Supporting the Complexity of Inquiring Organizations: An Agent Approach

Abstract

This chapter examines the issue of technological support for inquiring organizations and suggests that the complexity of these organizations is best supported by a technology of equal complexity—that is, by agent technology. Agents and the complex systems in which they are active are ideal for supporting not only the activity of Churchman’s inquirers but also those components necessary to ensure an effective environment. Accordingly, a multiagent system to support inquiring organizations is introduced. By explaining agent technology in simple terms and by defining inquirers and other components as agents working within a multiagent system, this chapter demystifies agent technology, enables researchers to grasp the complexity of inquiring organization support systems, and provides the foundation for inquiring organization support systems design.