Dr. Adriaan van Zon


Senior researcher

Research group(s):
4. Governance and institutions
5. Innovation and Entrepreneurship for Sustainability Transitions

Adriaan van Zon studied economics at the University of Groningen from 1974 to 1981. In 1985, having completed his PhD research involving the construction of a multi-sectoral model for the Netherlands, he moved to the Department of Economics of Maastricht University. Since 1988 he has been working at MERIT, where he has been involved in the construction of various macro-sectoral models to study the impact of technological change on employment and competitiveness, but also on CO2-emission reductions in a macro-sectoral framework.




Selected publications by Adriaan van Zon


Articles (journal, professional, popular)
Zon, Adriaan van & Roberto Antonietti, 2016, Education and training in a model of endogenous growth with creative wear-and-tear, Economia Politica, 33(1): 35-62, DOI: 10.1007/s40888-016-0023-5, More information
Zon, Adriaan van & Evans Mupela, 2016, Connectivity and economic growth, Macroeconomic Dynamics, 20(8): 2148-2172, DOI: 10.1017/S136510051500022X, More information
Zon, Adriaan van & Hakan Yetkiner, 2003, An endogenous growth model with embodied energy-saving technical change, Resource and Energy Economics, 25: 81-103
Zon, Adriaan van & Joan Muysken, 2001, Health, education and endogenous growth, Journal of Health Economics, 20(2): 169-185
Muysken, Joan, Mark Sanders & Adriaan van Zon, 2001, Wage divergence and asymmetries in unemployment in a model with biased technical change, De Economist, 149(1): 13-31
Soete, Luc & Adriaan van Zon, 2000, Energy technology dynamics, International Journal of Global Energy Issues, 14(1-4): 65-103
Smith, Keith & Adriaan van Zon, 2000, A longer-term outlook on future energy systems, International Journal of Global Energy Issues, 14(1-4): 348-373
Zon, Adriaan van & G. J. Kommer, 1999, Patient-flows and optimal health care resource allocation at the macro-level: A dynamic linear programming approach, Journal of Health Management Sciences


Book chapters
Nomaler, Önder, Bart Verspagen & Adriaan van Zon, 2020, The Role of Innovation in Structural Change, Economic Development, and the Labor Market, in: K. Zimmermann & M. Vivarelli (Eds), Handbook of Labor, Human Resources and Population Economics, Springer, Cham, More information
Zon, Adriaan van & Tobias Kronenberg, 2006, Energy transitions and policy design in a GPT setting with cyclical growth through basic and applied R&D, in: In C. de Miguel, X Labandeira Villot, & B Manzano (Eds.), Economic Modelling of Climate Change and Energy Policy, Edward Elgar, Cheltenham
Zon, Adriaan van & Tobias Kronenberg, 2006, Energy transitions and policy design in a GPT setting with cyclical growth through basic and applied R&D, in: Carlos de Miguel, Xavier Labandeira and Balthasar Manzano (eds.), Economic Modelling of Climate Change and Energy Policy, Edward Elgar, Cheltenham
Zon, Adriaan van & Joan Muysken, 2005, The impact of ICT investment on knowledge accumulation and economic growth, in: L.L.G. Soete & B ter Weel (Eds.), The Economics of the Digital Society, Edward Elgar, Cheltenham
Zon, Adriaan van & Joan Muysken, 2005, Health as a Principal Determinant of Economic Growth, in: G Lopez-Gasanovas, L Currais & B Rivera (Eds.), Health and Economic Growth, Findings and Policy Implications, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA
Bevilacqua, Franco & Adriaan van Zon, 2004, Random walks and non-linear paths in macroeconomic timeseries: some evidence and implications, in: John Foster & Werner Holzl (Eds.), Applied Evolutionary Economics and Complex Systems, Edward Elgar, Cheltenham
Zon, Adriaan van, Mark Sanders & Joan Muysken, 2001, Modelling the link between skill biases in technical change and wage divergence through labour market extensions of Krugman’s North-South model, in: Pascal Petit and Luc Soete (eds.), Technology and the Future of European Employment, Edward Elgar Publishing
Zon, Adriaan van & Joan Muysken, 2001, Skill biases in employment opportunities and income perspectives: Should we try to shake the invisible hand?, in: G.H. Kuper, E. Sterken and E. Wester (eds.), Coordination and Growth: Essays in Honour of Simon Kuipers, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht
Zon, Adriaan van, Huub Meijers & Joan Muysken, 2001, Sweeping the chimney before kindling the fire as a workable option for employment policy, in: Pascal Petit and Luc Soete (eds.), Technology and the Future of European Employment, Edward Elgar Publishing
Zon, Adriaan van, Huub Meijers & Joan Muysken, 2000, On trickling chimneys and other unemployment misery, in: Hans Heijke and Joan Muysken (eds.), Education and Training in a Knowledge-Based Economy, MacMillan Press, London
Zon, Adriaan van, Joan Muysken & Huub Meijers, 1998, Asymmetric skill substitution, labour market flexibility, and the allocation of qualifications, in: H. Heijke and L. Borghans (eds), Towards a Transparent Labour Market for Educational Decisions, Avebury Publishers
Zon, Adriaan van, Joan Muysken & Huub Meijers, 1998, Asymmetric skill substitution, labour market flexibility, and the allocation of qualifications, in: Hans Heijke en Lex Borghans (eds.), Towards a Transparent Labour Market for Educational Decisions, Avebury Publishers, London
Zon, Adriaan van, 1991, Vintage capital and the measurement of technological progress, in: Technology and Productivity. The Challenge for Economic Policy, OECD, Paris
Zon, Adriaan van, 1990, Vintage capital and R&D based technological progress, in: C. Freeman and L. Soete (eds.), New Explorations in the Economics of Technological Change, Pinter Publishers, London & New York
Muysken, Joan & Adriaan van Zon, 1989, Employment in the Netherlands, 1960-1984: a putty-clay approach, in: J. Muysken and C. de Neubourg (eds.), Unemployment in Europe, Macmillan, London


