Title: An agent-based simulation study for exploring organisation design under environmental uncertainty

Authors: Huanhuan Wang; Bin Hu; Hu Li

Addresses: College of Computer and Information Technology, China Three Gorges University, 8 University Avenue, Yichang, 443002, China ' School of Management, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Luoyu Road 1037, Wuhan, 430074, China ' Institute of Pattern Recognition and Artificial Intelligence, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Luoyu Road 1037, Wuhan, 430074, China

Abstract: This study discusses the relationships between Chinese environment and project-based organisation (PBO) based on the perspective of contextuality of organisation design. Firstly the background of organisations in the construction engineering consultancy area (EC-PBO) is introduced and factors that affect their performance are analysed. Then a simulation model is proposed based on the NK model and the complementarity framework. This proposed simulation model can quantify the contextuality and special environmental factors. And an agent-based simulation system is developed. Based on the simulation experiments, coherent complements to the conventional wisdoms are made for organisation design under Chinese environmental conditions. Finally our proposed simulation model is verified through empirical research.

Keywords: organisational design; contextuality; NK model; complementarity framework; agent-based systems; multi-agent systems; MAS; simulation; project-based organisations; PBO; environmental uncertainty; China; construction engineering consultancy; modelling.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSPM.2013.057540

International Journal of Simulation and Process Modelling, 2013 Vol.8 No.2/3, pp.118 - 132

Accepted: 12 Jul 2012
Published online: 29 Jul 2014 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article