50 research outputs found
Agents intentionality, capabilities and the performance of Systems of Innovation
We are interested on why and how an economic system evolves and, in particular, on the causes of the differences across systems of innovation (SI). SIâs performance differs substantially because there are specific causes at work, apart from the differences in the underlying technologies, institutions, etc. In particular, we refer to the intentionality of the agents interacting within a system for innovation to find out the relationship between agentsâ goals, SIâs performance and its policy implications. The underlying thesis in this paper is that agent intentionality is a necessary condition for a substantive explanation of the dynamism of any socio-economic system. The paper departs from an abstract definition of a system as a set of constitutive elements and the connections among them serving a common purpose. And explores how intentionality shapes the structure, evolution and performance of an SI. In this context an evolutionary efficiency criterion is proposed.systems of innovation; intentionality; evolving capabilities; evolutionary efficiency.
Action Plans and Socio-Economic Evolutionary Change
An important challenge to evolutionary economics consists of how to tackle with the dramatic tension between purposeful human action and the âblindnessâ of evolutionary processes. On the one hand, economic action, if rational, has to be planned (which implies purposeful ordering of the means used to achieve objectives). On the other hand, an evolutionary process involves both the emergence of novelties (both intended innovations and unintended consequences of actions) and properties that manifest at meso and macro levels. Some recent papers have insisted on these issues. However, few analytical tools are yet available to cope with both, the analysis of intended dynamic action and âblindâ evolution. In this paper we propose the so-called âaction plan approachâ, a theoretical framework which could be useful for this task. The development of tools that permit us to analyze how individuals construct their plans, the projective (conjectural) and interactive nature of action, and the learning processes involved in âplanning and actingâ, may help us identifying and understanding new sources of complexity of economic processes. The close relationship of the âaction plan approachâ with other systemic conceptual approaches is also highlighted.connections, action plans; novelty; intentionality; evolutionary economic process
Eficiencia evolutiva en los sistemas econĂłmicos: Una propuesta
The paper proposes an efficiency criterion for evolving economic systems. Drawing on the idea that these systems develop from the interconnected actions of intentional creative agents (which invent and try to carry out action plans), the suggested criterion at a micro level could be state as follows: a system is efficient (from a micro evolutionary perspective) if agentsâ intentional and hierarchical (open) goals are actualized through action. Thus, intentionality leads to facts and goals are reached. The evolutionary efficiency criterion proposed in the paper links the intended goals of heterogeneous agents and the performance of the system they are involved.En este trabajo se propone un criterio de eficiencia para los sistemas econĂłmicos evolutivos. BasĂĄndose en la idea de que estos sistemas se desarrollan a partir de acciones intencionales desplegadas por parte de los agentes creativos (que inventan los planes de acciĂłn y tratan de llevarlos a cabo), el criterio sugerido a un micro-nivel podrĂa establecerse como sigue: un sistema es eficiente (desde la perspectiva micro evolutiva) si los objetivos (abiertos) intencionales y jerĂĄrquicos de los agentes se materializan a travĂ©s de la acciĂłn. El criterio de eficiencia evolutiva propuesto en el documento vincula los objetivos propuestos por los agentes heterogĂ©neos y el rendimiento del sistema en el que estĂĄn inmerso
âEthical Noveltyâ: new insights into economic change
Agentsâ knowledge combines their perception of what reality is with their conception of what reality should be. âEthical dynamicsâ refers to the evolution in the latter conception. This is a key element to explain changes in agentsâ objectives of action, which usually do not result simply from interaction or âcognitive dynamicsâ. âEthical noveltiesâ are important sources of economic change. They consist of changes in the structure of action objectives which result from ethical dynamics.knowledge; action plan; ethical novelty; cognitive and ethical dynamics; economic change
Conexiones entre empresas y oportunidad de clĂșster: El caso de las empresas biotecnolĂłgicas en la Comunidad de Madrid
Much of the Spanish biotechnology industry activity operates in the Community of
Madrid (CM). Regional and local authorities are very interested in constituting a biotechnology
cluster in the Community. All the necessary elements can be found in the region: as shown,
there exists the opportunity for the emergence of a biotechnology cluster in CM. However, at
the present time no biotechnology cluster can be said to exist as such in the region; there is only
a cluster opportunity. In order to demonstrate this proposition, we provide an overview of the
biotechnology industry, focusing on the fi rms that operate in Madrid and their connections
between themselves and the other actors in the system. Any cluster strategy that aims to
develop a biotechnology cluster in Madrid should consider the form of these connectionsBuena parte de la industria biotecnológica española opera en la Comunidad Autónoma
de Madrid (CAM). Las autoridades regionales y locales estĂĄn muy interesadas en
constituir un cluster biotecnolĂłgico en la comunidad. Todos los elementos necesarios para
que pueda surgir dicho cluster estĂĄn presentes en la regiĂłn: como se muestra en este trabajo, existe la oportunidad para que emerja un cluster biotecnolĂłgico en la CAM.
Sin embargo, no
se puede afirmar con total seguridad que tal cluster exista por el momento en la regiĂłn; tan
solo hay una oportunidad de cluster. Para demostrar esta proposiciĂłn, proporcionamos una
panorĂĄmica de la industria biotecnolĂłgica centrĂĄndonos en las empresas que operan en Madrid
y sus conexiones con otras empresas del sector y con otros actores del sistema de innovaciĂłn.
