EAEPE Conference 2007: Call for Papers

The Conference Theme

It is now widely accepted that knowledge in technology and innovation is a crucial factor in promoting economic growth and that business firms are an essential locus of technological accumulation. The broad conviction that technological advance was the driven force of economic growth gave a strong impulse to the emergence of the neoclassical endogenous growth models. In these models technical change is understood as a result of profit-seeking activities of individual agents and increasing returns, technological spillovers and other phenomena brought from the economics of innovation. In spite of the progress achieved by these contributions, such developments are still too mechanical.

These studies do not seem attracted to explore the evidence that firms have different capacities and strategies or that national economic institutions, for example the university research system, are crucial determinants of economic growth. For the evolutionary theorizing the economic system is characterized by changing diversity and evolving processes of adaptive behaviour, where novelty has a fundamental role. The explanation of the system involves random and mechanic elements, with the first ones generating some variation among the variables in study and the second ones systematically winning on the existent variation. At the same time there are inertial forces that make sure the survival of the winning. The clear emphasis on dynamics and on bounded rationality is not consistent with the traditional neoclassical concepts of equilibrium and optimisation.

It seems urgent try to explore the implications of this alternative theoretical frame in terms of economic growth and knowledge. Here, respecting the philosophy of agent based, particularly conceiving the firms as heterogeneous and bounded rational agents that face uncertainty associated with the innovation process, the understanding of learning and the generation and transmission of knowledge has an essential role.

Such topic conducts inevitably to the study of the firm and its learning capability, forms of corporate organization and the economic evolution of the region and/or the country. Also, it requires having in mind the social and institutional bases that sustain the creation and diffusion of knowledge.

Submission of Proposals:

For papers proposals: Upload a 600-1000 word abstract to http://www.eaepe.org/upload_abstracts.php by April 1st 2007.

The abstract should clearly mention:

• Title of the paper
• Name of the author(s) and full address of the corresponding author (postal address, phone, fax and email)
• the aim of the study and methodology
• (expected) results and/or conclusions
• up to 5 keywords and code of the (closest) EAEPE research area (see eaepe web site)

For complete session (four papers):
Please upload the abstracts of the session papers on the EAEPE web site and send your proposal separately to eaepe2007@fep.up.pt.

Note that most of the EAEPE Research Area Coordinators (RACs) will also send out a Call for Papers concerning the specific domain of their research area. If you submit your paper to a RAC then the RAC will make the selection and the papers the RAC cannot accommodate in the RAC session(s) will be sent to the scientific committee to be judge for the general program.

Note also that you can only participate in the conference with only one paper.

Important dates:
Deadline for abstract submission: 1st April, 2007
Notification for abstract acceptance: 1st May, 2007
Deadline for paper submission: 3rd June, 2007

In order to be included in the final program, the paper has to be submitted before the above stated date and at least one of the authors has to be registered, has paid the conference fee and be a paid EAEPE member. Please note that you have to be an EAEPE member in order to attend the Conference.

The program of accepted papers will be published in the July Newsletter.

Local Organizer:
Aurora Castro Teixeira
Faculdade de Economia
Universidade do Porto, Portugal
E-mail: eaepe2007@fep.up.pt