Semantic information and knowledge integration through argumentative reasoning to support intelligent decision making

The availability of integrated, high quality information is a pre-requisite for a decision support system (DSS) to aid in the decision-making process. The introduction of semantic web ensures the seamless integration of information derived from diverse sources and transforms the DSS to an adoptable and flexible Semantic Web-DSS (Web-DSS). However, due to the monotonic nature of the layered development of semantic web, it lacks the capability to represent, reason and integrate incomplete and conflicting information. This, in turn, renders an enterprise incapable of knowledge integration; that is, integration of information about a subject that could potentially be incomplete, inconsistent and distributed among different Web-DSS within or across enterprises. In this article, we address the issues of incomplete and inconsistent semantic information and knowledge integration by using argumentation and argumentation schemes. We discuss the Argumentation-enabled Information Integration Web-DSS (Web@IDSS) along with its syntax and semantics for semantic information integration, and devise a methodology for sharing the results of Web@IDSS in Argument Interchange Format (AIF) format. We also discuss Argumentation-enabled Knowledge Integration Web-DSS (Web@KIDSS) for semantic knowledge integration. We provide formal syntax and semantics for the Web@KIDSS, propose a conceptual framework, and describe it in detail. We present the algorithms for knowledge integration and the prototype application for validation of results.

[1]  Iyad Rahwan,et al.  Towards Large Scale Argumentation Support on the Semantic Web , 2007, AAAI.

[2]  Angela Goh,et al.  Techniques for discovering correspondences between ontologies , 2010, Int. J. Web Grid Serv..

[3]  Francesca Toni.  E-Business in ArguGRID , 2007, GECON.

[4]  Henry Prakken,et al.  A formal analysis of the AIF in terms of the ASPIC framework , 2010, COMMA.

[5]  Liang-Jie Zhang,et al.  Policy-Driven Process Mapping (PDPM): Discovering process models from business policies , 2009, Decis. Support Syst..

[6]  Iyad Rahwan,et al.  Laying the foundations for a World Wide Argument Web , 2007, Artif. Intell..

[7]  Wolfgang Nejdl,et al.  Rule-based Policy Specification , 2007, Secure Data Management in Decentralized Systems.

[8]  Zhang Bo,et al.  Research on Semantic Decision Support System , 2009 .

[9]  Rong Mo,et al.  A survey of semantic enterprise information integration , 2010, The 3rd International Conference on Information Sciences and Interaction Sciences.

[10]  Daniel J. Power,et al.  Decision Support Systems: Concepts and Resources for Managers , 2002 .

[11]  Ioannis P. Vlahavas,et al.  DR-DEVICE: A Defeasible Logic System for the Semantic Web , 2004, PPSWR.

[12]  Larry Kerschberg,et al.  Virtual organization security policies: An ontology-based integration approach , 2007, Inf. Syst. Frontiers.

[13]  David Taniar,et al.  MOVE: A Distributed Framework for Materialized Ontology View Extraction , 2006, Algorithmica.

[14]  Christer Carlsson,et al.  Past, present, and future of decision support technology , 2002, Decis. Support Syst..

[15]  Alejandra Cechich,et al.  Ontology-driven geographic information integration: A survey of current approaches , 2009, Comput. Geosci..

[16]  Ramesh Sharda,et al.  Model-driven decision support systems: Concepts and research directions , 2007, Decis. Support Syst..

[17]  Grigoris Antoniou,et al.  DR-Prolog: A System for Defeasible Reasoning with Rules and Ontologies on the Semantic Web , 2007, IEEE Transactions on Knowledge and Data Engineering.

[18]  Ramesh Sharda,et al.  Decision Support Systems , 2009, Handbook of Automation.

[19]  Stefan Henningsson,et al.  An approach to analyzing and planning post-merger IS integration: Insights from two field studies , 2008, Inf. Syst. Frontiers.

[20]  Guillermo Ricardo Simari,et al.  Argument-based critics and recommenders: A qualitative perspective on user support systems , 2006, Data Knowl. Eng..

[21]  Neelakantan Kartha,et al.  Ontology and rule based knowledge representation for situation management and decision support , 2009, Defense + Commercial Sensing.

[22]  Gregory E. Kersten,et al.  Decision station: situating decision support systems , 2004, Decis. Support Syst..

[23]  Henri Briand,et al.  Ontology-Based Autonomic Computing for Decision Support Systems Management: Shared Ressources Allocation between Groups of Data Warehouses , 2010, 2010 Third International Conference on Communication Theory, Reliability, and Quality of Service.

[24]  Miquel Sànchez-Marrè,et al.  OntoWEDSS: augmenting environmental decision-support systems with ontologies , 2004, Environ. Model. Softw..

[25]  A. Salam,et al.  Design and Implementation of Semantic Decision Support System for Supplier Performance Contract Monitoring and Execution: Integrating Description Logics, Semantic Web Rules and Service-Oriented Computing in the Context of the Extended Enterprise , 2007, AMCIS.

[26]  Maxime Morge,et al.  The Hedgehog and the Fox , 2007, ArgMAS.

