An Agent-Based Architecture for Multifaceted Online Dispute ResolutionTools - Developing Concepts in Applied Intelligence - page 88

An Agent-Based Architecture for Multifaceted
Online Dispute ResolutionTools
Davide Carneiro, Paulo Novais, and José Neves
Department of Informatics, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
{dcarneiro,pjon,jneves}@di.uminho.pt
Abstract. Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) tools are being seen as a way to
settle disputes out of courts, namely under virtual environments. However, the
acceptance of these alternative methods is still relatively restricted, once exist-
ing tools are relatively undemanding anddomain-centered.Indeed, there is the
need for conceptual tools whose parts may be arranged for particular use, i.e., to
operate in different domains. Following this line of attack, in this paper it will
be presented a new agent-based approach to ODR.It comes in an abstract and
formal form, in order to beindependent of the legal domains, but specific
enough to be applied to concrete ones. The main advantage is that functionality
reuse is maximized, making architectures simpler to implement and to expand.
Keywords: Multi-agent Systems, Online Dispute Resolution, Intelligent
Environments.
1 Introduction
The technological evolution led to unprecedented changes in virtually every aspect of
the society. As an example, a significant percentage of contracts in the most different
fields is now signed under an electronic or virtual environment, whereas in the past all
contracts were signed with the physical presence of all the parties involved. Another
difference is that in the past these contracts were paper-based, while now they are
completely electronic, without a mandatory paper support. The most evident example
of this new reality is visible on the recent e-commerce phenomenon [1], of which
web-sites like the ones of Amazon and e-Bay are the best examples. However, simi-
larly to traditional paper-based contracts, disputes can also arise in an electronic set-
ting. In fact, according to Javelin Strategy and Research 1 , only 45% of electronic
costumers are satisfied with the quality of products sold online. It is nowadays clear
that the traditional approach for solving disputes by means of litigation in court is not
feasible anymore.
An alternative way of solving disputes arising out of electronic contracting is
Online Dispute Resolution (ODR), allowing already traditional alternative dispute
resolution methods such as negotiation, mediation or arbitration to be moved “from a
physical to a virtual place” [2]. ODR makes availableto all the parties an undemand-
ing way of litigation, and a simple and efficient way to deal with disputes, thus saving
time and assets [3].
1 https://www.javelinstrategy.com/research