Course-PM

TEK320 ICT economics and policy lp2 HT19 (7.5 hp)

Course is offered by the Department of Technology Management and Economics

Course is part of the Master Program Management and Economics of Innovation, and also the Humans, Technology, Society (MTS) Program.

Contact details

Examiner and course responsible:

Erik Bohlin, erik.bohlin@chalmers.se and tel +46317721205

Teachers

Erik Bohlin (EB), Professor, Chalmers University of Technology, (examiner and course responsible)

Teodosio Pérez Amaral, Professor, Universidad Complutense Madrid

Peter Altmann (PA), PhD, Senior researcher, RISE

Anwesha Chakraborty (AC), PhD, Bologna University

Simon Forge (SF),  Ph.D, SCF Associates

Maude Hasbi (MH), PhD, Chalmers University of Technology

Maria Massaro (MM), Chalmers University of Technology

Christian Sandström (CS), Associate Professor, Chalmers University of Technology

Harald Øverby (HÖ), Professor, NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Aim

The course Digital Economy and Policy introduces students to one of the most dynamic sectors of the economy, namely the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector. The aim of the course is to provide tools for analysing the complex dynamics of the ICT sector, by taking both a historical and forward-looking perspective on key strategic and policy issues, as well as their underlying economic logic.

Content

The course Digital Economy and Policy addresses ICT issues from different angles, which include:

• Key policy and strategic issues in the ICT industry;
• Overview of tools to understand institutional change, regulation, policy, industry change and corporate strategy;
• Investment, costing and demand;
• Foresight and future issues relating to the ICT sector;
• Interaction between government actions and strategic decision making;
• User perspectives of technology change and development;
• Identification and analysis of the particular ethical dilemmas that the ICT sector poses, related to privacy, inclusion, and

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course students will be able to:

1. Apply theories, frameworks, conceptual tools and methods related to institutions, policy, regulation, strategy, industry and innovation dynamics in relation to the complex interplay between technology and society;
2. Analyze policies and regulations relevant for ICT industries and markets, in an international perspective, and address ethical and social dilemmas, such as sustainable development;
3. Identify main policy, regulatory and strategic issues;
4. Apply conceptual tools, methods and framework for analyzing policy dynamics and for taking strategic

Link to the syllabus on Studieportalen.

Study plan

Text vs files: Syllabus, schedule and modules

Find attached the syllabus and schedule files with complete text.

For the same text, scroll further below,  and consult the course page modules for detailed information on the assignments. Readings and lectures slides are available in the modules per week. 

TEK320 SP2 2019_2020 - Syllabus-rev 22 Oct v3-1.pdf

Schedule TEK320, SP2, 2019_20-v 21 Oct.pdf

TimeEdit

Course material

Course literature is available on the course homepage at the start of the course. Lecture slides will be uploaded on the course homepage after each lecture. See applicable week modules for readings and slides. 

Group Registration

Group registration opens at the start of the course. Group registration provides access for the two group-based course assignments (project outline and project report). Each group has maximum of four students, and only one group slot is open per student. The students pick themselves which group they want to join. 

Examination

In order to pass this course, students are required to complete five assignments:

1. Project outline;
2. Project report;
3. Individual reflection;
4. Take-home exam 1;
5. Take-home exam

All five assignments are compulsory, which means that only students that deliver all five assignments can pass the course. Students are asked to complete the first four assignments while the course lectures are ongoing. Only the deadline for take-home 2 is usually placed after the last course lecture. Project outline and project report are group-based assignments, while individual reflection, take-home exam 1 and take-home exam 2 are individual assignments.

These five assignments are described in more detail in the separate modules in this course home page. Furthermore, handouts with additional instructions regarding take-home exam 1 and 2 will be distributed during the lectures and later uploaded on the course homepage.

Written assignments have to be uploaded on the course homepage, using their specific assignment slots. Deadlines for uploading assignments on the course homepage are mandatory. It is not possible to upload documents after deadlines are passed.

Grading

Each assignment gives students a certain amount of points. Students have to earn a minimum amount of points per assignment in order to pass the course. Minimum and maximum points per assignment are illustrated in Table 1. There are no points associated with the project outline, which, however, needs to be approved by the examiner.

Table 1. Minimum and Maximum amount of points per assignment

ASSIGNMENT	MIN AMOUNT OF POINTS	MAX AMOUNT OF POINTS
Project Outline	Approval	Approval
Project Report	20	50
Individual Reflection	4	10
Take-Home Exam 1	8	20
Take-Home Exam 2	8	20
Total	40	100

The sum of all points earned gives the final grade. The final grade can be FAIL, 3, 4 or 5. The amounts of points which correspond to the various grades are illustrated in Table 2.

