Actor-network model

While Discourse Analysts and Reflexivity Theorists reinforced the tendency of Laboratory Studies to identify science with its rhetorical and discursive practices, other constructivists stretched the arena of construction beyond the narrow confines of the laboratory. They responded to the problem of construction with ideas of the extension or circulation of local forms of life . Shaped by Foucauldian notions of disciplinarity and Latour s Actor-Network Model,... 

A third category are so-caUed agent-based simulation models. This sub-class of simulation models is characterized by a network of interacting agents. Each agent reacts to stimuli from other agents and environmental variables depending on mathematically formulated decision rules. This type of simulation is particularly useful to model interactions between interrelated, but independent entities such as business units, companies, or market actors. ... 

Other research methods could be applied to accompany with DA, e.g. the methods developed by other groups (e.g. Leca and Naccache 2006 Vincent 2008). Leca and Naccache (2006) developed a model with which to analyse institutional pressures in an attempt explain actors actions and behaviours and to consider simultaneously the influence of both actors actions and the stmctures in which they are embedded. Vincent (2008) created a critical realistic model to wish which to investigate interorganizational relationships and networks and which can identify the impact of social processes and how these are shaped by the behavioural orientations of the actors. This realistic but critical approach provides a perspective on agency and social processes that facilitate analyses of the behavioural orientations of actors and how these combine in order influence on processes and outcomes. 

The study may be taken as a foundation for fumre studies on modelling and simulation of various issues pertaining in the dairy supply chain. Design of a facility layout for collection and movement of milk products at the processor may be an interesting area of work. Network planning for procurement of milk could be another theme of study. Development of a distributed information system for linking of various actors of the dairy supply chain may also be investigated. 

In this phase the objective is to allocate in time production and transportation in order to fulfill a specific demand of end products characterized by quantities and due dates, with acceptable costs for the whole SC as far as for partners in the SC network. This multiobjective situation is addressed through a multi-agent implementation. Every single actor in the Supply Chain may be modeled through an individual autonomous agent, capable to make any local decisions affecting the links between this actor and the rest of... 

The third case city, Helsinki (http ptp.hel.fi/wlan/) exemplifies a business driven fragmented competition model of Internet service provision. The mayor of Helsinki has stated that the city will not start to compete with Internet operators by providing no cost or low cost Internet access services. Therefore, Internet use in the center of Helsinki is more expensive and is based on numerous private actors. Helsinki misses the collaboration link that smaller cities have been able to produce. From the end-user point of view the collective and wide coverage network in Helsinki would be easier and cheaper to use than fragmented private sector short-distance networks. Table 9.1 summarizes case study locations of Helsinki, Turku and Oulu. 

Figure 3.2 depicts an example value network relating to some relevant actors in the main business model of Google. The map presents both direct and indirect linkages between the actors in the network. However, only direct linkages are included in the example map. Table 3.1 presents a summary of the flows between the focal company (e.g., Google) and selected actors. Analysis of the indirect linkages to the business model has been omitted. 

The changes in the teleconununication service business model illustrate the need to cormect industry change variables with risk analysis of the competitive positioning of the company. The purpose of the analysis is to ejqrose whether larger threats or opportunities are about to arise from the power relationships between the industry value network actors. 

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