Title: Networks, spatial diffusion of technological knowledge and regional economic growth: an agent-based modelling approach

Authors: Christian Henning; Volker Saggau

Addresses: Department of Agricultural Economics, Christian-Albrechts-University at Kiel, Olshausenstraße 40, 24118 Kiel, Germany. ' Department of Agricultural Economics, Christian-Albrechts-University at Kiel, Olshausenstraße 40, 24118 Kiel, Germany

Abstract: This paper applies an agent-based model to simulate the impact of different network structures on spatial diffusion of knowledge and regional technological progress. Main results are: 1) information network structures have a significant impact on both spatial information diffusion and regional technological progress; 2) information diffusion in networks is only imperfect, i.e., accumulated knowledge in regional networks correspond only to a constant fraction of technological knowledge generated in leader regions; 3) this fraction is c.p. higher for scale-free (SF) networks when compared to random and small-world network (SWN); 4) this fraction increased for SF networks with the preferential attachment parameter and for small world networks with the α-parameter; 5) in contrast to classical catch-up models our network approach to spatial diffusion of technological knowledge implies that except for extreme centralised or dense networks catching-up does not occur.

Keywords: agent-based modelling; knowledge accumulation; innovation diffusion; learning; social networks; social network analysis; SNA; growth path; regional development; spatial diffusion; technological knowledge; economic growth; agent-based systems; multi-agent systems; network structures.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIRD.2012.047558

International Journal of Innovation and Regional Development, 2012 Vol.4 No.3/4, pp.204 - 231

Published online: 23 Aug 2014 *

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