Agent-based Market Research Learning Environment for New Entrepreneurs

Abstract

Due to the importance of creating alternative mechanisms to generate know-how on potential markets for new entrepreneurs this paper proposes an agent-based learning environment to help them learning market research strategies within new businesses. An instructor agent, serving as a learning assistant within the MAS environment guides new entrepreneurs to identify their most adequate market niche. The integration of MAS-CommonKADS and GAIA methodologies is used along with AUML diagrams in order to design and develop this agentbased learning environment, called MaREMAS. The paper thus describes all the stages concerning MaREMAS construction focusing on the conceptualization, analysis, design, prototype development, and validation. The tests developed in the MaREMAS learning environment were satisfactory, however, it is proposed as future work to provide the system a more robust statistical module that allows a better analysis of the research variables and hence be able to generate more useful suggestions to the entrepreneur. Keywords: Agent-based learning environments, market research strategies, entrepreneurship, intelligent learning systems, learning helpers modeling