A neat example of what can be created in LaTeX, this shows real and monetary flows in an agent-based macroeconomic model with endogenous money.
This diagram is originally from TeXample.net; we've pre-loaded in writeLaTeX for you to try out.
To read more about it visit this TeXample page, or just click below to get started.
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% LaTeX Template: Interaction diagram
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% Source: http://www.texample.net/
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% Date: Jan 2012
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% Interaction diagram
% Author: Pascal Seppecher
% Based on diagram from Marco Miani.
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{tikz}
%%%<
\usepackage{verbatim}
\usepackage[active,tightpage]{preview}
\PreviewEnvironment{tikzpicture}
\setlength\PreviewBorder{75pt}%
%%%>
\begin{comment}
:Title: Interaction diagram
:Tags: Scopes,3D, Diagrams,Transparency,Economics,Computer Science
:Author: Pascal Seppecher
:Slug: interaction-diagram
Real and monetary flows in an agent-based
macroeconomic model with endogenous money.
\end{comment}
\usetikzlibrary{positioning}
\newcommand{\MonetaryLevel}{Monetary level}
\newcommand{\RealLevel}{Real level}
\newcommand{\Firms}{Firms}
\newcommand{\Households}{Households}
\newcommand{\Banks}{Banks}
\newcommand{\Commodities}{Commodities}
\newcommand{\LaborPower}{Labor power}
\newcommand{\Wages}{Wages}
\newcommand{\Consumption}{Consumption}
\newcommand{\Credits}{Credits}
\newcommand{\Withdrawals}{Withdrawals}
\newcommand{\Deposits}{Deposits}
\newcommand{\Repayments}{Repayments}
\newcommand{\yslant}{0.5}
\newcommand{\xslant}{-0.6}
\begin{document}
\begin{tikzpicture}[scale=1.1,every node/.style={minimum size=1cm},on grid]
% Real level
\begin{scope}[
yshift=-120,
every node/.append style={yslant=\yslant,xslant=\xslant},
yslant=\yslant,xslant=\xslant
]
% The frame:
\draw[black, dashed, thin] (0,0) rectangle (7,7);
% Agents:
\draw[fill=red]
(5,2) circle (.1) % Firms
(2,2) circle (.1); % Households
% Flows:
\draw[-latex,thin]
(2,1.8) to[out=-90,in=-90] (5,1.8); % Labour Powers
\draw[-latex,thin]
(5,2.2) to[out=90,in=90] (2,2.2); % Wages
% Labels:
\fill[black]
(0.5,6.5) node[right, scale=.7] {\RealLevel}
(5.1,1.9) node[right,scale=.7]{\textbf{\Firms}}
(1.9,1.9) node[left,scale=.7]{\textbf{\Households}}
(2.2,3) node [scale=.6, rotate=40] {\Commodities}
(4.8,1) node [scale=.6, rotate=40] {\LaborPower};
\end{scope}
% 2 vertical lines for linking agents on the 2 levels
\draw[ultra thin](3.8,4) to (3.8,-0.32);
\draw[ultra thin](.8,2.4) to (.8,-1.8);
% Monetary level
\begin{scope}[
yshift=0,
every node/.append style={yslant=\yslant,xslant=\xslant},
yslant=\yslant,xslant=\xslant
]
% The frame:
\fill[white,fill opacity=.75] (0,0) rectangle (7,7); % Opacity
\draw[black, dashed, thin] (0,0) rectangle (7,7);
% Agents:
\draw [fill=red]
(5,2) circle (.1) % Firms
(2,2) circle (.1) % Households
(3.5,5) circle (.1); % Banks
% Monetary Flows:
\draw[-latex, thin]
(3.65,5.1) to[out=30,in=30] (5.15,2.1); % Credits
\draw[-latex, thin]
(5,1.8) to[out=-90,in=-90] (2,1.8); % Wages
\draw[-latex, thin]
(1.9,2.1) to[out=150,in=150] (3.4,5.1); % Deposits
\draw[-latex, thin]
(3.6,4.9) to[out=-30,in=-30] (2.1,1.9); % Withdrawals
\draw[-latex, thin]
(2,2.2) to[out=90,in=90] (5,2.2); % Consumption
\draw[-latex, thin]
(4.85,1.9) to[out=210,in=210] (3.35,4.9) ; % Repayments
% Labels:
\fill[black]
(0.5,6.5) node[right, scale=.7] {\MonetaryLevel}
(5.1,1.9) node[right,scale=.7]{\textbf {\Firms}}
(1.9,1.9) node[left,scale=.7]{\textbf {\Households}}
(3.5,5.1) node[above,scale=.7]{\textbf {\Banks}}
(5.5,2.8) node [above, scale=.6, rotate=-100] {\Credits}
(2.6,1.3) node [above, scale=.6, rotate=-10] {\Withdrawals}
(2.9,4.25) node [above, scale=.6, rotate=50] {\Repayments}
(2.6,5) node [above, scale=.6, rotate=25] {\Deposits}
(4.7,2.9) node [above, scale=.6, rotate=-60] {\Consumption}
(2.3,1.3) node [below, scale=.6, rotate=-40] {\Wages};
\end{scope}
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}