IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/joevec/v33y2023i5d10.1007_s00191-023-00838-2.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Emergence of autocatalytic sets in a simple model of technological evolution

Author

Listed:
  • Wim Hordijk

    (SmartAnalytiX)

  • Stuart Kauffman

    (Institute for Systems Biology)

  • Roger Koppl

    (Syracuse University)

Abstract

Two alternative views of an economy are combined and studied. The first view is that of technological evolution as a process of combinatorial innovation. Recently a simple mathematical model (TAP) was introduced to study such a combinatorial process. The second view is that of a network of product transformations forming an autocatalytic set. Autocatalytic (RAF) sets have been studied extensively in the context of chemical reaction networks. Here, we combine the two models (TAP and RAF) and show that they are compatible. In particular, it is shown that product transformation networks resulting from the combinatorial TAP model have a high probability of containing autocatalytic (RAF) sets. We also study the size distribution and robustness of such “economic autocatalytic sets”, and compare our results with those from the chemical context. These initial results strongly support earlier claims that the economy can indeed be seen as an autocatalytic set, and reconcile seemingly opposing views of evolution vs. mutualism in economics.

Suggested Citation

  • Wim Hordijk & Stuart Kauffman & Roger Koppl, 2023. "Emergence of autocatalytic sets in a simple model of technological evolution," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 33(5), pages 1519-1535, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:joevec:v:33:y:2023:i:5:d:10.1007_s00191-023-00838-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s00191-023-00838-2
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s00191-023-00838-2
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s00191-023-00838-2?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
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Witt, Ulrich, 2014. "The future of evolutionary economics: why the modalities of explanation matter," Journal of Institutional Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 10(4), pages 645-664, December.
    2. Óscar Carpintero, 2013. "When Heterodoxy Becomes Orthodoxy: Ecological Economics in The New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 72(5), pages 1287-1314, November.
    3. Réka Albert & Hawoong Jeong & Albert-László Barabási, 2000. "Error and attack tolerance of complex networks," Nature, Nature, vol. 406(6794), pages 378-382, July.
    4. Young, Allyn A., 1928. "Increasing Returns and Economic Progress," History of Economic Thought Articles, McMaster University Archive for the History of Economic Thought, vol. 38, pages 527-542.
    5. Wagner, Richard E., 2012. "A macro economy as an ecology of plans," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 82(2), pages 433-444.
    6. Nilesh Vaidya & Michael L. Manapat & Irene A. Chen & Ramon Xulvi-Brunet & Eric J. Hayden & Niles Lehman, 2012. "Spontaneous network formation among cooperative RNA replicators," Nature, Nature, vol. 491(7422), pages 72-77, November.
    7. Ulrich Witt, 2002. "How Evolutionary Is Schumpeter'S Theory Of Economic Development?," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(1-2), pages 7-22.
    8. Roberto Cazzolla Gatti & Roger Koppl & Brian D. Fath & Stuart Kauffman & Wim Hordijk & Robert E. Ulanowicz, 2020. "On the emergence of ecological and economic niches," Journal of Bioeconomics, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 99-127, July.
    9. Ulanowicz, Robert E., 2009. "The dual nature of ecosystem dynamics," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 220(16), pages 1886-1892.
    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. Ali Kharrazi & Brian D. Fath & Harald Katzmair, 2016. "Advancing Empirical Approaches to the Concept of Resilience: A Critical Examination of Panarchy, Ecological Information, and Statistical Evidence," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(9), pages 1-17, September.
    2. Rahmeyer Fritz, 2013. "Schumpeter, Marshall, and Neo-Schumpeterian Evolutionary Economics: A Critical Stocktaking," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 233(1), pages 39-64, February.
    3. Heinz Kurz, 2012. "Schumpeter’s new combinations," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 22(5), pages 871-899, November.
    4. Takashi Seo, 2024. "A practical report and reflection on a course on evolutionary economics for undergraduate students," Evolutionary and Institutional Economics Review, Springer, vol. 21(1), pages 131-143, April.
    5. Foster, John, 2021. "In search of a suitable heuristic for evolutionary economics: from generalized Darwinism to economic self-organisation," MPRA Paper 106146, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Yew-Kwang Ng & Xiaokai Yang, 2005. "Specialization, Information, And Growth: A Sequential Equilibrium Analysis," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: An Inframarginal Approach To Trade Theory, chapter 20, pages 447-474, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    7. John A. Mathews, 2020. "Schumpeterian economic dynamics of greening: propagation of green eco-platforms," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 30(4), pages 929-948, September.
    8. Catherine Baumont, 1995. "Urban economics and endogenous dynamics in regional growth [Economies d'agglomération et dynamique endogène de croissance des régions]," Working Papers hal-01527237, HAL.
    9. Petersen, Alexander M. & Rotolo, Daniele & Leydesdorff, Loet, 2016. "A triple helix model of medical innovation: Supply, demand, and technological capabilities in terms of Medical Subject Headings," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(3), pages 666-681.
    10. Wilson, E.J. & Chaudhri, D.P., 2000. "Endogeneity, Knowledge and Dynamics of Long Run Capitalist Economic Growth," Economics Working Papers wp00-03, School of Economics, University of Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
    11. Georg Blind & Andreas Pyka, 2015. "Erich Schneider: The admiring disciple who did not become a follower," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 25(1), pages 239-252, January.
    12. Andrés Rodríguez-Pose & Michael Storper, 2006. "Better Rules or Stronger Communities? On the Social Foundations of Institutional Change and Its Economic Effects," Economic Geography, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 82(1), pages 1-25, January.
    13. Wang, Zhuoyang & Chen, Guo & Hill, David J. & Dong, Zhao Yang, 2016. "A power flow based model for the analysis of vulnerability in power networks," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 460(C), pages 105-115.
    14. Bert Minne & Marc van der Steeg & Dinand Webbink, 2008. "Skill gaps in the EU: role for education and training policies," CPB Document 162, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.
    15. Yang, X. & Liu, P.W., 1999. "Division of Labor Transaction Cost, Emergence of the Firm and Firm Size," Papers 10, Chicago - Graduate School of Business.
    16. Ryan M. Hynes & Bernardo S. Buarque & Ronald B. Davies & Dieter F. Kogler, 2020. "Hops, Skip & a Jump - The Regional Uniqueness of Beer Styles," Working Papers 202013, Geary Institute, University College Dublin.
    17. John Finch, 2000. "Is post-Marshallian economics an evolutionary research tradition?," The European Journal of the History of Economic Thought, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 7(3), pages 377-406.
    18. Lenore Newman & Ann Dale, 2007. "Homophily and Agency: Creating Effective Sustainable Development Networks," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 9(1), pages 79-90, February.
    19. Aybike Ulusan & Ozlem Ergun, 2018. "Restoration of services in disrupted infrastructure systems: A network science approach," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(2), pages 1-28, February.
    20. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/4cufqrm9749dbol0m0bsfeopka is not listed on IDEAS
    21. Yang, Hyeonchae & Jung, Woo-Sung, 2016. "Structural efficiency to manipulate public research institution networks," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 21-32.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    TAP; RAF; Adjacent possible; Combinatorial innovation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C63 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Computational Techniques
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:spr:joevec:v:33:y:2023:i:5:d:10.1007_s00191-023-00838-2. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.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.