Suchergebnisse

The dissertation explores the developments of the border control agency Frontex and the European Asylum Support Office EASO, arguing that the Schengen crisis of 2015-16 prompted EU institutions to significantly empower both migration agencies. This study adapts classic principal-agent interpretations while applying a process-tracing method to introduce a distinction between primary and intermediate principals on one side and multiple agents on the other. By doing so, this study investigates significant agency empowerment in the EU migration policy. ; Die Dissertation untersucht die Entwicklungen der Grenzschutzagentur Frontex und des Europäischen Unterstützungsbüros für Asylfragen EASO und argumentiert, dass die Schengen- und Migrationskrise von 2015-16 die EU-Institutionen dazu veranlasst hat, beide Migrationsagenturen erheblich zu stärken. Die Studie interpretiert den klassischen Prinzipal-Agent-Ansatz neu und wendet die process-tracing Methode an, um zwischen primären und intermediären Prinzipalen auf der einen und mehreren Agenten auf der anderen Seite zu unterscheiden. Die Analyse durchleuchtet somit die erhebliche Stärkung der Agenturen in der gemeinsamen EU-Migrationspolitik.

Subject of the present study is the agent-based computer simulation of Agent Island. Agent Island is a macroeconomic model, which belongs to the field of monetary theory. Agent-based modeling is an innovative tool that made much progress in other scientific fields like medicine or logistics. In economics this tool is quite new, and in monetary theory to this date virtual no agent-based simulation model has been developed. It is therefore the topic of this study to close this gap to some extend. Hence, the model integrates in a straightforward way next to the common private sectors (i.e. households, consumer goods firms and capital goods firms) and as an innovation a banking system, a central bank and a monetary circuit. Thereby, the central bank controls the business cycle via an interest rate policy; the according mechanism builds on the seminal idea of Knut Wicksell (natural rate of interest vs. money rate of interest). In addition, the model contains also many Keynesian features and a flow-of-funds accounting system in the tradition of Wolfgang Stützel. Importantly, one objective of the study is the validation of Agent Island, which means that the individual agents (i.e. their rules, variables and parameters) are adjusted in such a way that on the aggregate level certain phenomena emerge. The crucial aspect of the modeling and the validation is therefore the relation between the micro and macro level: Every phenomenon on the aggregate level (e.g. some stylized facts of the business cycle, the monetary transmission mechanism, the Phillips curve relationship, the Keynesian paradox of thrift or the course of the business cycle) emerges out of individual actions and interactions of the many thousand agents on Agent Island. In contrast to models comprising a representative agent, we do not apply a modeling on the aggregate level; and in contrast to orthodox GE models, true interaction between heterogeneous agents takes place (e.g. by face-to-face-trading). ; Gegenstand der vorliegenden makroökonomischen Untersuchung ist Agent Island. Agent Island ist eine agentenbasierte Computersimulation, welche im Gebiet der Geldtheorie anzusiedeln ist. Agentenbasierte Computersimulationen sind innovative Werkzeuge, die bereits in vielen anderen Forschungsfeldern, wie der Medizinforschung oder der Erforschung komplexer Logistiksysteme, Verwendung finden. Im Fach Volkswirtschaftslehre ist der Einsatz dieser Technik allerdings noch recht neu, und im Gebiet der monetären Makroökonomik ist bis heute praktisch noch kein agentenbasiertes Simulationsmodell entwickelt worden. Diese Lücke soll durch die vorliegende Arbeit zumindest ein Stück weit geschlossen werden. Angestrebt wird deshalb die Ausarbeitung eines validierten Simulationsmodells für geldpolitische Anwendungen. Zu diesem Zweck wird als Innovation in einem agentenbasierten Makro-Modell – neben den Sektoren der privaten Haushalte, der Konsum- und Kapitalgüterunternehmen – ein Bankensystem, die Notenbank und ein Geldkreislauf (auf einfache Weise) integriert. Die Notenbank kontrolliert dabei die Konjunktur durch Zinspolitik; der entsprechende Transmissionsmechanismus knüpft an die Arbeiten Knut Wicksells im Bereich der Geldtheorie an. Darüber hinaus beinhaltet das Modell viele Keynesianische Elemente sowie eine Geldvermögensrechnung in der Tradition von Wolfgang Stützel. Im Rahmen der Validierung spielt insbesondere der Zusammenhang zwischen Mikro- und Makroebene eine besondere Rolle, wobei wir einen Bottom-Up-Ansatz wählen. Die Idee der Validierung, wie wir sie anwenden, besteht demnach darin, die individuellen Regeln der Agenten so einzustellen, dass auf der aggregierten Ebene Ergebnisse entstehen, die für ein monetäres Makro-Modell sinnvoll erscheinen. Im Ergebnis des validierten Modells sind alle Phänomene auf der aggregierten Ebene (z. B. einige stilisierte Fakten, die Wirkung des Transmissionsmechanismus, der Phillips-Kurven-Zusammenhang, das Spar-Paradoxon oder der Konjunkturverlauf von Agent Island) alleine durch die Handlungen und Interaktionen der vielen tausend Agenten auf der Mikroebene erzeugt. Es erfolgt – im Gegensatz zu Modellen mit einem repräsentativen Agenten – keine Modellierung auf der aggregierten Ebene. Im Rahmen der Mikrostruktur von Agent Island gilt es, die drei vorkommenden Typen von Agenten, d.h. die private Haushalte, Unternehmen sowie die Notenbank, mit einem geeigneten Regelwerk auszustatten. Dementsprechend ist die Arbeit so aufgebaut, dass im ersten Kapitel der methodischen Rahmen für die Entwicklung des Modells (d.h. der Regeln) sowie für die Validierung des Modells (d.h. die Einstellung der Regeln) dargestellt wird. Außerdem erfolgt eine Ausarbeitung der Vorteile des agentenbasierten Ansatzes gegenüber den Allgemeinen Gleichgewichts-Modellen. Im darauffolgenden zweiten Kapitel erfolgt die Darstellung des Modells, welche die Beschreibung aller Regeln und Variablen umfasst. Da es bis heute keine vergleichbare Arbeit auf dem Gebiet der Geldtheorie gibt, musste sich das Modell von Agent Island an verwandte, bereits existierende agentenbasierte Modelle orientieren, sowie in vielen Bereichen an nicht-agentenbasierten Ansätze. Im zweiten Kapitel erfolgt ebenfalls die Verknüpfung des Modells mit der relevanten Literatur. Es liegt in der Natur der Sache, dass die Darstellung von Agent Island zunächst auf der Mikroebene erfolgt. Somit befasst sich der größte Teil von Kapitel 2 mit der Ausarbeitung der Regeln auf der Mikroebene. Erst am Ende des Kapitels wechselt die Darstellung auf die Makroebene – und legt hierbei auch die Grundlagen für den späteren Validierungsprozess. Dort werden makroökonomische Zusammenhänge erläutert, die für Agent Island relevant sein sollten und die im darauffolgenden dritten Kapitel dann auch untersucht bzw. angewandt werden. In Kapitel 3 erfolgt die Validierung des Modells. Hier erfolgen Sensitivitäts-Analysen, Kalibrierungen sowie weitere (z.T. statistische) Untersuchungen des Modells bzw. der Modellergebnisse. Ziel ist es dabei, sinnvolle Ergebnisse auf der Makroebene für verschiedene Zeitreihen zu generieren. Am Ende von Kapitel 3 liegt ein vernünftig validiertes Modell vor. Dies könnte beispielsweise als Ausgangsbasis für die Fortentwicklung eines weiter verfeinerten Modells dienen.

With the current advance of technology, agent-based applications are becoming a standard in a great variety of domains such as e-commerce, logistics, supply chain management, telecommunications, healthcare, and manufacturing. Another reason for the widespread interest in multi-agent systems is that these systems are seen as a technology and a tool that helps in the analysis and development of new models and theories in large-scale distributed systems or in human-centered systems. This last aspect is currently of great interest due to the need for democratization in the use of technology that allows people without technical preparation to interact with the devices in a simple and coherent way. In this Special Issue, different interesting approaches that advance this research discipline have been selected and presented.

