Upward and downward complementarity: the meso core of evolutionary growth theory

Kurt Dopfer, Jason Potts and Andreas Pyka
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Kurt Dopfer: University of St Gallen

Journal of Evolutionary Economics, 2016, vol. 26, issue 4, No 4, 753-763

Abstract: Abstract We propose that the concept of complementarity can take two distinct meanings in evolutionary economics: one referring to Adam Smith’s notion of increasing specialization and the division of labour, which we denote ‘downward complementarity’ (wholes into new parts); and a second type that refers to the discovery of emergent complementarity between extant or new components and products, which we call ‘upward complementarity’ (parts into new wholes). We outline this new conception and explore some of its analytic and theoretic implications.

Keywords: Complementarity; Economic evolution; Division of knowledge; Division of labor; Meso economics; Entrepreneur; Unified evolutionary growth theory (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: B52 E14 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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DOI: 10.1007/s00191-015-0434-4

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