Identify the Critical Factors Influencing the Indexing Work of CoPS: A Multiagent Oriented Network Perspective

The indexing work of complex products and systems (CoPS) is to determine a comprehensive set of indicators to ensure seamless integration of CoPS modules. Despite its pivotal role as a pioneering phase in CoPS development, indexing work has garnered relatively scant research attention. This paper explores CoPS indexing work through a network game model that considers a main manufacturer and several suppliers. The primary aim is to discern the key influencing factors affecting CoPS indexing work and elucidate the influence mechanism. Several interesting conclusions have been drawn: (1) subjective, environmental, and structural factors as the three key aspects influencing the CoPS indexing work network; (2) Subjective factors directly influence the agencies’ selection of the optimal effort level for collaborative work, whereas environmental and structural factors indirectly impact their choice by affecting their network centrality; (3) the environmental factors within the indexing work network dictate the rate at which interagent interactions diminish with distance. To demonstrate and validate the research’s findings, an examination of the indexing process of the China Lanxin High-speed Railway is conducted. This study offers new insights into CoPS indexing work, providing both theoretical references and practical suggestions for project teams to improve collaborative efficiency.