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Economic Competition and Evolution: Are There Lessons from Ecology?

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  • Clem Tisdell

Abstract

After generally discussing models in ecology and economics that combine competition, optimization, and evolution, this article concentrates on models of intraspecific competition. It demonstrates the importance of diversity/inequalities within populations of species and other environments for the sustainability of their populations, given the occurrence of environmental change. This is demonstrated both for scramble (open‐access) and contest competition. Implications are drawn for human populations and industrial organization. The possibility is raised that within‐industry competition may not always exist between firms in all stages of the development of a new industry. Policy implications are considered. For example, it is argued that policies designed to encourage intense business competition and maximum economic efficiency have the drawback of eventually making industries highly vulnerable to exogenous economic changes. (JEL L100, J100, Q150)

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  • Clem Tisdell, 2004. "Economic Competition and Evolution: Are There Lessons from Ecology?," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 22(2), pages 179-193, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:coecpo:v:22:y:2004:i:2:p:179-193
    DOI: 10.1093/cep/byh013
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    1. C. A. Tisdell*, 1985. "Conceptual Issues in the Measurement of Economic and Productive Efficiencies," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 53(1), pages 38-45, March.
    2. Svizzero, Serge & Tisdell, Clement A., 2001. "Concepts of Competition in Theory and Practice," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90469, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    3. Eldredge, Niles, 1997. "Evolution in the marketplace," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 8(4), pages 385-398, October.
    4. Lasselle, Laurence & Svizzero, Serge & Tisdell, Clement Allan, 2001. "Diversity, Globalisation and Market Stability," Economia Internazionale / International Economics, Camera di Commercio Industria Artigianato Agricoltura di Genova, vol. 54(3), pages 385-399.
    5. Hodgson, Geoffrey M, 1994. "Optimisation and Evolution: Winter's Critique of Friedman Revisited," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 18(4), pages 413-430, August.
    6. Tisdell, Clement A., 2001. "The Political Economy of Globalisation: Processes involving the Role of Markets, Institutions and Governance," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90507, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    7. Clement Allan Tisdell & Serge Svizzero, 2001. "Globalization, Social Welfare, Labor Markets and Fiscal Competition," Working Papers hal-02164344, HAL.
    8. Sidney G. Winter, 1964. "Economic "Natural Selection" and the Theory of the Firm," LEM Chapters Series, in: Yale Economic Essays, pages 225-272, Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy.
    9. Tisdell, Clement A., 2001. "Globalisation, the Environment and Sustainability: EKC, Neo-Malthusian Concerns and the WTO," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90502, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    10. Tisdell, Clem & Seidl, Irmi, 2004. "Niches and economic competition: implications for economic efficiency, growth and diversity," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 15(2), pages 119-135, June.
    11. R. H. Coase, 2013. "The Problem of Social Cost," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 56(4), pages 837-877.
    12. Sidney G. Winter, 1971. "Satisficing, Selection, and the Innovating Remnant," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 85(2), pages 237-261.
    13. Hirshleifer, Jack, 1977. "Economics from a Biological Viewpoint," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 20(1), pages 1-52, April.
    14. Tisdell, Clement A., 2001. "Competition and Evolution in Economics and Ecology Compared," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90506, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    15. Hannon, Bruce, 1997. "The use of analogy in biology and economics: From biology to economics, and back," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 8(4), pages 471-488, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Tisdell, Clement A., 2009. "Economic Challenges Faced by Small Island Economies: An Overview," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90627, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    2. Tisdell, Clement A., 2009. "Economic Benefits and Drawbacks of Cities and their Growth Implications," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90626, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    3. Tisdell, Clement A., 2010. "The Excitement and Value of Discovering Tourism Economics: Clem Tisdell's Journey," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90631, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    4. Svizzero, Serge & Tisdell, Clement, 2019. "Barter and the Origin of Money and Some Insights from the Ancient Palatial Economies of Mesopotamia and Egypt," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 291788, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    5. Tisdell, Clem & Svizzero, Serge, 2015. "The Failure of Neoclassical Economics Modelling and Human Behavioural Ecology to Satisfactorily Explain the Evolution of Neolithic Society," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 197550, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    6. Tisdell, Clement A. & Lapar, Ma. Lucila A. & Staal, Steven J. & Que, Nguyen Ngoc, 2009. "Natural Protection from International Competition in the Livestock Industry: Analysis, Examples and Vietnam's Pork Market as a Case," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90628, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    7. Clem Tisdell, 2009. "Cost–Benefit Analysis of Economic Globalization," Chapters, in: Robert J. Brent (ed.), Handbook of Research on Cost–Benefit Analysis, chapter 11, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    8. Tisdell, Clement A., 2008. "Thirty Years of Economic Reform and Openness in China: Retrospect and Prospect," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90620, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    9. Tisdell, Clement A., 2006. "Economic Prospects for Small Island Economies, Particularly in the South Pacific, in a Globalising World," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90547, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    10. Tisdell, Clement A., 2004. "Transaction Costs and Bounded Rationality - Implications for Public Administration and Economic Policy," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90531, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    11. Tisdell, Clement A., 2010. "Agricultural Development in Traditional Asian Economies: Observations Prompted by a Livestock Study in Vietnam," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90629, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    12. Tisdell, Clem & Svizzero, Serge, 2016. "Different Behavioral Explanations of the Neolithic Transition from Foraging to Agriculture: A Review," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 229769, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    13. Tisdell, Clement A., 2008. "Economics, Corporate Sustainability and Social Responsibility," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90618, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    14. Alauddin, Mohammad & Tisdell, Clement A., 2009. "Quantitative Impacts of Teaching Attributes on University TEVAL Scores and their Implications," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90621, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    15. Alauddin, Mohammad & Tisdell, Clement A., 2006. "Students' Evaluation of Teaching Effectiveness: What Surveys Tell and What They Do Not Tell," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90546, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    16. Tisdell, Clement A., 2009. "Trends in Vietnam's Pork Supply and Structural Features of its Pig Sector," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90623, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    17. Bandara, Ranjith & Tisdell, Clement A., 2004. "Changing Abundance of Elephants and Willingness to Pay for their Conservation," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90538, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    18. Tisdell, Clement A., 2006. "Economic and Business Relations Between Australia and China: An Overview and an Assessment," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90543, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    19. Clem Tisdell, 2009. "Economic Reform and Openness in China: China’s Development Policies in the Last 30 Years," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(2), pages 271-294, September.
    20. Tisdell, Clement A., 2008. "Economic Benefits and Drawbacks of Cities and their Growth," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90615, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    21. Tisdell, Clement A., 2008. "Trust and its Implications for Economic Activity, Welfare and Globalisation," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90617, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    22. Adam, Latif & Tisdell, Clement A., 2008. "Interfirm Networks in the Indonesian Garment Industry: Trust and Other Factors in their Formation and Duration and their Marketing Consequences," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90616, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    23. Tisdell, Clement A., 2009. "The Survival of Small-scale Agricultural Producers in Asia, particularly Vietnam: General Issues Illustrated by Vietnam's Agricultural Sector, especially its Pig Production," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90625, University of Queensland, School of Economics.

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    20. Tisdell, Clement A., 2002. "Economics and Tourism Development: Structural Features of Tourism and Economic Influences on its Vulnerability," Economic Theory, Applications and Issues Working Papers 90522, University of Queensland, School of Economics.

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