[EN] With the current advance of technology, agent-based applications are becoming a standard in a great variety of domains such as e-commerce, logistics, supply chain management, telecommunications, healthcare, and manufacturing. Another reason for the widespread interest in multi-agent systems is that these systems are seen as a technology and a tool that helps in the analysis and development of new models and theories in large-scale distributed systems or in human-centered systems. This last aspect is currently of great interest due to the need for democratization in the use of technology that allows people without technical preparation to interact with the devices in a simple and coherent way. In this Special Issue, different interesting approaches that advance this research discipline have been selected and presented. ; Julian Inglada, VJ.; Botti V. (2019). Multi-Agent Systems. Applied Sciences. 9(7):1-7. https://doi.org/10.3390/app9071402 ; S ; 1 ; 7 ; 9 ; 7 ; Kravari, K., & Bassiliades, N. (2015). A Survey of Agent Platforms. Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, 18(1). doi:10.18564/jasss.2661 ; Baldoni, M., Baroglio, C., May, K., Micalizio, R., & Tedeschi, S. (2018). Computational Accountability in MAS Organizations with ADOPT. Applied Sciences, 8(4), 489. doi:10.3390/app8040489 ; Boissier, O., Bordini, R. H., Hübner, J. F., Ricci, A., & Santi, A. (2013). Multi-agent oriented programming with JaCaMo. Science of Computer Programming, 78(6), 747-761. doi:10.1016/j.scico.2011.10.004 ; Challenger, M., Tezel, B., Alaca, O., Tekinerdogan, B., & Kardas, G. (2018). Development of Semantic Web-Enabled BDI Multi-Agent Systems Using SEA_ML: An Electronic Bartering Case Study. Applied Sciences, 8(5), 688. doi:10.3390/app8050688 ; Challenger, M., Demirkol, S., Getir, S., Mernik, M., Kardas, G., & Kosar, T. (2014). On the use of a domain-specific modeling language in the development of multiagent systems. Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence, 28, 111-141. ...

Includes reports to the Governor, to the General Assembly and to the Legislature. ; Latest issue consulted: Dec. 1853. ; Title varies slightly. ; Description based on: Dec. 1842. ; Includes reports to the Governor, to the General Assembly and to the Legislature. ; Mode of access: Internet.

The issue of an agent in criminal proceeding has been the topic of scientific discussion for several years in European countries as well as in the Slovak Republic. In particular, the topic of agent provocateur is constantly interesting and controversial in a view of its problematic practical implementation in relation to the national legal regulation of that institution, existing jurisprudence, including the practice of the European Court of Human Rights. This issue is worthy another discussion because there are many opinions that it intervenes into the fundamental rights of individuals and many lawyers point out that is not in compliance with the basic principles of the democratic state respecting rule of law. Theoretical aspects of the topic have caused its complicated way of application in the relation to respect towards the basic principles of the democratic state respecting rule of law By analyzing and comparing the domestic regulation, case law of domestic courts and the European Court of Human Rights the authors have ambition to suggest different views on problematic aspects of this institution, especially its form as agent provocateur. Special attention is dedicated to the question whether a lawyer, concretely advocate can act as an agent. The nature and purpose of all these institutions, including the question of legal entrapment, raising polemics dividing the society. The article does not aim to offer one satisfactory solution. The reason is, as the reader will have a chance maybe to come to the same idea, there are many different state approaches worldwide and especially in the States of the Council of Europe, which affected different ways of understanding of the Agent Provocateur, its role and purpose in the democratic state with rule of law. The authors´ intention is to seek arguments acceptable for both parties to the dispute.

The issue of an agent in criminal proceeding has been the topic of scientific discussion for several years in European countries as well as in the Slovak Republic. In particular, the topic of agent provocateur is constantly interesting and controversial in a view of its problematic practical implementation in relation to the national legal regulation of that institution, existing jurisprudence, including the practice of the European Court of Human Rights. This issue is worthy another discussion because there are many opinions that it intervenes into the fundamental rights of individuals and many lawyers point out that is not in compliance with the basic principles of the democratic state respecting rule of law. Theoretical aspects of the topic have caused its complicated way of application in the relation to respect towards the basic principles of the democratic state respecting rule of law By analyzing and comparing the domestic regulation, case law of domestic courts and the European Court of Human Rights the authors have ambition to suggest different views on problematic aspects of this institution, especially its form as agent provocateur. Special attention is dedicated to the question whether a lawyer, concretely advocate can act as an agent. The nature and purpose of all these institutions, including the question of legal entrapment, raising polemics dividing the society. The article does not aim to offer one satisfactory solution. The reason is, as the reader will have a chance maybe to come to the same idea, there are many different state approaches worldwide and especially in the States of the Council of Europe, which affected different ways of understanding of the Agent Provocateur, its role and purpose in the democratic state with rule of law. The authors´ intention is to seek arguments acceptable for both parties to the dispute.

