Hardback
Knowledge, Innovation and Economy
An Evolutionary Exploration
9781858983493 Edward Elgar Publishing
In Knowledge, Innovation and Economy, Witold Kwasnicki examines industrial dynamics from an evolutionary perspective, applying a biological model to the analysis of economic problems.
More Information
Critical Acclaim
Contents
More Information
In Knowledge, Innovation and Economy, Witold Kwasnicki examines industrial dynamics from an evolutionary perspective, applying a biological model to the analysis of economic problems.
Focusing on issues of methodology, knowledge development, and cultural and social evolution, the first part of the book develops parallels, similarities and discrepancies between knowledge development and biological evolution. An evolutionary model of industrial development, presented in the second part of the book, incorporates both the industrial and innovation processes. The author compares and contrasts this model’s behaviour with that of well-known, classical models of development. Contemporary economic problems relating to cumulative causation and path dependency are discussed in the final chapter.
Knowledge, Innovation and Economy provides new insights into industrial and economic development which will be welcomed by economists concerned with industrial processes and organization, the innovation process and technological change.
Focusing on issues of methodology, knowledge development, and cultural and social evolution, the first part of the book develops parallels, similarities and discrepancies between knowledge development and biological evolution. An evolutionary model of industrial development, presented in the second part of the book, incorporates both the industrial and innovation processes. The author compares and contrasts this model’s behaviour with that of well-known, classical models of development. Contemporary economic problems relating to cumulative causation and path dependency are discussed in the final chapter.
Knowledge, Innovation and Economy provides new insights into industrial and economic development which will be welcomed by economists concerned with industrial processes and organization, the innovation process and technological change.
Critical Acclaim
‘This book presents an excellent evolutionary analysis of core constructs of industrial economics using a simulation model targeted primarily on pricing strategy and product competition. . . . this is a solid contribution to the stream of work focused on the complexity of industry growth processes. . . . the work deserves attention from those using simulation models of industry development and those who are interested in developing the product/demand side of evolutionary theory.’
– Herbert L. Schuette, Journal of Evolutionary Economics
‘The book does three things very well. First, it gives a very interesting commentary on methodology and the nature of knowledge in the natural sciences, and in economics. Second, it provides a rich and thoughtful view of evolutionary processes in general, and evolutionary processes in economics in particular. Third, it contains a very interesting simulation model, together with a fine general discussion about the roles, and limitations, of such models, in economic analysis.’
– Richard R. Nelson, Columbia University in the City of New York, US
‘The merit of this book lies as much in the effort to develop an elegant non-neo-classical approach to economies, as in the clear understanding of the limitations and weaknesses of evolutionary tradition. The author recognises the fact that the evolutionary approach is still “far from being a coherent and complete theoretical system”. The promise of the approach, as the author would like to suggest arises out of its roots in the foundation of modern science. The book is a must for the graduate students of economics, as well as researchers in the field of industry and innovation.’
– Pradosh Nath, Journal of Scientific and Industrial Research
– Herbert L. Schuette, Journal of Evolutionary Economics
‘The book does three things very well. First, it gives a very interesting commentary on methodology and the nature of knowledge in the natural sciences, and in economics. Second, it provides a rich and thoughtful view of evolutionary processes in general, and evolutionary processes in economics in particular. Third, it contains a very interesting simulation model, together with a fine general discussion about the roles, and limitations, of such models, in economic analysis.’
– Richard R. Nelson, Columbia University in the City of New York, US
‘The merit of this book lies as much in the effort to develop an elegant non-neo-classical approach to economies, as in the clear understanding of the limitations and weaknesses of evolutionary tradition. The author recognises the fact that the evolutionary approach is still “far from being a coherent and complete theoretical system”. The promise of the approach, as the author would like to suggest arises out of its roots in the foundation of modern science. The book is a must for the graduate students of economics, as well as researchers in the field of industry and innovation.’
– Pradosh Nath, Journal of Scientific and Industrial Research
Contents
Contents: Preface Part I: Knowledge and Evolution 1. Conventionalism in Socio-economic Analysis 2. Knowledge Development as an Evolutionary Process 3. Taxonomy of Knowledge Part II: Economy and Evolution 4. Neoclassical and Evolutionary Perspectives in Economics 5. The Evoluntionary Model of Industry Development 6. Economic Analysis and the Model 7. Innovation and Economic Development 8. Chance and Necessity in Economic Development Appendix: Basic Values of the Model Parameters Bibliography Index
