Agent-based modeling for data-driven enforcement

Combining empirical data with behavioral theory for scenario-based analysis of inspections

Journal Article (2025)
Author(s)

E. Koid (TU Delft - Transport and Logistics, TU Delft - Multi Actor Systems)

H.G. Van Der Voort (TU Delft - Multi Actor Systems, TU Delft - Organisation & Governance)

Martijn Warnier (TU Delft - Multi Actor Systems)

Research Group
Organisation & Governance
DOI related publication
https://doi.org/10.1017/dap.2024.34
More Info
expand_more
Publication Year
2025
Language
English
Research Group
Organisation & Governance
Volume number
7
Reuse Rights

Other than for strictly personal use, it is not permitted to download, forward or distribute the text or part of it, without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), unless the work is under an open content license such as Creative Commons.

Abstract

Effective enforcement of laws and regulations hinges heavily on robust inspection policies. While data-driven approaches to testing the effectiveness of these policies are gaining popularity, they suffer significant drawbacks, particularly a lack of explainability and generalizability. This paper proposes an approach to crafting inspection policies that combines data-driven insights with behavioral theories to create an agent-based simulation model that we call a theory-infused phenomenological agent-based model (TIP-ABM). Moreover, this approach outlines a systematic process for combining theories and data to construct a phenomenological ABM, beginning with defining macro-level empirical phenomena. Illustrated through a case study of the Dutch inland shipping sector, the proposed methodology enhances explainability by illuminating inspectors' tacit knowledge while iterating between statistical data and underlying theories. The broader generalizability of the proposed approach beyond the inland shipping context requires further research.