An agent-based evaluation framework for supporting virtual enterprise formation

Virtual enterprises are complex entities and represent a number of business situations. We have analysed an agent-based approach to support the formation of Virtual Enterprises using several industrial case studies. We present our results as an evaluation framework to identify the applicability of the approach to support the formation of virtual enterprises. It is an expensive indicator of when the approach will be suitable to adopt and it helps to fill a gap in the evaluation methods for the applicability of a particular technology for a particular virtual enterprise situation.