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Coping with the Complexity of Economics pp 111–130Cite as

A Complex Approach to Estimate Shadow Economy: The Structural Equation Modelling

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Part of the book series: New Economic Windows ((NEW))

Abstract

This article develops some ideas of the application of the “complexity” approach in economics. The complexity approach criticizes the scientific method by distrusting sample reductionism and proposes a multidisciplinary approach. Hence, it abolishes old paradigms by arguing to build up another one with the endowment of greater realism. We argue that one should promote the sharing of knowledge and/or methodologies among disciplines and, for economics, limiting the “autistic” (or autarchy) process, which is critically discussed in economics already. Remembering (1936, p. viii) words, the problem for economics seems to be not so much to develop new ideas but to have the difficulties of “escaping from old ideas” and from “habitual modes of thought and expression”.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Economia, Matematica e Statistica, Università di Foggia, Italy

    Roberto Dell’Anno

  2. Department of Economics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria

    Friedrich Schneider

Authors
  1. Roberto Dell’Anno
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  2. Friedrich Schneider
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche e Statistiche, Università degli Studi di Salerno, Italy

    Marisa Faggini

  2. Department of Economics, University of Kiel, Germany

    Thomas Lux

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Dell’Anno, R., Schneider, F. (2009). A Complex Approach to Estimate Shadow Economy: The Structural Equation Modelling. In: Faggini, M., Lux, T. (eds) Coping with the Complexity of Economics. New Economic Windows. Springer, Milano. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-1083-3_7

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