Possible Paper Topics

Tragedy of the Commons

Start with the model of [Schindler-2012-JASSS]_, Schindler provided an implementation in NetLogo version 4. Base your project on my reimplementation of Schindler’s model in NeLogo 6, which I will provide to you. My reimplementation uses links, so be sure to review links in my NetLogo Introduction. Note that the notation in my code differs somewhat from the notation in Schindler’s paper. Your paper should use the notation in my code.

This group must learn about and discuss Elinor Ostrom’s work and should carefully read [Frischmann.Marciano.Ramello-2019-JEP]_. I list many optional readings on the syllabus supplement.

Possible extensions:

• Any of the considerations in Ostrom’s work.

• Added realism based on research into any actual commons of your choosing.

• [Bravo-2011-RatSoc]_ also includes NetLogo 4 code and suggests extensions. (You can ask me for a conversion to NetLogo 6.) How is Bravo's plant growth different from that in Schindler? Does this matter?

• How might you like to change the handling of grass growth?

• How might you like to change the handling of xi? (E.g., should there be a range for zero values?)

• What happens if you allow agent heterogeneity in the some of Schindler’s dispositional parameters? (For example, let the dispositional sliders set mean values, but allow for some variance.) Does dispositional variability affect the tipping point characteristics of the model?

• Can you design a revenue neutral tax+redistribution system that makes the commons sustainable?

• There seems to be a time-scale mismatch: in reality, cows graze daily, but herders shd adjust cow ownership less frequently. Is this just interpretive or substantive, and if the latter, can you address it?

Groups working this topic must learn about the work of Elinor Ostrom. First read this introduction, and then see [Ostrom-2009-Science]_ for a good overview. Additional resources are on the syllabus supplement, including Sustaining the Commons. Be sure your individual papers discuss the distinguishing features of a commons.

Example applications:

The Tragedy of the Park: An Agent-based Model of Endogenous and Exogenous Institutions for Forest Management

[Vallino-2013-EcolSoc]_

Ideal Free Distribution of Mobile Pastoralists in the Logone Floodplain, Cameroon

https://www.comses.net/codebases/4242/releases/1.4.0/

Evolution of Cooperation in Asymmetric Commons Dilemmas

https://www.comses.net/codebases/2274/releases/1.1.0/

Symmetric Tragedies: Commons and Anticommons

[Buchanan.Yoon-2000-JLawEcon]_

Sustaining Collective Action in Urban Community Gardens

[Feinberg.etal-2021-JASSS]_ finds that not all design principles lead to higher levels of participation and sanctioning may be counter-productive in certain contexts.

Prisoner’s Dilemma

As a base model, plase use either the PD N-Person Iterated in the NetLogo Models Library (simpler) or the abed-pop1 model below (more complex). (Be sure not to use the one shot game, called PD Basic.) See the supplementary syllabus readings.

Possible extensions:

• introduce one or more new strategies;

• combine with wealth distribution model and examine the effects of resource scarcity/abundance on the optimal strategy.

• see [Isaac-2008-JASSS]_ for more possible extensions

Additonal NetLogo implementations:

Agent-Based Evolutionary Dynamics in 1 population

https://luis-r-izquierdo.github.io/abed-1pop/

Evolution of cooperation, e.g.,

https://www.comses.net/codebases/3887/releases/1.1.0/

Kimbrough's prisoner's dilemma code:

http://oid.wharton.upenn.edu/~sok/AGEbook/nlogo/ (Currently inaccessible, but hopefully will return ...)

Business Investor Model

[Railsback.Grimm-2019-PrincetonUP]_ ch. 10, 11, 12 present the Business Investor model. If you cannot get a copy of their book, you may rely on my supporting lecture notes.

Possible extension:

• model the propagation of business fluctuations by allowing shocks to diffuse to neighboring businesses.

• See [Garcia-2005-JPIM]_ and its references for more ideas for model extensions.

Multiplicative Growth

See my notes on the financial accumulation process. For a base model, consider any of the following.

Multiplicative Growth and Inequality

by Rupert Nagler http://modelingcommons.org/browse/one_model/6200

FinancialAccumulation00

Simpler model, available upon request.

Wealth Inequality and the Financial Accumulation Process

[Isaac-2021-EEJ]_

Possible extensions:

• Tax wealth only above the tax limit.

• Add heterogeneous saving rates.

• Children, inheritance, and inheritance tax, where (for simplicity) a new generation just resets the age of an old generation.

• Explore the trade-off between wealth tax and inheritance tax, subject to a fixed (relative) revenue goal.

• Include marriage with inheritance-tax modification.

• Investment skill differences [Yunker-1999-JPKE]_.

• Technological change and growth.

For suggested literature, see the syllabus supplement.

Supply Chain Models from the Modeling Commons

Network Supply Chain by Dajun Yue

http://modelingcommons.org/browse/one_model/3763 (Use this model to work with. Note: NetLogo 6 can read NetLogo 5 models, but let me know if you run into problems.)

Sequential Supply Chain by Dajun Yue

http://modelingcommons.org/browse/one_model/3762

Artificial Supply Chain model by Alvaro Gils:

http://modelingcommons.org/browse/one_model/3378

Single Stage Periodic Review Inventory Policy

http://modelingcommons.org/browse/one_model/3687

Beer Game

NetLogo HubNet Root Beer Game model by Wilensky, U. and Stroup, W. (2003).

http://ccl.northwestern.edu/netlogo/models/HubNetRootBeerGame Center for Connected Learning and Computer-Based Modeling, Northwestern Institute on Complex Systems, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL.

Sterman's famous SD Beer Game: a NetLogo version by Owen Densmore

http://backspaces.net/models/beergame.html

Additional Resources

The syllabus supplement lists additional readings.