UNU-MERIT Working Papers
Zon, Adriaan van, 2016, On the optimum timing of the global carbon-transition under conditions of extreme weather-related damages: further green paradoxical results, UNU-MERIT Working Paper 2016-010
Meysonnat, Aline, Joan Muysken & Adriaan van Zon, 2015, Poverty traps: the neglected role of vitality, UNU-MERIT Working Paper 2015-052
Zon, Adriaan van & Paul A. David, 2013, Designing an optimal 'tech fix' path to global climate stability: Directed R&D and embodied technical change in a multi-phase framework, This paper is an extensively revised version of UNU-MERIT Working Paper 2013-009. The latter paper has been cited in other work and therefore continues to be accessible, although superceded by the present version, UNU-MERIT Working Paper 2013-041
Zon, Adriaan van & Paul A. David, 2013, Designing an optimal 'tech fix' path to global climate stability: R&D in a multi-phase climate policy framework, UNU-MERIT Working Paper 2013-009
Zon, Adriaan van & Paul A. David, 2012, Optimal multi-phase transition paths toward a global green economy, This working papers has been revised and republished as WP2013-009, UNU-MERIT Working Paper 2012-079
David, Paul A. & Adriaan van Zon, 2012, Optimal multi-phase transition paths toward a stabilized global climate: Integrated dynamic requirements analysis for the 'tech fix', UNU-MERIT Working Paper 2012-075
Zon, Adriaan van & Kirsten Wiebe, 2010, Efficient Development Portfolio Design for Sub Saharan Africa, UNU-MERIT Working Paper 2010-050
Zon, Adriaan van & Evans Mupela, 2010, Endogenous Economic Growth through Connectivity, UNU-MERIT Working Paper 2010-001
Zon, Adriaan van & Tobias Schmidt, 2008, To Be or Not to Be at the BOP: A One-North-Many-Souths Model with Subsistence and Luxury Goods, UNU-MERIT Working Paper 2008-046
Zon, Adriaan van & Sabine Fuss, 2006, Irreversible Investment under Uncertainty in Electricity Generation: A Clay-Clay-Vintage Portfolio Approach with an Application to Climate Change Policy in the UK, UNU-MERIT Working Paper 2006-035
Zon, Adriaan van & H Kiiver, 2006, On the Persistence of Inequality in the Distribution of Personal Abilities and Income, UNU-MERIT Working Paper 2006-013


