This special issue of the Journal of Economics and Statistics is devoted to the use of agent-based models for economic policy advice. It presents a collection of research papers in different fields of applications. Special emphasis is laid on discussing the potential and possible limitations of...

Summary Using a duopoly model of a patent race, it is shown that a stricter environmental policy might increase the probability of a sleeping patent instead of encouraging environmental technological progress. Two scenarios are discussed. The first concerns the regulation of a firm that competes...