Journal on Policy and Complex Systems • Volume 4 , Number 2 • Fall 2018
PolicySpace : A Modeling Platform
Bernardo Alves Furtado
Institute for Applied Economic Research ( IPEA ), Brazil National Council of Research ( CNPq ), Brazil
Abstract
Public policy involves proposing changes to existing practices , alternatives , and new habits . Citizens and institutions react accordingly , accepting , refuting , or adapting . Agent-based modeling is a tool that can enrich the policy analysis package explicitly considering dynamics , space , and individual-level interactions . This paper presents a modeling platform called PolicySpace that models public policies within an empirical , spatial environment using data from 46 metropolitan regions in Brazil . We describe the basics of the model , its agents and markets , the tax scheme , the parameterization , and how to run the model . Finally , we validate the model and demonstrate an application of the fiscal analysis . Besides providing the basics of the platform , our results indicate the relevance of the rules of taxes transfer for cities ’ quality of life .
Keywords : agent-based model , ABM platform , public policy , fiscal analysis , municipalities , metropolitan regions
PolicySpace : una plataforma de modelado
Resumen
La política pública implica proponer cambios a las prácticas existentes , alternativas y nuevos hábitos . Los ciudadanos y las instituciones reaccionan en consecuencia , aceptando , refutando o adaptándose . El modelado basado en agentes es una herramienta que puede enriquecer el paquete de análisis de políticas considerando explícitamente la dinámica , el espacio y las interacciones a nivel individual . Este documento presenta una plataforma de modelado
17 doi : 10.18278 / jpcs . 4.2.3