CfP: International Workshop on Multi-Agent Systems as Middleware and Architectures for Business Systems

[Peter Novak]

(Apologies for multiple copies)


                         *********   CALL FOR PAPERS *********
                *************** Deadline September 20, 2007 ****************

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                                       MAS² 2008
International Workshop on Multi-Agent Systems as Middleware and Architectures for Business Systems
                 http://vsis-www.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/events/mas2/
                                      As part of
                    Multikonferenz Wirtschaftsinformatik 2008 MKWI 2008
                                February 26 - 28, 2008                          
                                    München, Germany

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*** Overview ***

Multi-agent systems (MAS) offer important concepts and technical solutions for the analysis, design 
and construction of business systems, especially regarding more and more complex company structures. 
Therefore, MAS represent a conceptual and technological foundation for solving typical problems of 
distributed systems such as communication, conflict resolution, cooperation and concurrency.

The construction of software using architectures inspired by agent-oriented concepts has the clear
advantage that domain-centered metaphors such as groups, actors, objects and services can be directly
transferred to the technical side as they are supported on this level as well. This is an essential
point regarding the realization of organizational structures und workflows within the software architecture.
The agent-oriented paradigm exhibits an especially high degree of concept continuity from the domain to
the technical perspective.

Foundation of an efficient IT-management is the usage of an appropriate system infrastructure which 
is in case of distributed systems often backed by middleware systems and/or services. The traditional 
point-of-view that considers middleware as solution for classical problems of distributed systems is 
in many cases not sufficient when complex business applications need to be built, because advanced 
functionalities e.g. from software engineering, artificial intelligence and service orientation need 
to be taken into account. Thus, new approaches are needed that offer support domain centered adjustment 
of business processes and structures. 

In this respect, MAS can be seen as the underlying paradigm for the architecture of software
systems as well as providing a technical middleware for their realization. This leads to the 
question how middleware and architecture can reflect the business system entities. 
Therefore, applications and their analysis with respect to their requirements for direct 
IT-support are also of high interest for the workshop. 


*** Topics: ***

The workshop covers a wide range of topics from the area of multi-agent systems as well 
as from middleware and architectures of business systems. 


This includes  
(but is not necessarily limited to) the following genreal topics:

    * Architecture: Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA), MDA, Event-Driven Systems, Data-Driven Systems,
      Organizational Patterns
    * Middleware: Standards, Platforms, Peer-to-Peer, GRID, Components, Enterprise Service Bus,
      Web-Services
    * Business Systems: Standards, Business processes, Governance, Application Domains, 
      Organizational Structures, Electronic Market Places, IT-Risk Management, Project Management, 
      Virtual organizations, Semantic Web

and more specifically the orthogonal topics for the integration and
mutual dependencies of middleware, architecture and business systems:

    * Concepts: Teamwork, Problem Solving, Planning, Patterns, Adaptation, Self Organization, 
      Autonomic Computing, Behavior, Structure, Composition
    * Modeling: Software Engineering, Development Processes and Methods, Process Models, 
      Generative Software Development, Standards, Verification, Validation, Simulation,
      Processes, Tools
    * Implementation: Web Services, Programming Languages, MDA, Product Lines


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*** Submissions ***

We invite submissions of high quality, original papers,
which are not simultaneously submitted for publication elsewhere.
Papers should be formatted according to the GI´s LNI style, 
which can be obtained from
<http://www.gi-ev.de/service/publikationen/gi-edition-lecture-notes-in-informatics-lni-2005/autorenrichtlinien/>,
and not exceed 12 pages including figures, references, etc.

Submissions should be sent by E-mail to the Workshop Chairs.
The message should indicate paper Title, Authors and Abstract,
with the Microsoft Word (.doc) version of the paper in attachment.
Email: mas2 at informatik.uni-hamburg.de

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*** Important Dates ***

Submission Deadline: September 20, 2007

Notification: November 5, 2007

Camera Ready Copy Due: December 3, 2007

MKWI'08 : February 26 - 28, 2008  


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*** Proceedings ***

The accepted papers will be published in the proceedings of the MKWI 2008 conference.