External shocks as the major cause of economic fluctuations have dominated the debate in economic theory. In fact, propositions based on endogenous explanation of instabilities always found difficulties in formalization, basically by considering nonlinearities and cumulativeness as intrinsic characteristics of the economic system. Recently, however, the use of computational tools has increasingly allowed overcoming these obstacles. In this context, the paper aims at analyzing the aggregate behavior of an economic system characterized by interaction between heterogeneous agents, which take decisions in a decentralized way and subject to uncertainty. The methodology is based on construction and computational implementation of an agent-based model. Specifically, an industrial structure with asymmetric product differentiation is linked to a financial system based on credit. Among the results, financial crises, similar to that proposed by Minsky, emerge from the system evolution.
Agents; money; product differentiation; uncertainty
