ALife methods in modeling and analyzing social and socio-technical organizations - from small and medium-sized enterprises to communities and whole economies.
The workshop ALife in organizations is a joint event with ALIFE 2024 - The International Conference on Artificial Life.
The mismatch between economic theory and the state of the world arguably thrives on the behavioral divergence between the classic rational decision-maker and the affectively biased (and predictably irrational) actual human players.
Over the years, agent-based models have incorporated cognitive/affective elements and allowed a closer simulation of human-like decision-making. Indeed, such effects play a pivotal role in the dynamics of smaller-scale organizations as well as large economies.
Since 1987, the ALife community has increasingly showcased a variety of trans-disciplinary methods for the synthesis, simulation, and analysis of complex systems, often extending over different time and spatial scales, e.g. ranging from individual reactive behaviors to the evolution of extensive ecological systems. In parallel, a sequence of severe crises bears witness to the descriptive limits of the theoretical infrastructure of contemporary economics. How can Artificial Life bridge the gap between theory and reality?
The scope of the workshop includes, although it is not limited to, the following exemplary questions:
• Can the methods of Artificial Life (e.g. the simulation and analysis of relatively complex ecologies) contribute to better representing cognitive and affective aspects within social or socio-technical organizations, the individuals who constitute them, or the ones who use their services?
• Can synergies between modeling techniques and machine-learning-enhanced analysis promote efficient and effective allocation and use of resources by complex organizations that operate in industry, management, public administration, public health, etc.?
• Can modeling complex organizations in a globalized market identify the conditions for the emergence of dynamics such as competition, deception, collaboration, solidarity, diversity, etc., and evaluate their impact on the well-being of its symbiotic constitutive members and service users?
• Can systems thinking support globally sustainable operations?
• Can we test innovative organizational and economic models for a more balanced and ethically sound society?
We invite all contributions aligned with the workshop's theme. Original research, summary of published results, and position papers are welcome. Submissions should have the form of extended abstracts (maximum two pages) or research articles (maximum six pages). If your contribution summarizes previous results, please specify that in your submission.
With your permission, all accepted contributions will be made available in electronic format. Perspectively, we will negotiate a special issue in partnership with a reputable academic journal to host extended versions of selected works. Please submit your contribution to: alifeinorg@gmail.com
View the program here
Alberto Montebelli (alberto.montebelli@gmail.com | University of Gothenburg)
Imran Khan (imran.khan@gu.se | University of Gothenburg)
Gary Linnéusson (gary.linneusson@his.se | University of Skövde)