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Networks and Economic Fragility

Author

Listed:
  • Benjamin Golub

    (Department of Economics, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA)

  • Matthew Elliott

    (Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom)

Abstract

Many firms, banks, or other economic agents embedded in a network of codependencies may experience a contemporaneous, sharp drop in functionality or productivity following a shock—even if that shock is localized or moderate in magnitude. We offer an extended review of motivating evidence that such fragility is a live concern in supply networks and in financial systems. We then discuss network models of fragility, focusing on the forces that make aggregate functionality especially sensitive to the economic environment. The key structural features of networks that determine their fragility are reviewed, with an emphasis on the importance of phase transitions. We then turn to endogenous decisions, both by market participants (e.g., firms investing in network formation and robustness) and by planners (e.g., authorities undertaking macroprudential regulation). Fragility has some distinctive implications for such decisions.

Suggested Citation

  • Benjamin Golub & Matthew Elliott, 2022. "Networks and Economic Fragility," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 14(1), pages 665-696, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:anr:reveco:v:14:y:2022:p:665-696
    DOI: 10.1146/annurev-economics-051520-021647
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. d'Artis Kancs, 2024. "Uncertainty of supply chains: Risk and ambiguity," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(5), pages 2009-2033, May.
    2. Ketelaars, Martijn, 2024. "On the Compatibility of Composition Axioms in Financial Networks," Other publications TiSEM 041e8388-cc78-4d6b-b6ba-5, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    3. Richard Baldwin & Rebecca Freeman & Angelos Theodorakopoulos, 2023. "Hidden Exposure: Measuring US Supply Chain Reliance," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 54(2 (Fall)), pages 79-167.
    4. Agostino Capponi & Chuan Du & Joseph E. Stiglitz, 2024. "Are Supply Networks Efficiently Resilient?," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2024-031, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    5. Ketelaars, Martijn, 2024. "Clearing in financial networks and dynamic investment under uncertainty," Other publications TiSEM 94768fb9-fd72-405d-a330-6, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    6. Ketelaars, Martijn, 2024. "Equity Consistency in Financial Networks," Discussion Paper 2024-017, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research.
    7. Martijn W. Ketelaars & Peter Borm, 2024. "On the unification of centralized and decentralized clearing mechanisms in financial networks," Mathematical Methods of Operations Research, Springer;Gesellschaft für Operations Research (GOR);Nederlands Genootschap voor Besliskunde (NGB), vol. 99(3), pages 205-231, June.
    8. Lee, Charles M.C. & Shi, Terrence Tianshuo & Sun, Stephen Teng & Zhang, Ran, 2024. "Production complementarity and information transmission across industries," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    9. Ketelaars, Martijn, 2024. "Perspective Invariance in Financial Networks," Other publications TiSEM 1c18cd0f-90ec-476e-9b59-7, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    10. Ketelaars, Martijn, 2024. "Perspective Invariance in Financial Networks," Discussion Paper 2024-018, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research.
    11. Ketelaars, Martijn, 2024. "On the Compatibility of Composition Axioms in Financial Networks," Discussion Paper 2024-007, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research.
    12. Ketelaars, Martijn & Borm, Peter & Herings, P.J.J., 2024. "The Characterization of Clearing Payments in Financial Networks," Discussion Paper 2024-013, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research.
    13. Larissa M. Batrancea & Mehmet Ali Balcı & Ömer Akgüller & Lucian Gaban, 2022. "What Drives Economic Growth across European Countries? A Multimodal Approach," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 10(19), pages 1-20, October.
    14. Liu, Hui & Chen, Donglin, 2024. "Asymmetrical impact of natural resources and the digital economy on green growth in the top five Asian knowledge-based economies," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    15. Ketelaars, Martijn, 2024. "Equity Consistency in Financial Networks," Other publications TiSEM 6821532b-151b-4ae3-9543-5, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    16. Tom'as Aguirre, 2024. "On Labs and Fabs: Mapping How Alliances, Acquisitions, and Antitrust are Shaping the Frontier AI Industry," Papers 2406.01722, arXiv.org, revised Jun 2024.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    supply chains; production networks; supply disruptions; networks; fragility; robustness;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D85 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Network Formation
    • L14 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Transactional Relationships; Contracts and Reputation
    • E23 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Production

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