Community

Displaying 10 of 63 results Agent based modelling clear filters

Alex Kara Member since: Wed, Apr 10, 2013 at 11:22 PM

BA in Archaeology, Boston University, 2012

I am interested in using agent based modelling and systematic data collection to understand diachronic human-environment interactions in the Maya region of Guatemala, Mexico, and Belize.

Timothy Gooding Member since: Wed, May 15, 2013 at 10:29 AM

BA Economics, York University Canada, PhD Economics Kingston University London

After being the economic development officer for the Little/Salmon Carmacks First Nation, Tim used all his spare time trying to determine a practical understanding of the events he witnessed. This led him to complexity, specifically human emergent behaviour and the evolutionary prerequisites present in human society. These prerequisites predicted many of the apparently immutable ‘modern problems’ in society. First, he tried disseminating the knowledge in popular book form, but that failed – three times. He decided to obtain PhD to make his ‘voice’ louder. He chose sociology, poorly as it turns out as he was told his research had ‘no academic value whatsoever’. After being forced out of University, he taught himself agent-based modelling to demonstrate his ideas and published his first peer-reviewed paper without affiliation while working as a warehouse labourer. Subsequently, he managed to interest Steve Keen in his ideas and his second attempt at a PhD succeeded. His most recent work involves understanding the basic forces generated by trade in a complex system. He is most interested in how the empirically present evolutionary prerequisites impact market patterns.

Economics, society, complexity, systems, ecosystem, thermodynamics, agent-based modelling, emergent behaviour, evolution.

Francesc Bellaubi Member since: Thu, Jun 27, 2013 at 03:40 PM

PhD candidate

performance of urban water service provision, high levels of inequities and inefficiency persist. In terms of water distribution and cost, these undesirable patterns have a high impact on peri-urban areas usually populated by marginalized and poor populations. The high levels of Non-Revenue Water (NRW), together with the existence of corrupt practices and mismanagement of water utilities, remain a highly controversial issue.

This situation confronts rent-seeking theory directly, explaining the performance-corruption relationship (Repetto, 1986). The presumption is that low performance in water supply service provision results from corruption because rent-seeking occurs. Hence, the implementation of performance-oriented reforms in the water supply sector, such as regulation or private sector participation, will reduce corruption, increasing the efficiency of water service provision. Nevertheless, latest evidence shows that “key elements of good political governance have a positive effect on the access to water services in developing countries. In turn, private sector participation has little influence other than increasing internal efficiency of water providers” (Krausse, 2009).

Indeed the relation between governance, corruption and performance seems to be more complex than theory wants to acknowledge. It must be reviewed further than a simple cause-effect relationship. It appears that poor management of water utilities, evidenced by high levels of NRW, justifies new investments. Such practices can be encouraged by an “opportunistic management”, whilst at the same time maintaining an influential “hydrocratic elite” in the sphere of water control.

The present research proposal aims to understand the relation between mismanagement and corruption of water control practices in water supply service provision. The research examines how this relationship affects the performance of water service provision and relates to water supply governance models at municipal peri-urban level in three African countries.

To understand the mismanagement-corruption relationship, we look at different case studies of water supply service provision in Senegal, Ghana and Kenya. Each case represents a different governance model in terms of management practices, institutional and organizational settings, and the actors in place, which affects the performance of water service provision in terms of allocative efficiency and access to water (equity). Whether regulation, decentralization and private sector participation constitute possible ways to reduce corruption is examined in the context of water sector reform.

In a second step, we propose a theoretical model based on Agent Based Modelling (ABM) (Pahl-Wostl, 2007) to reproduce complex social networks under a Socio-Ecological System (SES) framework approach. The model will allow us to test whether collaborative governance in the form of collective action in a participatory and negotiated decision-making process for water control, can reduce corruption and increase performance.

The present research benefits from the project “Transparency and Integrity in Service Delivery in Sub-Saharan Africa”. This project, carried out by Transparency International (TI) in 8 Sub-Saharan countries, aims to increase access to education, health and water by improving transparency and integrity in basic service delivery. The proposal retains focus on Senegal, Ghana and Kenya in the water sector.

Key words: water control, mismanagement, corruption, performance, collaborative governance, modelling, collective action, negotiation, participation

Oscar Montes De Oca Member since: Mon, Sep 09, 2013 at 08:50 PM Full Member Reviewer

Masters of Applied Science, Massey University, New Zealand, Diploma in Manufacturing, ITESM, Mexico, Bachelors in Industrial Engineering, ITESM, Mexico

I have developed several agent-based and cellular automata applications combining agent-based modelling, geographical information systems and visualisation to understand the complex mechanisms of decision making in land use change and environmental stewardship in order to analyse:
• the role of pastoral agriculture in regional development,
• the tradeoffs between land use intensification and water quality,
• the adoption of land-based climate change mitigation practices, and
• the incorporation of cultural values into spatial futures or scenario modelling.

Muhammad Asif Member since: Thu, Nov 07, 2013 at 05:08 PM

MS Computer Sciences, MA Accounting

Agent Based Modelling for Economics, Business and Scoail Sciences

Andrew Reilly Member since: Fri, Nov 08, 2013 at 04:35 AM

Bachelor of Arts Hons. (Psychology)

I study he role of biologically-based motivations in the formation of socio-political phenomena using agent-based modelling techniques. In particular I look at how behaviour inhibition and activation, as well as interpersonal attitudes can shape the emergence of complex polities.

Gilberto Camara Member since: Tue, Jan 14, 2014 at 10:25 PM Full Member Reviewer

PhD

One of my research areas is agent-based modelling of land change in Brazil. I have worked with ABM in frontier areas of the Brazilian Amazon. I am also part of the team that develops TerraME, an OSS toolkit for ABM in cellular spaces.

Xin Gu Member since: Fri, Mar 28, 2014 at 01:51 AM

Bachelor in Informaiton Science with Honours

agent-based modelling

Federico Bianchi Member since: Mon, Apr 14, 2014 at 09:21 AM Full Member

Ph.D., Economic Sociology and Labour Studies, University of Milan - University of Brescia (Italy), M.A., Sociology, University of Turin (Italy), B.A., Philosophy, University of Milan (Italy)

Social scientist based in Milan, Italy. Post-doctoral researcher in Sociology at the Department of Social and Political Sciences of the University of Milan (Italy), member of the Behave Lab. Adjunct professor of Social Network Analysis at the Graduate School in Social and Political Sciences of the University of Milan.

  • the link between economic exchange, solidarity, and inter-group conflict
  • peer-review evaluation in scientific publishing
  • integrating Agent-Based Modelling (ABM) with Social Network Analysis (SNA)

Mark Gray Member since: Thu, Jul 03, 2014 at 12:59 PM

B.Sc., M.Sc. student

Agent Based Modelling

Displaying 10 of 63 results Agent based modelling clear filters

This website uses cookies and Google Analytics to help us track user engagement and improve our site. If you'd like to know more information about what data we collect and why, please see our data privacy policy. If you continue to use this site, you consent to our use of cookies.
Accept