PhD research: ‘Self-organization Modelled’

Within a group of people performing tasks, a form of self-organization may take place. This structuring process is not determined by another entity. These structuring processes partly describe how a group of individuals organize their own behaviour, which is why, according to researcher Kees Zoethout, it is a relevant research object within the field of business studies.  

Zoethout chose the multi-agent approach as his research method. With this approach, it is possible to model the interaction of people (agents) in a team in a relatively simple way. In the multi-agent approach, two movements can be distinguished: one movement focuses on the cognitive features of people and one movement focuses on social interaction between people. The thesis aims to unify the two movements.

Curriculum Vitae
Kees Zoethout studied Psychology at the University of Groningen. His research was conducted at the Department of Human Resource Management and Organizational Behaviour of SOM. Zoethout will receive his PhD in Management and Organiation on 30 November 2006, at 2.45 p.m. His thesis supervisor was Prof. H.B.M. Molleman. The title of the thesis is Self-organising processes of task allocation. A multi-agent simulation study. Zoethout is a lecturer at the Faculty of Management and Organization. 

Information
K. Zoethout, tel. +31 (0)50 363 2648, e-mail: k.zoethout@rug.nl (work)