[27]  Guillermo Ricardo Simari,et al.  Defeasible logic programming: an argumentative approach , 2003, Theory and Practice of Logic Programming.

[28]  Natalya F. Noy,et al.  Semantic integration: a survey of ontology-based approaches , 2004, SGMD.

[29]  Shaofeng Liu,et al.  Integration of decision support systems to improve decision support performance , 2010, Knowledge and Information Systems.

[30]  Jane E. Fountain.  The Semantic Web and Networked Governance: Promise and Challenges , 2006, International Semantic Web Conference.

[31]  S. Toulmin.  The uses of argument , 1960 .

[32]  Ronald Prescott Loui,et al.  Process and Policy: Resource‐Bounded NonDemonstrative Reasoning , 1998, Comput. Intell..

[33]  Ángel García-Crespo,et al.  Semantic model for knowledge representation in e-business , 2011, Knowl. Based Syst..

[34]  Guillermo Ricardo Simari,et al.  Towards an argument interchange format , 2006, The Knowledge Engineering Review.

[35]  Iyad Rahwan,et al.  The Argument Interchange Format , 2009, Argumentation in Artificial Intelligence.

[36]  Timothy W. Finin,et al.  SweetJess: Translating DAMLRuleML to JESS , 2002, RuleML.

[37]  Steve Schneider.  Specification and Verification in Timed CSP , 1996 .

[38]  David Taniar,et al.  Ontology tailoring in the Semantic Grid , 2009, Comput. Stand. Interfaces.

[39]  Mei-Peng Cheong,et al.  Intelligent On-Line Decision Support Tools For Market Operators , 2007, 2007 International Conference on Intelligent Systems Applications to Power Systems.

[40]  Jia-Lang Seng,et al.  A schema and ontology-aided intelligent information integration , 2009, Expert Syst. Appl..

[41]  Nick Bassiliades,et al.  Visualizing Semantic Web proofs of defeasible logic in the DR-DEVICE system , 2011, Knowl. Based Syst..

[42]  Douglas Walton,et al.  Advances in the Theory of Argumentation Schemes and Critical Questions , 2008 .

[43]  Federico Chesani,et al.  Arguing on the Semantic Grid , 2009, Argumentation in Artificial Intelligence.

[44]  Francesca Toni,et al.  Two-Agent Conflict Resolution with Assumption-Based Argumentation , 2010, COMMA.

[45]  David Taniar,et al.  A distributed ontology framework in the semantic grid environment , 2005, 19th International Conference on Advanced Information Networking and Applications (AINA'05) Volume 1 (AINA papers).

[46]  C. D. Hurt.  Nonmonotonic Logic for Use in Information Retrieval: An Exploratory Paper , 1998, Inf. Process. Manag..

[47]  Wil M. P. van der Aalst,et al.  A Declarative Approach for Flexible Business Processes Management , 2006, Business Process Management Workshops.

[48]  Farookh Khadeer Hussain,et al.  Web@IDSS - Argumentation-enabled Web-based IDSS for reasoning over incomplete and conflicting information , 2012, Knowl. Based Syst..

[49]  Barry G. Silverman,et al.  Implications of buyer decision theory for design of e-commerce websites , 2001, Int. J. Hum. Comput. Stud..

[50]  Ruud B.M. Huirne,et al.  Integrated decision support. , 1991 .

[51]  Marie-Francine Moens,et al.  Argumentation mining: the detection, classification and structure of arguments in text , 2009, ICAIL.

[52]  Ioan Alfred Letia,et al.  A Planning-Based Approach for Enacting World Wide Argument Web , 2008, IDC.

[53]  Andrew B. Whinston,et al.  Enterprise decision support using Intranet technology , 1997, Decis. Support Syst..

[54]  Maxime Morge,et al.  The hedgehog and the fox: an argumentation-based decision support system , 2007 .

[55]  Trevor J. M. Bench-Capon,et al.  Abstract Argumentation Scheme Frameworks , 2008, AIMSA.

[56]  Alan R. Hevner,et al.  Integrated decision support systems: A data warehousing perspective , 2007, Decis. Support Syst..

[57]  J. Wenny Rahayu,et al.  Double-layered schema integration of heterogeneous XML sources , 2011, J. Syst. Softw..

[58]  Kweku-Muata Osei-Bryson,et al.  Decision models for information systems management , 2008, Inf. Syst. Frontiers.

[59]  David Zarefsky,et al.  Argumentation: The Study Of Effective Reasoning , 2001 .

[60]  Rik Eshuis,et al.  Specification and verification of harmonized business-process collaborations , 2010, Inf. Syst. Frontiers.

[61]  Christer Carlsson,et al.  DSS: directions for the next decade , 2002, Decis. Support Syst..

[62]  Pankoo Kim,et al.  Ontology construction using online ontologies based on selection, mapping and merging , 2011, Int. J. Web Grid Serv..

[63]  Péter Szeredi,et al.  Information Integration through Reasoning on Meta-data , 2002 .

[64]  Variational Modeler.  A DECLARATIVE APPROACH TO A 2D , 2002 .

[65]  Weiming Shen,et al.  Ontological View-Driven Semantic Integration in Collaborative Networks , 2009, PRO-VE.