title: Cooperative peer-to-peer multiagent-based systems.
abstract: A multiagent based model for a system of cooperative agents aiming at growth is proposed. This is based on a set of generalized Verhulst-Lotka-Volterra differential equations. In this study, strong cooperation is allowed among agents having similar sizes, and weak cooperation if agents have markedly different "sizes", thus establishing a peer-to-peer modulated interaction scheme. A rigorous analysis of the stable configurations is presented first examining the fixed points of the system, next determining their stability as a function of the model parameters. It is found that the agents are self-organizing into clusters. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that, depending on parameter values, multiple stable configurations can coexist. It occurs that only one of them always emerges with probability close to one, because its associated attractor dominates over the rest. This is shown through numerical integrations and simulations, after analytic developments. In contrast to the competitive case, agents are able to increase their capacity beyond the no-interaction case limit. In other words, when some collaborative partnership among a relatively small number of partners takes place, all agents act in good faith prioritizing the common good, when receiving a mutual benefit allowing them to surpass their capacity.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Redes y Sistemas Móviles, FI-UBA. Av. Paseo Colón 850, Buenos Aires, C1063ACV, Argentina.
authors.forename: L F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Caram
authors.affiliation: Instituto Argentino de Radioastronomía (CCT La Plata, CONICET), C.C.5, Villa Elisa, Buenos Aires, 1894, Argentina.
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Caiafa
authors.affiliation: School of Management, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, United Kingdom; Group for Research on Applications of Physics in Economy and Sociology (GRAPES), rue de la Belle Jardiniere, 483/021, B-4031 Liege Angleur, Belgium; and e-Humanities Group, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Joan Muyskenweg 25, 1096 CJ Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ausloos
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Sistemas Complejos, FI-UBA. Av. Paseo Colón 850, Buenos Aires, C1063ACV, Argentina.
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Proto