Modelling strategic management with multiple intelligent agents

Applications are invited for a self-funded, 3 year full-time or 6 year part-time PhD project.

The PhD will be based in the School of Computing and will be supervised by Prof. Adrian Hopgood, Dr Jana Ries, and Dr Alan Tait.

This project concerns the development of artificial intelligence (AI) for high-level strategic management. Typical AI projects to date have been narrowly constrained and highly operational, so the project will require a technological and intellectual step forward. 

As strategic management requires a broad range of perspectives, with balanced oversight, it is ideally suited to modelling with a multiagent approach using the blackboard framework. The different aspects of strategic management can be modelled by independent specialised software agents that inform the overall judgements. The established academic models typically include stages such as analysis, strategy formulation, goal setting, structure, and control/feedback. 

The use of the balanced scorecard is proposed as a complementary strategic planning and management decision-making tool. Individual optimisations may use genetic algorithms with a performance function derived from the balanced scorecard, while the multi-agent framework will draw together the multiple strategic perspectives.

Prof Hopgood has led the design and implementation of a software framework that would be suited to this challenge, subject to further development within the scope of the project. Known as DARBS (Distributed Algorithmic and Rule-based Blackboard System), it allows a variety of different software tools to work collaboratively as independent intelligent agents.

Fees and funding

Funding availability: Self-funded PhD students only. 

PhD full-time and part-time courses are eligible for the UK Government Doctoral Loan (UK and EU students only).

2021/2022 fees (applicable for October 2021 and February 2022 start)

PhD and MPhil

Home/EU/CI full-time students: £4,500 p/a**

Home/EU/CI part-time students: £2,250 p/a**

International full-time students: £17,600 p/a*

International part-time students: £8,800 p/a*

PhD by Publication 

External candidates: £4,407*

Members of staff: £1,720 

All fees are subject to annual increase. If you are an EU student starting a programme in 2021/22 please visit this page.

*This is the 2020/21 UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) maximum studentship fee; this fee will increase to the 2021/22 UKRI maximum studentship fee when UKRI announces this rate in Spring 2021.

Bench fees

Some PhD projects may include additional fees – known as bench fees – for equipment and other consumables, and these will be added to your standard tuition fee. Speak to the supervisory team during your interview about any additional fees you may have to pay. Please note, bench fees are not eligible for discounts and are non-refundable.

Entry requirements

How to apply

We’d encourage you to contact Prof. Adrian Hopgood (adrian.hopgood@port.ac.uk) to discuss your interest before you apply, quoting the project code.

When you are ready to apply, please follow the 'Apply now' link on the Computing PhD subject area page and select the link for the relevant intake. Make sure you submit a personal statement, proof of your degrees and grades, details of two referees, proof of your English language proficiency and an up-to-date CV.  Our ‘How to Apply’ page offers further guidance on the PhD application process. 

When applying please quote project code: COMP5491021