IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bpj/econoa/v19y2025i1p24n1001.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Rethinking the Theoretical Foundation of Economics II: Core Themes of the Multilevel Paradigm

Author

Listed:
  • Snower Dennis J.

    (Global Solutions Initiative, Berlin, Germany)

  • Wilson David Sloan

    (Department of Biological Sciences, Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York 13068, United States of America)

Abstract

This article introduces the core themes of the multilevel economic paradigm. This paradigm extends Darwin’s evolutionary framework of thought (concerned with living things) to economics, in contrast to the neoclassical paradigm, which is modeled after Newtonian mechanics (applicable primarily to inanimate objects). The central theme of the multilevel paradigm is functional organization, which refers to the way in which economic agents (individuals and groups) and systems are structured to achieve economic objectives. The multilevel paradigm recognizes that people are engaged in multiple levels of functional organization, and thus, agency is distributed between individuals and groups. These levels are flexible through time and across domains (economic, political, social, and environmental), so that the economy is understood as embedded in the polity, society, and the natural world. Flexible levels of functional organization are both a cause of and response to radical uncertainty. This flexibility of functional organization implies multilevel economic decision-making and multilevel flourishing.

Suggested Citation

  • Snower Dennis J. & Wilson David Sloan, 2025. "Rethinking the Theoretical Foundation of Economics II: Core Themes of the Multilevel Paradigm," Economics - The Open-Access, Open-Assessment Journal, De Gruyter, vol. 19(1), pages 1-24.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:econoa:v:19:y:2025:i:1:p:24:n:1001
    DOI: 10.1515/econ-2025-0133
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1515/econ-2025-0133
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1515/econ-2025-0133?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Paul Davidson, 1994. "Post Keynesian Macroeconomic Theory," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 124.
    2. Bosworth, Steven J. & Singer, Tania & Snower, Dennis J., 2016. "Cooperation, motivation and social balance," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 126(PB), pages 72-94.
    3. H. Peyton Young, 2015. "The Evolution of Social Norms," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 7(1), pages 359-387, August.
    4. Aligica,Paul Dragos, 2018. "Public Entrepreneurship, Citizenship, and Self-Governance," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781107186095, December.
    5. Daniel Kahneman & Amos Tversky, 2013. "Prospect Theory: An Analysis of Decision Under Risk," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Leonard C MacLean & William T Ziemba (ed.), HANDBOOK OF THE FUNDAMENTALS OF FINANCIAL DECISION MAKING Part I, chapter 6, pages 99-127, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    6. Samuelson, William & Zeckhauser, Richard, 1988. "Status Quo Bias in Decision Making," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 1(1), pages 7-59, March.
    7. Gary S. Becker, 1964. "Human Capital: A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis with Special Reference to Education, First Edition," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number beck-5, June.
    8. Aligica,Paul Dragos, 2018. "Public Entrepreneurship, Citizenship, and Self-Governance," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781316637012, December.
    9. Chiappori, Pierre-Andre, 1992. "Collective Labor Supply and Welfare," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 100(3), pages 437-467, June.
    10. Gary S. Becker, 1981. "A Treatise on the Family," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number beck81-1, June.
    11. J. M. Keynes, 1937. "The General Theory of Employment," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 51(2), pages 209-223.
    12. George A. Akerlof & Rachel E. Kranton, 2000. "Economics and Identity," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 115(3), pages 715-753.
    13. Spence, Michael & Zeckhauser, Richard, 1971. "Insurance, Information, and Individual Action," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 61(2), pages 380-387, May.
    14. Shepsle, Kenneth A. & Weingast, Barry R., 1987. "The Institutional Foundations of Committee Power," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 81(1), pages 85-104, March.
    15. Bosworth, Steven J. & Singer, Tania & Snower, Dennis J., 2016. "Cooperation, motivation and social balance," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 126(PB), pages 72-94.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Catherine Sofer & Claire Thibout, 2019. "Women’s investment in career and the household division of labour," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(60), pages 6535-6557, December.
