Design of multi-agent decision support for configurations of manufacturing networks

A procedure for decisions on network adaptations is outlined, which is based on criticality and complexity thinking. For the development of methods for decision-making and control of manufacturing networks, models of Complex Adaptive Systems and Concurrent Enterprising have been successfully introduced to manufacturing network decision support on the MES level. These decision support set ups, exploiting the self-similarity principle, may be seen as just one specification of a decision support procedure, which is valid for manufacturing networks on all levels. Synthesis of the self similarity principle with the criticality thinking results in efficient decision support procedures for gradual and evolving adaptations of manufacturing networks' structures reducing management complexity.