Innovación, diferenciación y fenómenos de aglomeraciónun modelo evolucionista

Abstract

We formalize a theoretical approach to industrial agglomeration and concentration phenomena using Agent-Based Modeling. The main thesis is that spatial economic dynamics of many industries can be explained from evolutionary principles, taking into account the variety of firm behaviors, selection processes in the market and development processes through firm innovations. We propose a model of an industry where a variety of firms ?they have different capacities, knowledge and routines? sell in a monopolistic-competition market ?consumers distinguish imperfectly between product variants? and innovate to take economic advantage and develop new products ?growth not only requires improvements in processes and products, but also diversification in new products?. Innovations are conditioned by knowledge externalities between a firms product divisions and knowledge spillovers in the region. We demonstrate that simulation and Agent-Based Modeling is a suitable methodology for dealing with this sort of complex problems without loosing neither descriptive capacity nor rigorous in formalizations. Moreover, it facilitates the interdisciplinary dialogue between heterogeneous scientific areas.