Innovation Networks - A Simulation Approach

A multi-agent simulation embodying a theory of innovation networks has been built and used to suggest a number of policy-relevant conclusions. The simulation animates a model of innovation (the successful exploitation of new ideas) and this model is briefly described. Agents in the model representing firms, policy actors, research labs, etc. each have a knowledge base that they use to generate 'artefacts' that they hope will be innovations. The success of the artefacts is judged by an oracle that evaluates each artefact using a criterion that is not available to the agents. Agents are able to follow strategies to improve their artefacts either on their own (through incremental improvement or by radical changes), or by seeking partners to contribute additional knowledge. It is shown though experiments with the model's parameters that it is possible to reproduce qualitatively the characteristics of innovation networks in two sectors: personal and mobile communications and biotechnology.

一个体现创新网络理论的多主体模拟已经建立，并被用于提出一些与政策相关的结论。该模拟使一个创新模型（对新想法的成功利用）具有活力，并且对这个模型进行了简要描述。模型中代表企业、政策参与者、研究实验室等的主体各自拥有一个知识库，它们利用这个知识库来生成它们希望会是创新的“人工制品”。这些人工制品的成功由一个“神谕”来判断，该“神谕”使用主体无法获取的标准来评估每一个人工制品。主体能够遵循策略来改进它们的人工制品，要么靠自己（通过渐进式改进或激进式变革），要么通过寻找合作伙伴来贡献额外的知识。通过对模型参数的实验表明，有可能在两个领域定性地重现创新网络的特征：个人和移动通信以及生物技术。