Course-PM TCIT

Aim of this course:

to introduce you to theories, analytical frameworks and tools that give you an understanding of the relation between technological change, policy, clusters and industrial transformation, and the implications for firms.

This is done with an explicit focus on how you apply the above in different settings.

Course objectives:

After having taken the course, you will be better prepared to deal with the following issues:

1. Why are some industries profitable?
2. What factors shape the boundaries of firms and the organization of industries?
3. How do industries and technologies evolve over time?
4. How and why do some technologies gain acceptance?
5. How do different technologies influence industry structure and competitiveness of firms?
6. How do government legislation and technology interact?
7. How does science evolve over time and how is it influenced by external factors?
8. Why do technology clusters emerge and how can they be stimulated and/or created?

The course is organized as modules in the following way:

1. Introduction: Economics and Innovation
2. Analyzing industries, where you will learn how to analyze industry structure and profitability.
3. Technology and Industry, here a range of tools, theories and frameworks are introduced for understanding how technologies are improved and adopted as well as their impact on industry structure and competition.
4. Science, Technology and Society, where technology is related to scientific research, economic geography and politics.
5. Repetition, Application and Synthesis.

The course makes extensive use of digital content (videos, audios and slides) in order to make up room for lectures that are more interactive, including virtual office hours (see separate PM) where you can sign up for discussions over phone.

Lectures:are available online as videos or audio recordings. In-real-life lectures are devoted to applications, questions, cases, presentations and interaction. Student presentations will also be one part of class sessions (see separate PM). Lectures are not mandatory, and take place on Wednesdays and Thursdays (see separate schedule.

Advice on how to study:

• Listen / watch contents related to each session (as specified on Google Drive prior to the session. This is convenient and should help you grasp contents quickly, thereby raise productivity.
• Related to each session, there’s a Google Doc where you can post (anonymous) comments and questions. You can ask for clarifications, and feel free to disagree with the contents covered. These comments and questions, along with some recap of key concepts, presentations and case discussions will make up lectures.
• Based on the above, read the assigned course material quickly. Focus on applications such as project work, case questions covered in class and old exams.

Literature:A set of articles, book chapters, and concepts which will be available online (see separate reading list). Videos are used as a complement (playlist here). Google Drive is available here:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1uRMS6TDuSrT9-la6ZwinoS3LQ6SfMo9E

Examination:

1. A conventional exam on the readings and key concepts. At least 50 percent of the points on the exam will contain open-ended case questions where your ability to apply what you’ve learnt is tested. To receive a high mark, you therefore need to work actively throughout the course on your ability to not only memorize literature, but also learn how to apply it and solve problems. Lectures are specifically concerned with this, so while they’re not mandatory, experience from previous years shows that attending them helps you internalize course material. 70 percent of examination is based on the exam.
2. A scientific paper that is to be written in groups of three to four students (see separate PM). This part accounts for 30 percent of the grading.
3. Three bonus points if you give a mini-presentation as specified in a separate PM and present a draft of your project work towards the end of the course.

Grading:To pass the course you must pass the exam and receive a pass on the paper.

                                    Total points                 To pass     Grade 4           Grade 5

Exam                           70                                28

Scientific paper     30                                12

Total                            100                              40                    60                    80