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Economics of Complexity and the Analysis of Local Regulation: The Case of Urban Mobility

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The Political Economy of Local Regulation

Part of the book series: Studies in the Political Economy of Public Policy ((PEPP))

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Abstract

In the last two decades economics of complexity has provided new tools to improve the analysis of complex systems. The supply of public goods and services is an example of economic problems implying complex systems. This chapter gives some insights on the need to use advanced tools to analyse the effects of the local regulation in high-complexity systems, focusing on agent-based models (ABMs) and their application to urban mobility and transport management policies. It provides a review of research on this issue, explicitly focusing on urban areas where different agents interact. Passenger flows and their negative effects on the community are increasing, and the need to identify effective and efficient regulation policies for more sustainable transport has become a key challenge. ABMs demonstrate potentially important advantages for evaluating public policies and particularly in the case of passenger mobility.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Turin, Turin, Italy

    Angela Ambrosino & Elena Vallino

  2. University of Insubria, Varese, Italy

    Elena Maggi

Authors
  1. Angela Ambrosino
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  2. Elena Maggi
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  3. Elena Vallino
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. SOAS University of London, London, United Kingdom

    Alberto Asquer

  2. Turin School of Local Regulation and Foundation for the Environment, Torino, Italy

    Franco Becchis

  3. Turin School of Local Regulation and Foundation for the Environment, Torino, Italy

    Daniele Russolillo

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Ambrosino, A., Maggi, E., Vallino, E. (2017). Economics of Complexity and the Analysis of Local Regulation: The Case of Urban Mobility. In: Asquer, A., Becchis, F., Russolillo, D. (eds) The Political Economy of Local Regulation. Studies in the Political Economy of Public Policy. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-58828-9_8

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