Are there studies about a Bitcoin-like economy with inflation? Assume, we create an alternative cryptocurrency ("InflationCoin") based on the bitcoin software with one change to the protocol:


The Block reward is constant, e.g. 50 InflationCoin


Technically this would work just like Bitcoin while avoiding one of Bitcoin's most discussed characteristic, namely built-in deflation. The supply of InflationCoin would grow constantly, possibly leading to a controlled and predictable inflation if the InflationCoin economy does not grow as fast the supply of InflationCoins. Transactions are always cheap and therefore encouraged. Hoarding is dangerous due to the risk of inflation.

Since, both unsing Bitcoin and InflationCoin is voluntary, they could coexist and possibly attract different users or usage scenarios.
The alternative blockchain Freicoin is a solution to the "deflation-causes-hoarding-problem" (assuming that you think this is a genuine problem) using demurrage rather than inflation.

As for your proposal of making the rate of money growth linear and higher than the expected rate of InflationCoin economy growth, that would accomplish the same goal: punish those who put their savings in coin rather than something productive like stocks and bonds. 

According to Gresham's Law, Freicoin and InflationCoin should flourish as a medium of exchange and Bitcoin velocity should collapse as people tuck those relatively scarce coins away in wallets like they're bars of gold.

Of course, this isn't in fact happening. Maybe that's because of network effects (who accepts payment in coin of alternative block chains?) Or maybe the deflation theory is wrong.