In this paper an analogy is established between a generalised system of point masses described by classical mechanics, and a set of discrete economic entities within a generalized resource framework. If the economic system is subject to a generalised variational Principle of Economy, the counterpart to Hamilton’s Principle Action, the evolution of the system will be governed by a set of canonical equations that relate defined system measures of fortune and prosperity to changes in prices, and the use of resources. As a consequence, it is possible to establish the conservation of wealth measures in an ideal isolated economic system. The analogy may be further extended by associating rigid bodes in mechanics with business models in resource space. This allows business models to be grounded formally as matrices or tensors, where the principal axes correspond to distinctive competences or particular competitive advantages.
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Paper provided by Oxford Financial Research Centre in its series OFRC Working Papers Series with number
2007fe05.