Simulation-based training has the potential to significantly improve training value in the air combat domain. However, synthetic opponents must be controlled by high-quality behavior models, in order to exhibit human-like behavior. Building such models by hand is recognized as a very challenging task. In this work, we study how multi-agent deep reinforcement learning can be used to construct behavior models for synthetic pilots in air combat simulation. We empirically evaluate a number of approaches in two air combat scenarios, and demonstrate that curriculum learning is a promising approach for handling the high-dimensional state space of the air combat domain, and that multi-objective learning can produce synthetic agents with diverse characteristics, which can stimulate human pilots in training. ; Funding: Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation SystemsVinnova [NFFP7/2017-04885]; Wallenberg Artificial Intelligence, Autonomous Systems and Software Program (WASP) - Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation

Doutoramento em Economia ; A crise financeira de 2007/2008 desencadeou uma onda de críticas à teoria económica. Ataques baseados em quatro críticas principais: os economistas não terem previsto a maior crise desde a Grande Depressão; as autoridades deixarem formar bolhas sem controlo; o falhanço da supervisão bancária; e os modelos usados serem desfasados da realidade. No caso dos modelos, o alvo principal são os modelos DSGE (dinâmicos, estocásticos e de equilíbrio geral) e duas das suas hipóteses simplificadoras: o agente representativo e a racionalidade. As economias são realidades complexas, não-lineares e heterogéneas, e o recurso a métodos computacionais pode ser uma alternativa para ultrapassar as limitações dos modelos tradicionais. O objectivo desta tese é alargar a aplicação dos modelos de agentes em Macroeconomia com três exemplos distintos. O primeiro é um modelo de crescimento endógeno, de gerações sobrepostas, em que a decisão dos agentes sobre estudar é baseada na satisfação e na influência dos seus pares. É usado para testar os efeitos de longo prazo do paradoxo de Easterlin, que sugere que a satisfação e o rendimento não têm uma relação linear. Verifica-se que, no cenário de Easterlin, o crescimento é menor do que no cenário base onde os agentes atribuem igual importância ao rendimento absoluto e relativo. O segundo modelo visa avaliar o contágio dos defaults da dívida pública e a forma como as estratégias dos governos afetam o seu aparecimento e propagação. As simulações mostram que os países mais gastadores e com menor aversão ao risco tendem a entrar mais vezes em default e que políticas monetárias muito expansionistas podem originar fenómenos de risco moral. No terceiro modelo, estudamos o fenómeno da 'fuga de cérebros' e as consequências no crescimento económico. Concluímos que o efeito positivo do brain drain na acumulação de capital humano depende fortemente da probabilidade de emigrar. ; The 2007/2008 financial crisis triggered a wave of criticism of the economic theory. These attacks are based in four main critics: economists had not foreseen the biggest crisis since the Great Depression; authorities let bubbles form without control; weak banking supervision; and the models used in macroeconomic policy being out of touch with reality. In the particular case of the macroeconomic models, the target are the DSGE models (dynamic, stochastic and general equilibrium) and their two simplifying hypotheses: the representative agent and rationality. Economies are complex realities, with nonlinearities and heterogeneities, and computational economics can be an advantageous alternative to overcome the shortcomings of the traditional models. The aim of this thesis is to extend the application of agent-based models to macroeconomic topics in three distinct models. The first one is an endogenous growth model, in an overlapping generations environment, in which the agents' individual decision to study is based on the satisfaction of their peers. It is used to evaluate the long-term effects of the Easterlin paradox, which states that satisfaction and income have a non-linear relation. The second model is used to study sovereign default contagion in order to assess how different government strategies affect default and propagation across countries. Simulations showed that high spending and low risk aversion levels are associated to a high prevalence of default and that monetary stimulus can create moral hazard problems. In the third model, we study the brain drain phenomenon and its economic growth effects. We conclude that beneficial brain hypothesis depend heavily on emigration probability. ; info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

