Mad Meme Labs
A division of distant-galaxy.com

N-Dimensional Sustainable Economic Model

A proposal / white paper by Jeroen Lapre'. Version 0.1. Copyright 2007. Build 5Dec2K7.

Summary
N-Dimensional sustainable economic model R&D that includes the true value of social activities and the environment as crucial components of the double bottom line.

Background

Traditional economic model is 1 dimensional. i.e. a dollar value assigned to a product or service. Environmental impact is externalised in most traditional business transactions.

Proposal

Apply cutting edge computer technology and information theory to the bulding of an N-dimensional sustainable economic model.

Related Links

Economics
Foundations of Economic Analysis
Index Sustainable Economic Welfare
The Long Tail
Statistics
Volume of the Shape VS Area Under the Curve

In traditional economics / business, revenue is calculated as the area under the curve of sales over time.
This is typically a 2 dimensional calculation.

In a sustainable economic model, social and environmental considerations would make such a caculation N-dimensional.
The volume of the N-dimensional shape would replace the area under the curve.

Related Links
Area Under a Curve
Revenue
Descriptive Complexity as Dimension of Sustainable Economic Model

Summary
Descriptive Complexity (from information theory) may offer a quantitative value of positive activities and living things as a dimensions of a sustainable economic model.

Description
According to information theory, and related research, the descriptive complexity of a thing can be represented by the number of bits required to describe that thing.
e.g. the number of bits required to describe a gas or a crystal is relatively low. The number of bits required to describe an insect is significantly more, then on up through plants, trees, reptiles mammals, including humans.

Descriptive complexity as an argument to protect biodiversity. A biodiverse ecosystem would have a higher DC than a monocrop farm economy.

Related Links

Complexity
algorithmic information theory

Inversely Linked Dimensions

Example

The Slow Food Movement
The slow food movement encourages consuming food that is grown as close to where you live as possible, and food that is in season.
An important component is the pollution that is generated to fly or ship food across the planet.
The true cost of transport could be captured in an N-dimensional economic model that includes environmental impact of pollution.
i.e. the more fuel that is used to transport food produce, the more pollution is released into the environment.
The descriptive complexity of the environment is threatened by pollution, so therefore it's potential value is decreased, as the amount of fuel/pollution increases.

Related Links

Slow Food Movement


© 2007 Distant Galaxy


A Division of  Distant Galaxy. PO Box 817 Forest Knolls CA 94933 USA Business license number: 023379. Registered in the county of Marin.
Contact: madmemelabs@distant-galaxy.com