    2. Bruno S. Frey & Matthias Benz, 2004. "From Imperialism to Inspiration: A Survey of Economics and Psychology," Chapters, in: John B. Davis & Alain Marciano & Jochen Runde (ed.), The Elgar Companion To Economics and Philosophy, chapter 4, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    3. Rachel E. Kranton, 2016. "Ekonomia tożsamości w 2016 roku: skąd biorą się podziały i normy społeczne?," Gospodarka Narodowa. The Polish Journal of Economics, Warsaw School of Economics, issue 6, pages 139-146.
    4. Molina, José Alberto & Gimenez-Nadal, José Ignacio & Velilla, Jorge, 2018. "Intra-Household Wealth and Welfare Inequality in the US: Estimations from a Collective Model of Labor Supply," IZA Discussion Papers 11707, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Dimant, Eugen, 2015. "On Peer Effects: Behavioral Contagion of (Un)Ethical Behavior and the Role of Social Identity," MPRA Paper 68732, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Erich Renz & Marvin M. Müller & Kim Leonardo Böhm, 2023. "When nudges promote neutral behavior: an experimental study of managerial decisions under risk and uncertainty," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 93(8), pages 1309-1354, October.
    7. Shelly Lundberg, 2023. "Gender Economics: Dead-Ends and New Opportunities," Research in Labor Economics, in: 50th Celebratory Volume, volume 50, pages 151-189, Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
    8. Ballarino, Gabriele & Filippin, Antonio & Abbiati, Giovanni & Argentin, Gianluca & Barone, Carlo & Schizzerotto, Antonio, 2022. "The effects of an information campaign beyond university enrolment: A large-scale field experiment on the choices of high school students," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    9. Pech, Wesley & Milan, Marcelo, 2009. "Behavioral economics and the economics of Keynes," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 38(6), pages 891-902, December.
    10. Bartke, Simon & Gelhaar, Felix, 2018. "When does team remuneration work? An experimental study on interactions between workplace contexts," Kiel Working Papers 2105, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    11. Obregón, Carlos, 2018. "Beyond behavioral economics: who is the economic man," MPRA Paper 89653, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Steven G. Medema, 2020. "The Coase Theorem at Sixty," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 58(4), pages 1045-1128, December.
    13. Fues, Thomas, 2018. "Investing in the behavioural dimensions of transnational cooperation: a personal assessment of the Managing Global Governance (MGG) Programme," IDOS Discussion Papers 12/2018, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).
    14. Fusari, Angelo, 2013. "Radical Uncertainty, Dynamic Competition and a Model of the Business Cycle," MPRA Paper 74015, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised Mar 2013.
    15. Dieter Bögenhold, 2021. "Economics in the Social Science Spectrum: Evolution and Overlap with Different Academic Areas," Atlantic Economic Journal, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 49(4), pages 335-347, December.
    16. Philippe Fevrier & Sebastien Gay, 2005. "Informed Consent Versus Presumed Consent The Role of the Family in Organ Donations," HEW 0509007, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    17. Jose Apesteguia & Miguel Ballester, 2009. "A theory of reference-dependent behavior," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 40(3), pages 427-455, September.
    18. Kota Ogasawara & Mizuki Komura, 2022. "Consequences of war: Japan’s demographic transition and the marriage market," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 35(3), pages 1037-1069, July.
    19. Leanne Roncolato & Alex Roomets, 2020. "Who will change the “baby?” Examining the power of gender in an experimental setting," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 18(3), pages 823-852, September.
    20. Lovric, M. & Kaymak, U. & Spronk, J., 2008. "A Conceptual Model of Investor Behavior," ERIM Report Series Research in Management ERS-2008-030-F&A, Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM), ERIM is the joint research institute of the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and the Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) at Erasmus University Rotterdam.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bpj:econoa:v:19:y:2025:i:1:p:24:n:1001. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Peter Golla (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.degruyter.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.