Trajectories in geographical space out of communication in acquaintance space: An agent‐based model of a textile industrial district

Abstract

This paper presents an agent-based model of an Italian textile district where thousands of small firms specialize in particular phases of fabrics production. It reconstructs the web of communication between firms as they arrange production chains. In turn, production chains result in road traffic between the geographical areas on which the district extends. The reconstructed traffic exhibits a pattern that has been observed, but not foreseen, by policy-makers.JEL classification: R11, R53, C63