2.
Theoretical limits of information interactions in economic space
In virtual space of Internet technologies being the base
environment for the performance of network economy, human
interactions are exercised as follows:
1) via dissemination of information flows over space;
2) in the form of collection and processing of information;
and
3) via direct information exchange between economy
participants.
All these processes are implemented with the help of
information and communications technologies being the technical
means of interactions. Interaction carriers are information flows
disseminating in the information environment of economic system.
We will call the "information environment of economic
system" as an "information space".
Let us consider how technical limitations on dissemination of
information flows combined with the factor of gradual
obsolescence of information will influence the structure of
interactions of an individual agent with the rest of agents in
economic system.
Information flows are disseminated over economic system with
certain finite velocity. Upper limit of the latter depends on the
current development level of ICT. Even if each given pair of
agents can be connected with the fastest of existing information
exchange channels, it is practically impossible to simultaneously
ensure similar conditions for all the agents of economic system.
Thus, from the viewpoint of each individual agent, there always
will be groups of agents with whom there is an opportunity of
fast information exchange as well as other groups with no such
opportunity.
From theoretical point of view, the situation could be
presented as follows:
1. Agents geographically distributed over the space of
economic system have a certain network of information exchange
channels. Information flows created by agents disseminated over
the entire system via this network and gradually fade away.
Development of information exchange channel topology can produce
situations when individual agents have better conditions for
interactions with remote agents then with immediate neighbors.
Therefore, proximity or remoteness of agents in virtual
information space, in a general case, can differ from the similar
geographical parameters.
2. For the time being, we exclude from consideration the
parameters of geographical distribution of agents in the system
and the technique of transforming geographical distances into
information ones. Let us limit our analysis to the boundaries of
virtual space. We shall proceed from the notion that all the
multitude of agents is distributed in a certain fashion over the
virtual (information) space of economic system. The distance in
information space is defined as follows: the farther are the
agents from each other, the more time is required for an
information flow sent by one of them to reach the other.
3. Select a certain individual agent as the center from which
information flows are emanated. The distance from the center to
the rest of the agents in information space could be
characterized by the time interval required for reception of
information flows by each economic system agent (within this
interval information travels from the source agent to the
recipient). Thus, we are able to obtain a set of values of
information remoteness of system agents from the center
selected; in conjunction with particular points in space those
values make it possible to define its topology.
It should be noted that within an economic system there is
also a continuous flow of stochastic changes of its state that,
in the general case, cannot be predicted by the agents. In our
case this results in the fact that information flows
disseminating over the system, gradually lose their adequacy to
the current state of the system and therefore decrease in value.
Usual situation: information sent by the source agent cannot be
altered on the way to the addressee. During the time of
information travel, the system can undergo changes that lead to
the loss of actuality by information content.
Thus, such parameter as the intensity of stochastic changes
within an economic system under constant information
dissemination velocity defines the maximum possible duration of
information dissemination. Exceeding this duration means loss of
topicality of the given information. We have to keep in mind that
the full-fledged agent interaction should presuppose mutual
information exchange (recipient forms and relays back to the
source its reaction to the information flow received).
Consequently, the time interval of the maximum possible duration
should incorporate also the reception of feedback by the agent
source.
Limits of information
interactions between agents depend on: a)remoteness of
recipient from a source (on Fig.2 - from the source at
the right side to several recipients on the left one);
b)average velocity of information dissemination through
the system space (on Fig. 2 - zones from A to C;
c)average velocity of changes of economic system state.
Let agent-source knows current state of agents-recipient
(it's upper line connected all agents). He can forecast
states of agents-recipient (forecasted states located on
the information flow line). Agent-source starts
information flow to agent-recipient (blue and light blue
arrows). Radial arrows show where should be future state
of agents-recipient while information flow is
disseminating. The flow content based on a forecast of
the state of agents-recipient that agent-source could
make. But to the moment when agents-recipient will
receive an information from agent-source unpredictable
changes make uncertain the real state of agent-recipient.
The probability to shot the real state is lesser then
farther agent-recipient from agent-source. |
Fig. 2. (see
bigger image)
- Agent-source blue sphere on
the right side;
- Agent-recipients green, yellow
and red spheres to the left from the
source-agent;
- Information flow blue, light
blue arrows from the agent-source to the
recipients;
- Measure of changes of state of
agent-recipient arrows from top to bottom by
appropriate color;
- Remote zones of the space from the
agent-source point zone A is nearest
and C is farthest.
|
Division of the system space on three zones A, B
and C has following legend:
Agents-recipient located inside zone A have the
best conditions to interact with agent-source. They are
closed enough to the agent-source to receive and send
back real time reactions on signals of information flow.
Far from boundaries of zone A locate a zone B.
Agents-recipients from here can receive actual picture
from the agent-source, but they are too far for real time
reactions on the signals. Any agent-recipient from zone C
(located after zone B) receives only non-actual
information flow.
In the next section we continue this analysis.
Next section - 3.
Spatial boundaries of information interactions between agents
Previous section - 1.
Institutional Picture of Economic Interactions
