| Subject | Object |
|---|
| ?:autonomous agent | "Agents, then, can be software agents, hardware agents, firmware agents, robotic agents, human agents, and so on. While software developers naturally think of IT systems as being constructed of only software agents, a combination of agent mechanisms might in fact be used from shop-floor manufacturing to warfare systems. The definition incorporated herein must be sufficiently general to account for these and other uses, such as for describing people and organizations who participate in broader processes and systems, for FIBO, other OMG standards and usage, and in general.
Whether or not you restrict your view of agents to the software variety, most agree that agents deployed for IT systems are not useful without the following three important properties:
(1) Autonomous - an agent is capable of acting without direct external intervention. Agents have some degree of control over their internal state and can act based on their own experiences. They can also possess their own set of internal responsibilities and processing that enable them to act without any external choreography. When an agent acts on behalf of (or as a proxy for) some person or thing, its autonomy is expected to embody the goals and policies of the entity that it represents.
(2) Interactive - an agent communicates with the environment and other agents. Agents are interactive entities because they are capable of exchanging rich forms of messages with other entities in their environment. These messages can support requests for services and other kinds of resources, as well as event detection and notification. They can be synchronous or asynchronous in nature. The interaction can also be conversational in nature, such as negotiating contracts, marketplace-style bidding, or simply making a query.
(3) Adaptive - an agent is capable of responding to other agents and/or its environment. Agents can react to messages and events and then respond appropriately. Agents can be designed to make difficult decisions and even modify their behavior based on their experiences. They can learn and evolve."^^xsd:string |
| ?:autonomous agent | "Note that this does not necessarily imply that an agent is free to act as it sees fit, without constraint. Rather, an autonomous thing in the sense meant here is something which may or may not be subject to controls and constraints but is self-actualizing in its behavior in response to any such constraints. Autonomous things may include human beings, organizations, software agents, robots and animals."^^xsd:string |
| ?:benefit corporation | "This is a US-specific type of non-profit corporation defined in recent legislation in a number of states. In California, for example, benefit corporations may be defined as public benefit or mutual benefit corporations, depending on their purpose."^^xsd:string |
| ?:business entity | "There are many types of business entities defined in the legal systems of various countries. These include corporations, cooperatives, partnerships, sole proprietorships, sole traders, limited liability companies, certain trusts and trust companies, and so forth. The rules vary by country and by state or province. Some of the more widely recognized types in the US, UK, and EU are defined in FIBO, by region. However, the regulations governing particular types of entity, even those described as roughly equivalent, differ from jurisdiction to jurisdiction."^^xsd:string |
| ?:business objective | "Business objectives allow an organization to define its goals and direction. A company uses strategy and tactics at every level of its operation to achieve its objectives. These define the way a company allocates its resources and the strengths, weaknesses and opportunities it may have. Companies usually do not alter their objectives once they are implemented, unless changes in circumstances arise. Setting a clear course for the organization is key to its success."^^xsd:string |
| ?:common interest development corporation | "A common interest development is typically a type of housing, composed of individually owned units, such as condominiums, townhouses, or single-family homes, that share ownership of common areas, such as swimming pools, landscaping, and parking. Common interest developments (also known as community interest developments or CIDs) are managed by homeowners' associations."^^xsd:string |
| ?:corporation | "A corporation has three distinguishing characteristics: (1) separation of ownership from management and general liability, i.e., its liability to creditors is limited to its resources, unlike some partnerships and sole proprietorships, (2) the ability to negotiate contracts and own property, and (3) transferable ownership, irrespective of changes in membership or the lifetimes of its stockholders."^^xsd:string |
| ?:corporation | "A corporation is managed by or under the direction of a board of directors, which generally determines corporate policy. Officers manage the day-to-day affairs of the corporation."^^xsd:string |
| ?:legal person | "To have legal personality means to be capable of having legal rights and duties within a certain legal system, such as to enter into contracts, sue, and be sued. Legal personality is a prerequisite to legal capacity, the ability of any legal person to amend (enter into, transfer, etc.) rights and obligations."^^xsd:string |
| ?:not for profit corporation | "A not for profit corporation is formed by incorporators, and has a board of directors and officers, but no shareholders. These incorporators, directors and officers may not receive a distribution of (any money from) profits, but officers and management may be paid reasonable salaries for services to the corporation."^^xsd:string |
| ?:not for profit objective | "The objective of all business activities is not to earn profits for its owners. All of the money earned by or donated to a not for profit organization is used in pursuing the organization's objectives."^^xsd:string |
| ?:profit objective | "Any profit that is gained goes to the business's owners, who may or may not decide to spend it on the business."^^xsd:string |
| ?:stock corporation | "The shares in a stock corporation may receive a return on their investment in the form of dividends. Shares are used for voting on matters of corporate policy or to elect directors, at the corporation's annual meeting and at other meetings of the corporation."^^xsd:string |