A lack of consent about legal terms and concepts is not just a communication problem, but may also be viewed as a problem of the definition of legal terms and concepts.This paper starts by discussing several reader text models, and goes on to introducing the concept of the open text. This concept helps to analyse contexts in which, apart from texts, the definitions of legal concepts and terms (for example "legal text", " legal lan-guage" or "legal comprehensibility") are generated during complex, dynamic and ideally democratic interactions. A unilateral act of definition does not only assign certain mean-ings, rules of interpretation, or authorisation of executive action to legal terms, but also ademocratic assumptions about political participation. In this constellation, individuals will always be subjected to the intentions of others, namely those who exert all power, influence and control over the very definition of legal key terms and concepts.

Besides the simpler ability to interact, open multi-agent systems must include mechanisms for their agents to reach agreements by taking into account their social context. Argumentation provides multi-agent systems with a framework that assures a rational communication, which allows agents to reach agreements when conflicts of opinion arise. In this paper, we present the dialogue protocol that agents of a case-based argumentation framework can use to interact when they engage in argumentation dialogues. The syntax and semantics of the argumentation protocol are formalised and discussed. To illustrate our proposal, we have applied the protocol in the context of a water market. By using our dialogue protocol, agents represent water users that are able to explore different water allocations and justify their views about what is the best water distribution in a certain environment. ; This work is supported by the Spanish government Grants CONSOLIDER INGENIO 2010 CSD2007-00022, MINECO/FEDER TIN2012-36586-C03-01, and MICINN TIN2011-27652-C03-01. ; Heras Barberá, SM.; Botti Navarro, VJ.; Julian Inglada, VJ. (2014). Modelling dialogues in agent societies. Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence. 34:208-226. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engappai.2014.06.003 ; S ; 208 ; 226 ; 34

Tarkastelen pro gradussani Venäjällä vuonna 2012 merkittäväksi keskusteluaiheeksi nousseen ulkomaalaisten agenttien käsitettä. Tarkoituksenani on kuvata, ymmärtää ja arvioida kriittisesti ilmiötä, jossa aiemmin epämuodollinen ja erittäin kiistanalaista käsitettä alettiin soveltaa juridisesti venäläisiin kansalaisjärjestöihin. Pyrin kuvaamaan ulkomaalaisten agenttien käsitteen virallisten ja epävirallisten tasojen yhteisoloa, näiden olemusta, ideoita, uskomuksia ja käytännön ilmentymiä. Tarkoituksenani on myös arvioida tämän ilmiön kautta venäläistä politiikkaa sen kansallisen hallintavaltaperinteen ja kansainvälisen hallintavallan näkökulmista. Lähestymistapani tutkimukseen on rakenteellinen ja tutkimusmenetelmäni on foucault'lainen diskurssianalyysi ja tiedon arkeologia. Aineistoni koostuu Venäjän Federaation laista, joka teki kesällä 2012 ulkomaalaisista agenteista juridisen käsitteen, minkä lisäksi käytän primääriaineistonani uutisartikkeleita kolmelta venäläiseltä mediayhtiöltä ensimmäisen vuoden ajalta siitä, kun edellä mainittu laki hyväksyttiin. Lisäksi käytän teorioita hallintapolitiikasta ja Venäjän tutkimuksesta apunani luodakseni näkökulmia tutkimusaiheeseen. Ulkomaalaiset agentit ilmentävät perinteistä venäläistä vertikaalia hallitokulttuuria, joka on konfliktissa globaalien vaikutusten alla olevan kansalaisjärjestötoiminnan kanssa. Ulkomaalaisten agenttien diskursseissa ilmenee perusteellinen ristiriita siitä, ovatko kansalaisjärjestöt näiden ulkomaalaisten tukijoiden poliittisen tahdon ajajia, onko ulkomaalainen agentti-termi oikeutettu ja rikkovatko uudet hallintosäädökset hyvän hallinnon periaatteita, demokratiaa ja ihmisoikeuksia. Ulkomaalaisten agenttien juridinen perusyksikkö Venäjällä, voittoa tavoittelematon järjestö, on käsitteellisesti voimakkaasti valtiopolitiikka sidonnainen. Venäjän epämuodolliset rakenteet suosivat vahvasti toimijoita, joita ei leimata ulkomaalaisiksi agenteiksi. ; In my pro gradu thesis I examine the concept of foreign agents which arose into the focus of Russian public debate in 2012. My goal is to describe, understand and evaluate critically the phenomenon where the formerly informal and controversial concept was taken into juridical implementation on Russian civil movements. I strive to describe the official and non-official co-existence of foreign agent ideas, their essences, beliefs and various appearances. Through foreign agents my goal is also to evaluate Russian politics and society in perspective of the national tradition of governing and global governmentality. I have a structuralist approach and my primary methods are Foucauldian discourse analysis and archeology of knowledge. My research material consists of the federal law making foreign agents juridical concept in 2012 and news articles from three Russian media companies from the time of the first year since introducing the law. Addingly I reflect relevant Foucauldian theories and research on Russia to bring the research better in contact with established framework of social sciences. Foreign agents embody traditional Russian vertical governing which is in conflict with civil movement activities connected with foreign influences. There appears contradiction of whether the foreign agents are advocates of the will of foreign regimes, if the term usage is correct and legitimate, do the Russian government follow principles of good governing, democracy and human rights. The basic units of foreign agents in Russia are non-commercial organizations that unlike the popularly synonymously used non-governmental organizations have strong discoursive connection with governmental politics in Russia. The non-formal structures in Russia tend to favor existence of the non-foreign agent subjects in Russia.

