Frontiers of evolutionary economics : competition, self-organization and innovation policy ; [based on papers and commentaries from a workshop held at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, in July 1999

This Compilation By Leading Protagonists Is A Must For A Greater Understanding Of The World We Are Living In And Wanting To See Change For The Better. Gerry Sweeney, Prometheus Modern Evolutionary Economics Is Now Nearly Two Decades Old And In This Excellent Book, A Distinguished Group Of Evolutionary Economists Identify The Most Important Developments And Discuss The Direction Of Future Research. By Moving Away From Traditional Concerns With The Operation Of Selection Mechanisms Towards A Preoccupation With The Manner In Which The Novelty And Variety Provide Fuel For Such Mechanisms, The Authors Identify A Key Development In The Field. Evolutionary Economists Have Been Drawn Into The Modern Complexity Science Literature Which Attempts To Provide An Understanding Of How And Why Complex Adaptive Systems Engage In Processes Of Self-organization. The Goal Is To Provide An Integrated Analysis Of Both Selection And Self-organization That Is Uniquely Economic In Orientation. After A Brief Overview Of The Many Key Achievements And Continuing Challenges, The First Part Of The Book Deals With Theoretical Perspectives, Discussing Institutional Change, Social Constructions, Complexity, Selection And Self-selection And The Usefulness Of Theory. Part Two Deals With Empirical Perspectives And Includes Discussion Of Replicator Dynamics, The Measurement Of Heterogeneity And Complexity, And Modelling Organizations As Complex Adaptive Systems. This Unique Book Will Appeal To Evolutionary And Industrial Economists And Policymakers Involved With Issues Of Innovation And Management Scientists. Contents......Page 6 Contributors......Page 8 Preface......Page 10 1. Modern evolutionary economic perspectives: an overview......Page 14 PART I Theoretical Perspectives......Page 30 2. The coevolution of technology and institutions as the driver of economic growth......Page 32 Commentary: institutions, macroevolution and economic selection......Page 44 3. From evolution to language and learning......Page 54 Commentary: from evolution to language and learning......Page 83 4. Theorizing complexity......Page 93 Commentary: simplicity in theories of complexity – defining, knowing and doing......Page 122 5. Self-organizing and Darwinian selection in economic and biological evolutions: an enquiry into the sources of organizing information......Page 134 Commentary: the origins of successful economic organizations – a Darwinian explanation with room for self-organizing......Page 165 6. History-friendly theories in economics: reconciling universality and context in evolutionary analysis......Page 173 Commentary: history-friendly theories in economics – reconciling universality and context in evolutionary analysis......Page 201 PART II Empirical Perspectives......Page 208 7. Considerations about a production system with qualitative change......Page 210 8. Heterogeneity and evolutionary change: empirical conception, findings and unresolved issues......Page 241 Commentary: heterogeneity and evolutionary change – empirical conception, findings and unresolved issues......Page 283 9. Measuring complexity: puzzles and tentative solutions......Page 291 Commentary: measuring complexity – puzzles and tentative solutions......Page 320 10. Knowledge, ignorance and the evolution of complex systems......Page 326 Commentary: knowledge, ignorance and the evolution of complex systems......Page 364 11. Promoting innovation: an overview of the application of evolutionary economics and systems approaches to policy issues......Page 374 B......Page 398 C......Page 399 E......Page 400 G......Page 401 I......Page 402 L......Page 403 M......Page 404 O......Page 405 P......Page 406 S......Page 407 T......Page 408 V......Page 409 Z......Page 410 Modern evolutionary economics is now nearly two decades old and in this book, a distinguished group of evolutionary economists identify the most important developments and discuss the direction of future research. By moving away from traditional concerns with the operation of selected mechanisms towards a preoccupation with the manner in which the novelty and variety provide fuel for such mechanisms, the authors identify a key development in the field. Evolutionary economists have been drawn into the modern complexity science literature which attempts to provide an understanding of how and why "Evolutionary economists have been drawn into the modern complexity science literature which attempts to provide an understanding of how and why 'complex adaptive systems' engage in processes of self-organization. The goal is to provide an integrated analysis of both selection and self-organization that is uniquely economic in orientation." "This book will appeal to evolutionary and industrial economists and policymakers involved with issues of innovation and management scientists."--BOOK JACKET.