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Consumption & class in evolutionary macroeconomics

Author

Listed:
  • Bernhard Rengs

    (Vienna University of Technology)

  • Manuel Scholz-Wäckerle

    (Vienna University of Economics and Business)

Abstract

This article contributes to the field of evolutionary macroeconomics by highlighting the dynamic interlinkages between micro-meso-macro with a Veblenian meso foundation in an agent-based macroeconomic model. Consumption is dependent on endogenously changing social class and signaling, such as bandwagon, Veblen and snob effects. In particular, we test the macroeconomic effects of this meso foundation in a generic agent-based model of a closed artificial economy. The model is stock-flow consistent and builds upon local decision heuristics of heterogeneous agents characterized by bounded rationality and satisficing behavior. These agents include a multitude of households (workers and capitalists), firms, banks as well as a capital goods firm, a government and a central bank. Simulation experiments indicate co-evolutionary dynamics between signaling-by-consuming and firm specialization that eventually effect employment and consumer prices, as well as other macroeconomic aggregates.

Suggested Citation

  • Bernhard Rengs & Manuel Scholz-Wäckerle, 2019. "Consumption & class in evolutionary macroeconomics," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 29(1), pages 229-263, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:joevec:v:29:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1007_s00191-018-0592-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s00191-018-0592-2
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    3. Palagi, Elisa & Napoletano, Mauro & Roventini, Andrea & Gaffard, Jean-Luc, 2023. "An agent-based model of trickle-up growth and income inequality," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    4. Bindra, Sunali & Sharma, Deepika & Parameswar, Nakul & Dhir, Sanjay & Paul, Justin, 2022. "Bandwagon effect revisited: A systematic review to develop future research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 305-317.
    5. Giovanni Dosi & Andrea Roventini, 2019. "More is different ... and complex! the case for agent-based macroeconomics," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 29(1), pages 1-37, March.
    6. Lena Gerdes & Bernhard Rengs & Manuel Scholz-Wäckerle, 2022. "Labor and environment in global value chains: an evolutionary policy study with a three-sector and two-region agent-based macroeconomic model," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 32(1), pages 123-173, January.
    7. Pier-Paolo Saviotti & Andreas Pyka¤ & Bogang Jun, 2020. "Diversification, structural change, and economic development," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 30(5), pages 1301-1335, November.
    8. Rengs, Bernhard & Scholz-Wäckerle, Manuel & van den Bergh, Jeroen, 2020. "Evolutionary macroeconomic assessment of employment and innovation impacts of climate policy packages," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 169(C), pages 332-368.
    9. Katarzyna Gruszka & Manuel Scholz-Wäckerle & Ernest Aigner, 2020. "Planetary carambolage: The evolutionary political economy of technology, nature and work," Review of Evolutionary Political Economy, Springer, vol. 1(3), pages 273-293, November.
    10. Patrick Mellacher, 2020. "COVID-Town: An Integrated Economic-Epidemiological Agent-Based Model," Papers 2011.06289, arXiv.org.
    11. Karl Naumann-Woleske, 2023. "Agent-based Integrated Assessment Models: Alternative Foundations to the Environment-Energy-Economics Nexus," Papers 2301.08135, arXiv.org, revised Jan 2023.
    12. Andrea Marchini & Chiara Riganelli & Francesco Diotallevi & Bianca Polenzani, 2021. "Label information and consumer behaviour: evidence on drinking milk sector," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 9(1), pages 1-24, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Evolutionary macroeconomics; Agent-based modelling; Micro-meso-macro; Conspicuous consumption; Social class; Firm specialization;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • B52 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Current Heterodox Approaches - - - Historical; Institutional; Evolutionary; Modern Monetary Theory;
    • C63 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Computational Techniques
    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth
    • E23 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Production
    • L11 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms

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