An organization is a collection of agents that interact and produce some form of output. Formal organizations - such as corporations and governments - are typically constructed for an explicit purpose though this purpose needn't be shared by all organizational members. An entrepreneur who creates a firm may do so in order to generate personal wealth but the worker she hires may have very different goals. As opposed to more amorphous collections of agents such as friendship networks and societies at large, organizations have a formal structure to them (though informal structures typically emerge as well) with the prototypical example being a corporation's organizational chart. This structure serves to define lines of communication and the distribution of decision-making. Organizations are also distinguished by their well-defined boundaries as reflected in a clear delineation as to who is and who is not a member. This boundary serves to make organizations a natural unit of selection; for example, corporations are formed and liquidated though they can also morph into something different through activities like mergers.

418 441 31 3 ; S ; Multiagent systems are suitable for providing a framework that allows agents to perform collaborative processes in a social context. Furthermore, argumentation is a natural way of reaching agreements between several parties. However, it is difficult to find infrastructures of argumentation offering support for agent societies and their social context. Offering support for agent societies allows representation of more realistic environments to have argumentation dialogues. We propose an infrastructure to develop and execute argumentative agents in an open multiagent system. It offers tools to develop agents with argumentation capabilities. It also offers support for agent societies and their social context. The infrastructure is publicly available. Also, it has been implemented in an application scenario where argumentative agents try to reach an agreement about the best solution to solve a problem reported to the system. This work is supported by the Spanish government grants CONSOLIDER INGENIO 2010 CSD2007-00022, MINECO/FEDER TIN2012-36586-C03-01, and TIN2011-27652-C03-01. Jordan Prunera, JM.; Heras Barberá, SM.; Valero Cubas, S.; Julian Inglada, VJ. (2014). An Infrastructure for Argumentative Agents. Computational Intelligence. 31(3):418-441. doi:10.1111/coin.12030

Popular sovereignty requires that citizens perceive themselves as being able to act and implement decisions and be causally connected to mechanisms of decision-making. I argue that the two most common understandings of the exercise of popular sovereignty — which centre on direct decision making by the people as a whole and the indirect exercise of democratic agency by elected representatives, respectively — are inadequate in this respect, and go on to suggest a complementary account that stresses the central role of internally democratic and participatory political parties in actualising popular sovereignty. The argument defended contends that popular sovereignty ceases to be a mere fiction only when the people are active makers of decisions and not just passive recipients of the decisions of others; and they can only be active decision-makers when they engage in internally democratic parties that render them a viable political force.