Specifying the intertwining of cooperation and autonomy in agent-based systems

Cooperation and autonomy are two antagonistic core variables of agent-based systems, and a key challenge in designing such systems is to balance these variables appropriately. This article describes a specification schema called RNS2 that has been developed in response to this challenge. Being formally grounded in deontic logic and informally inspired by social role theory, RNS2 shows several useful features which together make it unique and distinct from related approaches. In particular, RNS2 is highly expressive and allows to specify the intertwining of cooperation and autonomy at a very precise level, and it facilitates the automated detection and resolution of autonomy-induced cooperation conflicts at design time. The application of RNS2 is illustrated in the context of an agent-based supply chain management system.