A área do petróleo é uma das que mais podem se beneficiar da melhoria de eficiência da gestão da cadeia de suprimentos. Entretanto, o comportamento dinâmico de tais cadeias é muito complexo para ser modelado de forma analítica. Por outro lado, estas cadeias mostram várias características intrínsecas em comum com sistemas multiagentes, que oferecem a flexibilidade necessária para modelar as complexidades e a dinâmica das cadeias de suprimentos reais sem a necessidade de premissas muito simplificadoras. Como o problema de gerenciamento da cadeia de suprimentos apresenta uma estrutura recursiva, torna-se ainda mais conveniente usar um modelo baseado em agentes holônicos, que mostram uma estrutura do tipo fractal. Além disso, o tipo de relacionamento entre as entidades da cadeia e a necessidade de uma otimização global sugerem modelar suas interações na forma de restrições. Por esta razão, esta tese propõe um modelo distribuído de otimização através da definição de um novo problema denominado Problema de Satisfação de Restrições Holônico com Otimização (HCOP), que é baseado nos conceitos do Problema de Satisfação de Restrições Distribuído com Otimização (DCOP) e agentes holônicos. Além disso, foi desenvolvido um meta-algoritmo baseado no algoritmo DTREE para solucionar este tipo de problema, onde vários algoritmos disponíveis de otimização centralizados podem ser embutidos e integrados de tal forma a obter a configuração mais adequada para cada caso. Assim, uma típica cadeia de suprimentos da indústria do petróleo foi modelada como um HCOP, e foi desenvolvido um protótipo que implementa o meta-algoritmo proposto em um ambiente que integra sistemas de otimização de produção e logística, que são representativos em relação a situações reais. Finalmente foram realizados experimentos sobre um estudo de caso da empresa PETROBRAS, que permitiram a verificação da viabilidade deste modelo e a comprovação de suas vantagens em relação às abordagens convencionais. / The oil area is one of those that may most benefit from the improved efficiency of supply chain management. However, the dynamic behavior of such chains is too complex to be modeled analytically. Moreover, these chains show several intrinsic characteristics in common with multiagent systems, which offer the required flexibility to model the complexities and dynamics of real supply chains without rather simplifying assumptions. As the problem of managing the supply chain has a recursive structure, it becomes more convenient to use a model based on holonic agents, which show a fractal-type structure. Furthermore, the type of relationship between entities in the chain and the need for global optimization suggest to model their interactions in the form of constraints. For this reason, this thesis proposes an optimization distributed model by defining a new problem called Holonic Constraint Optimization Problem (HCOP), which is based on concepts from Distributed Constraint Satisfaction Optimization Problem (DCOP) and holonic agents. In addition we developed a meta-algorithm based on DTREE algorithm for solving this type of problem, where several algorithms available for centralized optimization algorithms can be embedded and integrated so as to obtain the most suitable configuration for each case. Thus, a typical supply chain of the petroleum industry was modeled as a HCOP, and we developed a prototype that implements the meta-algorithm in an environment that integrates the optimization systems for production and logistics, which are representative in relation to actual situations. Finally experiments were performed on a case study of the company PETROBRAS, which allowed the verification of the feasibility of this model and the proof of their advantages over conventional approaches.

A área do petróleo é uma das que mais podem se beneficiar da melhoria de eficiência da gestão da cadeia de suprimentos. Entretanto, o comportamento dinâmico de tais cadeias é muito complexo para ser modelado de forma analítica. Por outro lado, estas cadeias mostram várias características intrínsecas em comum com sistemas multiagentes, que oferecem a flexibilidade necessária para modelar as complexidades e a dinâmica das cadeias de suprimentos reais sem a necessidade de premissas muito simplificadoras. Como o problema de gerenciamento da cadeia de suprimentos apresenta uma estrutura recursiva, torna-se ainda mais conveniente usar um modelo baseado em agentes holônicos, que mostram uma estrutura do tipo fractal. Além disso, o tipo de relacionamento entre as entidades da cadeia e a necessidade de uma otimização global sugerem modelar suas interações na forma de restrições. Por esta razão, esta tese propõe um modelo distribuído de otimização através da definição de um novo problema denominado Problema de Satisfação de Restrições Holônico com Otimização (HCOP), que é baseado nos conceitos do Problema de Satisfação de Restrições Distribuído com Otimização (DCOP) e agentes holônicos. Além disso, foi desenvolvido um meta-algoritmo baseado no algoritmo DTREE para solucionar este tipo de problema, onde vários algoritmos disponíveis de otimização centralizados podem ser embutidos e integrados de tal forma a obter a configuração mais adequada para cada caso. Assim, uma típica cadeia de suprimentos da indústria do petróleo foi modelada como um HCOP, e foi desenvolvido um protótipo que implementa o meta-algoritmo proposto em um ambiente que integra sistemas de otimização de produção e logística, que são representativos em relação a situações reais. Finalmente foram realizados experimentos sobre um estudo de caso da empresa PETROBRAS, que permitiram a verificação da viabilidade deste modelo e a comprovação de suas vantagens em relação às abordagens convencionais. / The oil area is one of those that may most benefit from the improved efficiency of supply chain management. However, the dynamic behavior of such chains is too complex to be modeled analytically. Moreover, these chains show several intrinsic characteristics in common with multiagent systems, which offer the required flexibility to model the complexities and dynamics of real supply chains without rather simplifying assumptions. As the problem of managing the supply chain has a recursive structure, it becomes more convenient to use a model based on holonic agents, which show a fractal-type structure. Furthermore, the type of relationship between entities in the chain and the need for global optimization suggest to model their interactions in the form of constraints. For this reason, this thesis proposes an optimization distributed model by defining a new problem called Holonic Constraint Optimization Problem (HCOP), which is based on concepts from Distributed Constraint Satisfaction Optimization Problem (DCOP) and holonic agents. In addition we developed a meta-algorithm based on DTREE algorithm for solving this type of problem, where several algorithms available for centralized optimization algorithms can be embedded and integrated so as to obtain the most suitable configuration for each case. Thus, a typical supply chain of the petroleum industry was modeled as a HCOP, and we developed a prototype that implements the meta-algorithm in an environment that integrates the optimization systems for production and logistics, which are representative in relation to actual situations. Finally experiments were performed on a case study of the company PETROBRAS, which allowed the verification of the feasibility of this model and the proof of their advantages over conventional approaches.

