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Innovate or Imitate? Behavioural technological change

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  • Hommes, Cars
  • Zeppini, Paolo

Abstract

We propose a behavioural model of technological change with evolutionary switching between costly innovators and free imitators, and study the endogenous interplay of innovation decisions, market price dynamics and technological progress. Innovation and imitation are strategic substitutes and exhibit negative feedback. Endogenous technological change is the cumulative outcome of innovation decisions. There are three scenarios: market breakdown, Schumpeterian rents and learning curves. The latter is characterised by an increasing fraction of innovators when demand is elastic, while inelastic demand allows technological progress with shrinking innovation effort. Model simulations are compared to stylised features of empirical data in two industrial sectors.

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  • Hommes, Cars & Zeppini, Paolo, 2014. "Innovate or Imitate? Behavioural technological change," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 308-324.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:dyncon:v:48:y:2014:i:c:p:308-324
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jedc.2014.08.005
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Discrete choice; Innovation patterns; Learning curves; Switching behaviour;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C62 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Existence and Stability Conditions of Equilibrium
    • C73 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Stochastic and Dynamic Games; Evolutionary Games
    • D21 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Theory
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes

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