Research memoranda
Zon, Adriaan van & Sabine Fuss, 2005, Investing in Energy Conversion Technologies - An Optimum Vintage Portfolio Selection Approach, MERIT Research Memoranda 2005-013
Zon, Adriaan van & Tobias Kronenberg, 2005, General Purpose Technologies and Energy Policy, MERIT Research Memoranda 2005-012
Zon, Adriaan van & Roberto Antonietti, 2005, Education and Training in a Model of Endogenous Growth with Creative Destruction, MERIT Research Memoranda 2005-011
Zon, Adriaan van & Thomas Lontzek, 2005, A ‘putty-practically-clay’ vintage model with R&D driven biases in energy-saving technical change, MERIT Research Memoranda 2005-006
Zon, Adriaan van, 2005, Vintage Modelling for Dummies using the Putty-Practically-Clay Approach, MERIT Research Memoranda 2005-005
Zon, Adriaan van, Emmanuelle Fortune & Tobias Kronenberg, 2003, How to Sow and Reap as You Go: a Simple Model of Cyclical Endogenous Growth , MERIT Research Memoranda 2003-026
Zon, Adriaan van & Joan Muysken, 2003, Health as a Principal Determinant of Economic Growth, MERIT Research Memoranda 2003-021
Straathof, Bas & Adriaan van Zon, 2002, Research in energy conversion technologies: Policy instruments and uncertainty, MERIT Research Memoranda 2002-003
Zon, Adriaan van, 2001, ICT-Investment, Knowledge Accumulation and Endogenous Growth, MERIT Research Memoranda 2001-038
Zon, Adriaan van & Hakan Yetkiner, 2001, An Endogenous Growth Model à la Romer with Embodied Energy-Saving Technological Change, MERIT Research Memoranda 2001-032
Zon, Adriaan van, 2001, A Simple Endogenous Growth Model With Asymmetric Employment Opportunities by Skill, MERIT Research Memoranda 2001-029
Bevilacqua, Franco & Adriaan van Zon, 2001, Random walks and non-linear paths in macroeconomic time series: Some evidence and implications, Published in John Foster & Werner Holzl (Eds.), Applied Evolutionary Economics and Complex Systems (pp. 36-77) Cheltenham: Edward Elgar., MERIT Research Memoranda 2001-007
Zon, Adriaan van & Mark Sanders, 2000, Endogenous Technical Change and Skill Biases in Employment Opportunities, MERIT Research Memoranda 2000-004
Zon, Adriaan van, Huub Meijers & Hakan Yetkiner, 1999, Endogenous Energy Saving Technical Change in the Romer Model, MERIT Research Memoranda 1999-022
Muysken, Joan, Mark Sanders & Adriaan van Zon, 1999, Wage Divergence and Asymmetries in Unemployment in a Model with Biased Technical Change, MERIT Research Memoranda 1999-020
Muysken, Joan, Mark Sanders & Adriaan van Zon, 1998, Wage Divergence and Asymmetries in Unemployment in a Model with Biased Technical Change, MERIT Research Memoranda 1998-028
Zon, Adriaan van, Mark Sanders & Joan Muysken, 1998, Modelling the link between Skill-Biases in Technical Change and Wage Divergence through Labour Market Extensions of Krugman's North-South Model, MERIT Research Memoranda 1998-027
Zon, Adriaan van, Huub Meijers & Joan Muysken, 1998, Sweeping the Chimney before Kindling the Fire as a Workable Option for Employment Policy, MERIT Research Memoranda 1998-016
Zon, Adriaan van & Joan Muysken, 1997, Health, Education and Endogenous Growth, MERIT Research Memoranda 1997-009
Zon, Adriaan van, Huub Meijers & Joan Muysken, 1997, On Trickling Chimneys and other Unemployment Misery, MERIT Research Memoranda 1997-006
Zon, Adriaan van & Joan Muysken, 1996, MASS: A Model of Asymmetric Skill Substitution, MERIT Research Memoranda 1996-016
Verberne, Perry, Adriaan van Zon & Joan Muysken, 1996, A Three-Sector Endogenous Growth Model with Combined Technological Change: the choice between basic innovations and quality improvements, MERIT Research Memoranda 1996-015
Meijers, Huub & Adriaan van Zon, 1994, RUM, a Recursive Update Putty-Semi-Putty Vintage Production Model: Sectoral Estimation Results For Germany and the Netherlands, MERIT Research Memoranda 1994-010
Zon, Adriaan van, 1994, RUM: a Simple Recursive Update Model Providing a Condensed Representation of a Putty-Semi-Putty Vintage Model, MERIT Research Memoranda 1994-002
Meyl, Hans van & Adriaan van Zon, 1993, Endogenous technological change by cost-reducing and demand-creating innovations, MERIT Research Memoranda 1993-027
Zon, Adriaan van, 1993, The Continuous Recursive Adjustment Putty-Putty Model: An Outline of Its Main Features, MERIT Research Memoranda 1993-016


