A multiagent knowledge and information network approach for managing research assets

We describe a knowledge and information network approach for managing research assets in a knowledge-oriented organization using a multiagent system. The purpose of the approach is to provide decision makers a knowledge management framework to assist them in generating benefits from the knowledge assets developed by the research groups in a knowledge institution. The research assets under consideration are of three types: research products, intellectual capital and research programs. Research products include publications of various kinds, such as journal articles, research-based books, patents, technology licensing, trademarks, incubation of technology-based startup companies and others. Intellectual capital consists of the talent and expertise of research staff, such as professors, students and researchers. Research programs include academic curricula, research units, research infrastructure, and business incubators. The approach is supported by an intelligent platform that contains an information system, a multiagent-based system, a knowledge management system and a knowledge-information interpreter that coordinate repositories, domain ontologies and databases for handling the various types of research assets. The system provides a means for distributing existing research assets both within the organization and beyond, a variety of research reports, online consultations, a search engine, web services and data mining facilities for knowledge extraction. The knowledge and information generated by the system guide managers in defining strategies on competitiveness, for example, rankings, benchmarking, intellectual property and incubation of technology-based spin offs. The system has been operational at Tecnológico de Monterrey since August 2004, and has proved useful for both acquiring knowledge of research capabilities and for stimulating entrepreneurial science initiatives.