Cualquier estrategia que busque desarrollar un cluster biotecnolĂłgico en Madrid deberĂa tener
en cuenta la naturaleza de estas conexione
The allocation of entrepreneurial effort and its implications on economic growth
The problem to allocate effort to innovation activities is defined and modelled
for any single entrepreneur according to its propensity to innovate, which combines pure
innovation and rent-seeking strategies. The allocation problem is solved both analytically
and via simulation. The individual decisions measured in units of innovation are then
aggregated to calculate the innovation quantity for a given population based on the
distribution of heterogeneous entrepreneurs. The entrepreneurship rate and the
implications for economic growth are also quantified. Consequently, policy makers
should focus on reducing the entry barriers and the costs of production in order to
stimulate the entrepreneurial activity and maximize the innovation quantity. They should
also foster the attitude and propensity towards innovatio
Agents intentionality, capabilities and the performance of systems of innovation
We are interested on why and how an economic system evolves and, in
particular, on the causes of the differences across systems of innovation (SI). SIâs
performance differs substantially because there are specific causes at work, apart from
the differences in the underlying technologies, institutions, etc. In particular, we refer to
the intentionality of the agents interacting within a system for innovation to find out the
relationship between agentsâ goals, SIâs performance and its policy implications. The
underlying thesis in this paper is that agent intentionality is a necessary condition for a
substantive explanation of the dynamism of any socio-economic system. The paper
departs from an abstract definition of a system as a set of constitutive elements and the
connections among them serving a common purpose. And explores how intentionality
shapes the structure, evolution and performance of an SI. In this context an evolutionary
efficiency criterion is proposed
Firms' connections and cluster opportunity: The case of biotechnology in the Community of Madrid
Much of the Spanish biotechnology industry activity operates in the Community of
Madrid (CM). Regional and local authorities are very interested in constituting a biotechnology
cluster in the Community. All the necessary elements can be found in the region: as shown,
there exists the opportunity for the emergence of a biotechnology cluster in CM. However, at
the present time no biotechnology cluster can be said to exist as such in the region; there is only
a cluster opportunity. In order to demonstrate this proposition, we provide an overview of the
biotechnology industry, focusing on the fi rms that operate in Madrid and their connections
between themselves and the other actors in the system. Any cluster strategy that aims to
develop a biotechnology cluster in Madrid should consider the form of these connections.Buena parte de la industria biotecnológica española opera en la Comunidad
AutĂłnoma de Madrid (CAM). Las autoridades regionales y locales estĂĄn muy interesadas en
constituir un cluster biotecnolĂłgico en la comunidad. Todos los elementos necesarios para que
pueda surgir dicho cluster estĂĄn presentes en la regiĂłn: como se muestra en este trabajo,
existe la oportunidad para que emerja un cluster biotecnolĂłgico en la CAM. Sin embargo, no
se puede afi rmar con total seguridad que tal cluster exista por el momento en la regiĂłn; tan
solo hay una oportunidad de cluster. Para demostrar esta proposiciĂłn, proporcionamos una
panorĂĄmica de la industria biotecnolĂłgica centrĂĄndonos en las empresas que operan en Madrid
y sus conexiones con otras empresas del sector y con otros actores del sistema de innovaciĂłn.
Cualquier estrategia que busque desarrollar un cluster biotecnolĂłgico en Madrid deberĂa tener
en cuenta la naturaleza de estas conexiones
Agents intentionality, capabilities and the performance of systems of innovation
The performances of different Systems of Innovation (SI) vary substantially due to the fact that, apart from
the differences in the underlying technologies, institutions, etc., there are specific causes at work. In particular, we refer
to the intentionality of the agents interacting within a System of Innovation to find out the relationship between agentsâ
goals, and the SIâs performance. The underlying thesis is that agent intentionality is a necessary condition for a substantive
explanation of the dynamism of any socio-economic system. This paper departs from an abstract definition of a system
as a set of constitutive elements and the connections among them serving a common purpose. It also explores how agentsâ
intentionality and capabilities shape the structure, evolution and performance of an SI. In this context an evolutionary
efficiency criterion is proposed.Support
from INnoTEC (Project N. SEJ2004-02422
â Ministerio de EducaciĂłn y Ciencia, Spain),
Instituto de Investigaciones EconĂłmicas y Sociales
âFrancisco de Vitoriaâ and Universidad AutĂłnoma
de Madrid
TeorĂa econĂłmica y acciĂłn humana: su integraciĂłn en la obra de Rafael Rubio de UrquĂa
El presente artĂculo es una exposiciĂłn muy sintĂ©tica de una de las principales aportaciones
de la obra de Rafael Rubio de UrquĂa a la TeorĂa EconĂłmica y la ciencia de la AcciĂłn
Humana. En particular, en un reciente trabajo (Rubio de UrquĂa, 2005) al que este
artĂculo hace especial referencia, se presenta por primera vez, y como resultado formal, la
relaciĂłn entre la TeorĂa EconĂłmica y la TeorĂa de la AcciĂłn Humana: el objeto teĂłrico de
la TeorĂa EconĂłmica es toda la AcciĂłn Humana. Las implicaciones epistemolĂłgicas,
metodolĂłgicas y teĂłricas de este resultado son de enorme trascendencia para el desarrollo
de la ciencia econĂłmica