Virtual knowledge service market-For effective knowledge flow within knowledge grid

A knowledge service consists of systematic knowledge and the mechanism of using knowledge to perform a task. The supply of knowledge services forms a knowledge service layer over the knowledge flow network formed by free knowledge sharing. To stimulate the supply of knowledge services, this paper proposes a virtual knowledge service market by establishing reward and reputation mechanisms. Simulations demonstrate that a team with the market mechanism performs better than those without it. The virtual knowledge service market provides an experimental platform for exploring the rules of knowledge service such as the impact of individual behavior on states of individual and team as well as the change of the states. (C) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.