A Hybrid Method for Improving Agent-based Negotiation Efficiency in Supply Chain

Considering the condition of negotiation failure or man-made termination of negotiation for increasing efficiency of negotiation, this research presents a hybrid method for improving agent-based multi-attribute negotiation efficiency (HIAMNE) in supply chain (SC) coordination. This method aggregates preference information of negotiators in SC in twice. Firstly, compromise group preference order is ascertained by using preference information, which is newly provided by negotiators, and compromise preference information (CPI), which is formed in previously agent-based automatically negotiation process and calculated by using a compromise preference model. Secondly, group preferences are aggregated by using a relative entropy model, which is established based on entropy theory meanwhile considering the multiple attributes in SC negotiation. The method of HIAMNE has the merit of fulfilling the necessary requirement of group decision-making, i.e. maximizing preference consistency of group decision-making and keeping minimum gap of negotiators´ utility and group preference.