Authors:
Johannes Vorster
1
and
Louise Leenen
1
;
2
Affiliations:
1
Department of Computer Science, University of Western Cape, South Africa
;
2
CAIR, South Africa
Keyword(s):
Consensus, Consensus Simulation, Stochastic Simulation, Synchronization, Multi-Agent Simulation, Subversive Agents.
Abstract:
In this paper we explore the effects of subversive agents on the effectiveness of consensus-seeking processes. A subversive agent can try and commit industrial espionage, or, could be a disgruntled employee. The ability of an organisation to effectively execute projects, especially projects within large and complex organisation such as those found in large corporates, governments and military institutions, depend on team members reaching consensus on everything from the project vision through various design phases and eventually project implementation and realisation. What could the effect be of agents trying to subvert such a process in a way that does not raise suspicions? Such an agent cannot openly sabotage the project, but rather tries to influence others in a way that increases the time it takes to reach consensus, thus delaying projects in subtle ways. Here we explore the effect such agents could have on the time and effort to reach consensus though the use of a stochastic Mul
ti-Agent-Simulation (MAS).
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