Research reports
David, Paul A., Can Huang, Luc Soete & Adriaan van Zon, 2009, Toward a Global Science and Technology Policy Agenda for Sustainable Development, United Nations University Policy Brief, No. 4, 2009
Dunnewijk, Theo, Huub Meijers & Adriaan van Zon, 2007, Accounting for the Impact of Information and Communication Technologies on Total Factor Productivity: Towards and Endogenous Growth Approach, edited by S. Barrios, European Commission, Joint Research Centre, IIPS, Seville, More information
Dunnewijk, Theo, Huub Meijers & Adriaan van Zon, 2003, The Impact of ICT on Economic Growth and Productivity: a review of the literature, Final Report prepared for 'Study on ICT and economic growth', Seville: JRC IPTS, 57 pp.
Zon, Adriaan van & Mark Sanders, 2002, On Growth Frontiers and Labour Market Policies, report for DGV of the European Commission. Brussels: European Commission
Zon, Adriaan van, 2002, Induced Skill-Biases in Technological Change and Asymmetries in Employment Perspectives, Report for DGXII of the European Commission. Brussels: European Commission


Proceedings
Zon, Adriaan van & G. J. Kommer, 1999, A dynamic resource allocation model of the care for the mentally disabled in the Netherlands, in: J.G. Anderson and M. Katzper (eds.), Health Sciences Simulation, Proceedings of the 1999 Health Sciences Simulation Conference, San Francisco, 16-21


Conference contributions
Wiebe, Kirsten & Adriaan van Zon, 2011, Efficient development portfolio design for Sub-Saharan Africa, Ecomod 2011, June 28 - July 1, Ponta Delgada, Portugal, More information
Kronenberg, Tobias & Adriaan van Zon, 2004, General Purpose Technologies and Energy Policy, La Toja, Spain, 1st Atlantic Workshop on Energy and Environemental Economics
Kronenberg, Tobias & Adriaan van Zon, 2004, General Purpose Technologies and Energy Policy, Ascona, Switzerland, Monte Veritá Conference on Sustainable Use and Economic Dynamics
Fuss, Sabine & Adriaan van Zon, 2004, Investing in Energy Conversion Technologies. An Optimum Portfolio Selection Approach, Amsterdam, NAKE Day
Fuss, Sabine & Adriaan van Zon, 2004, Investing in Energy Conversion Technologies. An Optimum Portfolio Selection Approach, Paris, IEW
Zon, Adriaan van, Huub Meijers & Joan Muysken, 1998, Skill substitution asymmetries and employment perspectives, information and communications technologies, employment and earnings, Sophia-Antipolis/Nice. Paper presentation


Briefs
David, Paul A., Can Huang, Luc Soete & Adriaan van Zon, 2009, Toward a Global Science and Technology Policy Agenda for Sustainable Development, UNU Policy Brief No. 4, More information


Other (editorship, media appearance, keynote, etc.)
Zon, Adriaan van & Huub Meijers, 2006, Software investments and Productivity Growth: The economic prospects of FLOSS, paper contribution to the project 'Economic impact of open source software on innovation and the competitiveness of the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) sector in the EU'), Brussels: EC, DG INFSO, ENTR/04/112


UNU-MERIT