Most research on multi-agent systems focuses on the coordinative intelligent behaviour among a collection of autonomous intelligent agents considering that the group of agents provides more than the sum of the capabilities of its members
The adoption of multi-agent technology is based on 3 fundamental system domain characteristics:
data, control, expertise or resources are inherently distributed
the system is naturally regarded as a society of autonomous cooperating components
the system contains legacy components that must interact with other, possibly new software components.
They cooperate with each other autonomously to serve common goals but also have their own interests
A supply network is dynamic and involves the constant flows of information and materials across multiple functional areas both within and between network members
Multi-agent technology, therefore, appears particularly suitable to support collaboration in supply network management