information about outside options. Game Econ Behav, 1998, 22: 203–237
Fudenberg D, Tirole J. Sequential bargaining under incomplete information. Rev Econ Stud, 1983, 50: 221–248
Muthoo A. On the strategic role of outside options in bilateral bargaining. Oper Res, 1995, 43: 292–297
Oliver J R. A machine-learning approach to automated negotiation and prospects for electronic commerce. J Manag Inf Syst, 1997, 13: 83–112
Ordover J A, Rubinstein A. A sequential concession game with asymmetric information. The Quart J Econ, 1986, 101: 879–888
Rubinstein A. A bargaining model under incomplete information. Econometrica, 1985, 53: 1151–1172
Lomuscio A, Wooldridge M, Jennings N R. A classification scheme for negotiation in electronic commerce. Int J Group Decis Negot, 2003, 12: 31–56
Luo X, Jennings N R, Shadbolt N, et al. A fuzzy constraint based model for bilateral multi-issue negotiations in semi-competitive environments. Artifl Intell, 2003, 148: 53–102
Chen D N, Jeng B, Lee W P, et al. An agent-based model for consumer-to-business electronic commerce. Expert Syst Appl, 2008, 34: 469–481
Faratin P, Sierra C, Jennings N R. Negotiation decision functions for autonomous agents. Robot Autonom Syst, 1998, 24: 159–182
Fatima S S, Wooldridge M, Jennings N R. Optimal negotiation strategies for agents with incomplete information. In: Meyer J J, Tambe M, eds. Intelligent Agents VIII, Agent Theories, Architectures and Languages, Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence. Berlin: Springer, 2002, 2333: 377–392
Wang J G, Zionts S. Negotiating wisely: considerations based on MCDM/MAUT. Europ J Oper Res, 2008, 188: 191–205
Zhang L L, Chen X G. An agent-based multi-attribute sealed-bid design for bilateral contract. J Softw, 2009, 4: 65–72
Chen Y M, Huang P N. Agent-based bilateral multi-issue negotiation scheme for e-market transactions. Appl Soft Comput J, 2009, 9: 1057–1067
Kebriaei H, Majd V J. A simultaneous multi-attribute soft-bargaining design for bilateral contracts. Expert Syst Appl, 2009, 36: 4417–4422
Li J, Jing B, Yang Y X. A genetic algorithm based on metropolis rule and its application in multi-lateral multi-issue negotiation. Tien Tzu Hsueh Pao/Acta Electron Sin, 2009, 37: 1037–1040
Hemaissia M, EI Fallah Seghrouchni A, Labreuche C, et al. A multilateral multi-issue negotiation protocol. In: Proceedings of the 6th International Joint Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multi-agent Systems, Honolulu, HI: Association for Computing Machinery, 2007. 943–950
Sloof R. Finite horizon bargaining with outside options and threat points. Theory Decis, 2004, 57: 109–142
Song H G. Research on a novel bargaining protocol for open e-marketplaces (in Chinese). Dissertation for the Doctoral Degree. Wuhan: Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 2004
Copic J, Ponsati C. Robust bilateral trade and mediated bargaining. J Eur Econ Assoc, 2008, 6: 570–580
Keeney R, Raiffa H. Decisions with Multiple Objectives: Preferences and Value Trade-offs. New York: Wiley, 1976
Cheng C B, Chan H C C, Lin K C. Intelligent agents for e-marketplace: negotiation with issue trade-offs by fuzzy inference systems. Decis Supp Syst, 2006, 42: 626–638
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zhang, L., Chen, X. & Hong, L. Optimality strategy of a sealed-offer simultaneous bargaining protocol. Sci. China Inf. Sci. 54, 79–90 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11432-010-4140-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11432-010-4140-4