A Behavioral Approach for Logistics System Analysis and Design: A Reverse Logistics Case

Abstract

Traditional logistic system analysis quite often assumes a single decisionmaker (the planner) operating in a state of complete information and full decision power. He pursues the objective of designing an efficient logistic network by solving a sequence of operational problems mainly in the form of optimization models. More realistically, one should consider that the decision power is actually distributed within the logistics system among different actors (agents or holons) having different (conflictual or cooperative) goals, following different behavioural rules and generating interdipendencies. The shift from a SAS (single-agent system) approach to a MAS (multi-agent system) one induces significant changes in the techniques and models adopted for studying the logistics systems. In particular, one has to take into account the impact of the different coordination mechanisms (stemming from the coordination theory) onto the decision-making process of each agent (holon). We develop a MAS approach for a reverse logistics case related to the urban waste and present some preliminary results in terms of logistic system design and modelling.