The sum of all points earned gives the final grade. Please have a look at the table below:

Table 2. Final Grade

SUM OF POINTS	FINAL GRADE
Below 40	FAIL
Between 40-59	3
Between 60-79	4
Between 80-100	5

 

Schedule

TimeEdit

 

Week	Date	Room	Time	Topic	Lecturer
1	Monday 4 November	FB	13:15-14:00 14:15-16:00	•            Course introduction •            Network society •            Williamson framework •            Digital policy and regulation	EB
1	Thursday 7 November	SB-H2	08:00-11:45	•            IT history and forecasting	SF
2	Monday 11 November	FB	13:15-16:00	•            Digital transformation and strategy	HÖ/EB
2	Thursday 14 November	SB-H2	09:00-11:45	•            Digital policy and regulation (continued)	EB
3	Monday 18 November	FB	13:15-16:00	•            Demand and digital services •            Project outlines •            Hand-out of take-home exam 1	EB TPA
3	Thursday 21 November	SB-H2	09:00- 11:45	•            Digital policy and social inclusion	AC
4	Monday 25 November	FB	13:15-16:00	•             Blockchain	PA
4	Thursday 28 November	SB-H2	09:00-11:45	•            Artificial Intelligence	SF
5	Monday 2 December	HB1	13:15-16:00	•            5G policy and radio spectrum policy	EB
5	Thursday 5 December	SB-H2	09:00-11:45	•            Broadband economy	MH
5	Friday 6 December	Vasa A	13.15-16.00	•            Ph.D. dissertation public seminar: Radio Spectrum Management in the European Union	MM
6	Monday 9 December	FB	13.15-16.00	•            The politics of policy	CS
6	Thursday 12 December	SB-H2	10:00-11:45	•            Guest lecture with Per L Johnsson from LM Ericsson •            Wrap-up •            Take-home exam 2 (handout)	EB
7	Thursday 19 December	SB-L200	08:00-11:45	•            Project group presentations	EB
		SB-L308	08:00-11:45	•            Project group presentations	MH

 

EB – Erik Bohlin; SF – Simon Forge; HÖ – Harald Överby; TPA – Teodosio Perez Amaral; AC – Anwesha Chakraborty; PA – Peter Altmann; MH –Maude Hasbi; MM – Maria Massaro; CS – Christian Sandström

Course summary

Mandatory Assignments, Deadlines and Max Points

Group-based Assignments	Start Date	Deadline	Oral Part	Max Points
Group Registration	4 November	16 November		Approval
Project Outline	4 November	16 November	18 Nov	Approval
P. Outline Re-sub.		22 November
Project Report	4 November	17 December	19 Dec	50
Individual Assignments	Start Date	Deadline	Oral Part	Max Points
Individual Reflection	4 November	5 December	No oral pres	10
Take-home exam 1	14 November	10 December		20
Take-home exam 2	12 December	10 January		20

Make-up Assignment

In order to pass this course, all five assignments have to be completed. For the individual assignments, written texts have to be submitted via the course homepage. If one of the written texts is not delivered, students cannot pass the course.

For the group-based assignments, both the written and the oral parts are mandatory for all students. Written texts have to be submitted via the course homepage. If one of the written texts is not delivered, students cannot pass the course. Students who cannot participate in the presentation of the project outline or project report are asked to deliver an additional assignment. Make-up assignments are available on the course homepage, in the folder “Make-up assignments”. Deadline for uploading make-up assignments on the course homepage is 10 January.

Guest lectures

At least one guest lecture is usually included in the course programme. Students are kindly invited to participate in guest lectures, for two main reasons: firstly, for the sake of students’ own learning process, which can benefit from experiences and expertise of guest lecturers, and, secondly, as a form of respect towards time and effort of lecturers and administrators of this course. Furthermore, one or more of the six assignments of this course might be centred on the content of guest lectures. Extra guest lectures might be included in the course programme, in addition to the ones already indicated in the course schedule. In case of an additional guest lecture, the schedule will be modified accordingly and students will be informed using the course home page.

This year we have the pleasure to ask the students to join the public defense of Ph.D. dissertation by Maria Massaro, entitled “Radio Spectrum Management in the European Union”. Maria has been a very much appreciated teacher in this course, and the public seminar is directly relevant to the course. You will learn a lot! This will be an opportunity to learn from science in action and also to deepen your knowledge in a specific field.

MTS requirement for all students

According to Decision 2002-12-11/C889-02 of the vice president for graduate studies, all students have to achieve credits in the study programme Humans, Technology, Society (Människa, Teknik, Samhälle) in order to obtain the degree of graduate engineer (civilingenjör). The course TEK320 is part of the MTS curriculum. 

Course Evaluation

At the end of the study period, the course will be evaluated by an evaluation group. The group evaluation is formed by the examiner and two or three students. Students can voluntarily propose themselves as potential evaluators. A course evaluation meeting is usually held at lunch time (12-13) at the Department of Technology Management and Economics. The aim of the course evaluation is to improve and further content and structure of the course.