Interfaith dialogue is no luxury for Christians living in a pluralistic~ effervescent world of intenningling, multi-religious realities. Many Christians take seriously their responsibility towards interfaith dialogue. However, different Christians understand this responsibility in different ways, which often leads to acrimonious accusations of unchristian dialogical approaches. The question is whether there is any means of ordering and assessing the Christian responsibility towards other religions in a mutually uplifting and increasingly holistic way? Ken Wilber provides an integral, or All-Quadrant, All-Level hermeneutics that may assist us with an answer. All holonswhich means everything in the "Kosmos" - emerge or arise in holarchical fashion. On one level, it is a whole, on the next transcendent level it is a part of the whole. This process is infinite and is only ever released in One Taste/salvation/Nirvana/the Kingdom of God, or simply unqualifiable Suchness. Wilber provides an integrated methodology for understanding the process by which holons find their release in One Taste. The holon of Christian responsibility towards interfaith dialogue also emerges through discreet, recognizable stages. Each stage is integrated into the next higher level. The lower levels are more fundamental since they exist as a part of the higher levels. However, the higher levels are more significant, since they have an increased capacity to explore aspects of dialogue previously hidden. The levels we explore are the mythic rational, the rational and the centauric. 'lbese levels emerge through four interrelated dimensions or Quadrants: the Upper Left or spiritual/faith dimension of the person entering into dialogue, the Upper Right Quadrant or theology of dialogue that emerges, the Lower Left or communal and interpretive realm, and Lower Right which covers the social organizational patterns with which the person in dialogue chooses to associate him or herself. We define responsibility in tenns of these four Quadrants: The response or theology (UR) of the person is dependent upon her response-ability, or interior faith development (UL), which is informed by the worldview (LL) of her faith community to whom she feels responsible, with the sociological patterns of her community (LR), to some extent, offers clues as to her stage of development. / Religious Studies and Arabic / D.Th.(Religious Studies)

Interfaith dialogue is no luxury for Christians living in a pluralistic~ effervescent world of intenningling, multi-religious realities. Many Christians take seriously their responsibility towards interfaith dialogue. However, different Christians understand this responsibility in different ways, which often leads to acrimonious accusations of unchristian dialogical approaches. The question is whether there is any means of ordering and assessing the Christian responsibility towards other religions in a mutually uplifting and increasingly holistic way? Ken Wilber provides an integral, or All-Quadrant, All-Level hermeneutics that may assist us with an answer. All holonswhich means everything in the "Kosmos" - emerge or arise in holarchical fashion. On one level, it is a whole, on the next transcendent level it is a part of the whole. This process is infinite and is only ever released in One Taste/salvation/Nirvana/the Kingdom of God, or simply unqualifiable Suchness. Wilber provides an integrated methodology for understanding the process by which holons find their release in One Taste. The holon of Christian responsibility towards interfaith dialogue also emerges through discreet, recognizable stages. Each stage is integrated into the next higher level. The lower levels are more fundamental since they exist as a part of the higher levels. However, the higher levels are more significant, since they have an increased capacity to explore aspects of dialogue previously hidden. The levels we explore are the mythic rational, the rational and the centauric. 'lbese levels emerge through four interrelated dimensions or Quadrants: the Upper Left or spiritual/faith dimension of the person entering into dialogue, the Upper Right Quadrant or theology of dialogue that emerges, the Lower Left or communal and interpretive realm, and Lower Right which covers the social organizational patterns with which the person in dialogue chooses to associate him or herself. We define responsibility in tenns of these four Quadrants: The response or theology (UR) of the person is dependent upon her response-ability, or interior faith development (UL), which is informed by the worldview (LL) of her faith community to whom she feels responsible, with the sociological patterns of her community (LR), to some extent, offers clues as to her stage of development. / Religious Studies and Arabic / D.Th.(Religious Studies)