Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Author-Name: Amy Peng
Author-X-Name-First: Amy
Author-X-Name-Last: Peng
Author-Email: apeng@economics.ryerson.ca 
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Economics, Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada
Author-Name: Francis McKenna
Author-X-Name-First: Francis
Author-X-Name-Last: McKenna
Author-Email: francis.mckenna@ontario.ca
Author-Workplace-Name: Ontario Ministry of Finance, Toronto, Canada
Title: Evolution of the Week
Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to provide an intuitive explanation of the emergence
and evolution of the week based on a historical precedent draw from ancient Egypt. In
this paper, we view the week as a coordinating social institution that was created to
resolve a fundamental problem of society - coordinating market exchange. Artificial
adaptive agents are used to simulate the interactions among farmers going to market. The
results show that the length of the week that emerges depends on the chosen cost and
benefit specifications and random interactions.
Classification-JEL: D02; B52;C63
Keywords: social institution, coordination games, agent based models
Length: 23 pages
Creation-Date: 2009-11
Number: 012
File-URL: http://economics.ryerson.ca/workingpapers/wp012.pdf
File-Format: Application/pdf
Handle: RePEc:rye:wpaper:wp012