2002/04/05 by X. Guardiola, Albert Dı́az-Guilera, A. Diaz-Guilera +6 · 82 citations
Economics, Econometrics and Finance · Mathematics · Physics and Astronomy · #Complex Network Analysis Techniques #Complex Systems and Time Series Analysis #Computer science #Critical point (mathematics) #Diffusion #Economics #Industrial organization #Mathematics #Network effect #Observable #Opinion Dynamics and Social Influence #Physics #Point (geometry) #Simple (philosophy) #Upgrade #Variable (mathematics) #cond-mat.stat-mech
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physreve.66.026121
published in Physical review. E, Statistical physics, plasmas, fluids, and related interdisciplinary topics 66(2), 026121 (American Physical Society) · 4 pages, 5 figures. Final version accepted in PRE
arxiv created 2002/04/05 · openalex publication_date 2002/08/27 · arxiv updated 2009/11/30 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
A simple model of diffusion of innovations in a social network with upgrading costs is introduced. Agents are characterized by a single real variable, their technological level. According to local information, agents decide whether to upgrade their level or not, balancing their possible benefit with the upgrading cost. A critical point where technological avalanches display a power-law behavior is also found. This critical point is characterized by a macroscopic observable that turns out to optimize technological growth in the stationary state. Analytical results supporting our findings are found for the globally coupled case.