Ali obstaja potreba po uporabi agentov za modeliranje in simulacijo pri vodenju in upravljanju poslovnih procesov?

Background and Purpose: Agent-based modelling and simulation (ABS) is growing in many areas like, e.g., man­agement, social and computer sciences. However, the similar trend does not seem to occur within the field of busi­ness process management (BPM), even though simulation approaches like discrete event simulation or system dy­namics are well established and widely used. Thus, in our paper we investigate the advantages and disadvantages of agent-based modelling and simulation in the field of BPM in simulation experiments. Design/Methodology/Approach: In our research, we investigate if there is a necessity for ABS in the field of BPM with our own simulation experiments to compare traditional and ABS models. For this purpose, we use simulation framework MAREA, which is a simulation environment with integrated ERP system. Our model is a complex system of a trading company selling computer cables. For the verification of our model, we use automated process discovery techniques. Results: In our simulations, we investigated the impact of changes in resources’ behavior on the outcome of com­pany’s order to cash process (O2C). Simulations experiments demonstrated that even small changes might have statistically significant effect on outcomes of the processes and decisions based on such outcomes. Simulation experiments also demonstrated that the impact of randomly distributed fluctuations of well-being have a diminishing tendency with the increasing number of sales representatives involved in the process. Conclusions: Our research revealed several advantages and disadvantages of using ABS in business process modelling. However, as we show, many of them were at least partially addressed in the recent years. Thus, we believe that ABS will get more attention in the field of BPM similarly to other fields like, e.g., social sciences. We suggested areas in BPM simulations, e.g., modelling of resources, be it human or technological resources, where there is a need for ABS. Keywords: Agent-based modelling and simulation; business processes; business process management; process miningOzadje in namen: Modeliranje in simulacija z uporabo agentov (ABS) se vse več uporablja na številnih področjih, kot so npr. upravljalne, družbene in računalniške vede. Vendar se zdi, da se podoben trend ne pojavlja na področju upravljanja in vodenja poslovnih procesov (BPM), čeprav so simulacijski pristopi, kot so simulacija diskretnih dogod­kov ali sistemska dinamika, dobro uveljavljeni in široko uporabljeni. Zato v našem članku raziskujemo prednosti in slabosti modeliranja in simulacije, ki temelji na agentih, pri simulacijskih poskusih na področju BPM. Načrtovanje / metodologija / pristop: S simulacijskimi eksperimenti raziskujemo, ali obstaja potreba po ABS na področju BPM, tako, da primerjamo tradicionalne in ABS modele. V ta namen uporabljamo simulacijsko ogrodje MAREA, ki je simulacijsko okolje z integriranim sistemom ERP. Pri eksperimentih smo uporabili kompleksen model trgovske družbe, ki prodaja računalniške kable. Za preverjanje modela uporabljamo avtomatizirane tehnike odkriva­nja postopkov. Rezultati: V naših simulacijah smo raziskali vpliv sprememb v obnašanju virov na izid na izid procesa od naročila do plačila (O2C). Simulacijski poskusi so pokazali, da lahko tudi majhne spremembe statistično pomembno vplivajo na rezultate procesov in odločitve, ki temeljijo na teh rezultatih. Simulacijski poskusi so prav tako pokazali, da ima učinek naključno porazdeljenih nihanj blaginje pri večjem številu prodajnih predstavnikov, vključenih v proces, vse manjši vpliv. Zaključki: Naša raziskava je pokazala več prednosti in pomanjkljivosti uporabe ABS v modeliranju poslovnih proce­sov. Menimo, da je pristop ABS primeren na področjih, ker so procesi podobni kot pri BPM. Predlagali smo področja za simulacije BPM, npr. modeliranje virov, bodisi človeški ali tehnološki viri, kjer je potreba po ABS. Ključne besede: modeliranje in simulacija z agenti (ABS); poslovni procesi; upravljanje poslovnih procesov (BPM); procesno rudarjenj