Intelligent Agent-Based Approach to Purchasing Negotiations in Manufacturing: A Conceptual Model

This paper presents a conceptual model based on intelligent agents for purchasing negotiation in classical manufacturing strategies within the supply chain: Make to Stock (MTS), Assembly to Order (ATO), Make to Order (MTO) and Engineer to Order (ETO). In the proposed conceptual model, two key agents are considered: the Provider Agent (PA) and the Consumer Agent (CA), whose behaviours and capabilities vary according to the complexity of the manufacturing strategy in which they are involved. The agents adopt cooperative or competitive approaches, depending on the context of the negotiation in the purchasing process. In addition, the conceptual model has enabled the identification of various methods that improve the computational, analytical and negotiation capabilities of the agents involved in the purchasing process. The proposed conceptual model has the potential to guide the development of innovative tools that can significantly optimise the efficiency and flexibility of negotiations in the purchasing process within the manufacturing supply chain.