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On the relationship between scale, allocation, and distribution

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  • Malghan, Deepak

Abstract

We develop a formal framework to investigate the relationship between ecological economics' concept of scale, and the more traditional concerns of allocation, and distribution. The framework presented here helps clarify differences between the normative and positive aspects of scale, allocation, and distribution. In particular, we distinguish between 'normative rules' and 'normative benchmarks'. This distinction helps untangle the web of hierarchical and evolutionary relationships that connect scale, allocation, and distribution. We also introduce concepts of scale efficiency and distribution efficiency as counterparts to the widely used allocation efficiency, and develop a simple dynamic model relating these three efficiencies. We then present stylized facts about the relationship between scale, allocation, and distribution that this model helps uncover.

Suggested Citation

  • Malghan, Deepak, 2010. "On the relationship between scale, allocation, and distribution," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(11), pages 2261-2270, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:69:y:2010:i:11:p:2261-2270
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    2. Distefano, Tiziano & Chiarotti, Guido & Laio, Francesco & Ridolfi, Luca, 2019. "Spatial Distribution of the International Food Prices: Unexpected Heterogeneity and Randomness," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 122-132.
    3. John J. Kineman & Krupanidhi Srirama & Jennifer Wilby & Skyler Perkins, 2017. "Exploring Foundations and Value Boundaries in Social–Ecological Systems," Systems Research and Behavioral Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(5), pages 637-642, September.
    4. Jonathan M. Harris, 2016. "Population, resources and energy in the global economy: a vindication of Herman Daly’s vision," Chapters, in: Joshua Farley & Deepak Malghan (ed.), Beyond Uneconomic Growth, chapter 4, pages 65-82, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    5. Pirgmaier, Elke, 2017. "The Neoclassical Trojan Horse of Steady-State Economics," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 52-61.
    6. Tiziano Distefano & Guido Chiarotti & Francesco Laio & Luca Ridolfi, 2018. "Spatial distribution of the international food prices: unexpected randomness and heterogeneity," SEEDS Working Papers 0118, SEEDS, Sustainability Environmental Economics and Dynamics Studies, revised Jan 2018.
    7. Yuanhong Tian & Matthias Ruth & Dajian Zhu, 2017. "Using the IPAT identity and decoupling analysis to estimate water footprint variations for five major food crops in China from 1978 to 2010," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 19(6), pages 2355-2375, December.
    8. Galychyn, Oleksandr, 2022. "Towards sustainable cities: A multi-criteria assessment framework for studying urban metabolism," MPRA Paper 121584, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 11 May 2022.

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