ME3: Innovationsökonomik

VL Nr. tba The Economics of Innovation

Course Outline

It is widely believed that innovation is the key driver behind economic growth in developed economies, and even more so in Western Europe, Japan and the US. All three economic areas are short of natural resources and their most important good is brain, e.g. a well educated labor force that creates innovations that can be sold on world markets.

This course discusses the economics behind innovation. In particular issues related with the incentives to innovate and the business strategies associated with innovation.

This course hence endows students with the elementary skills necessary to understand the driving forces behind innovation at the firm level which enables them to judge and rate a firms' innovation policy.

Target group

This course is recommendable for graduate students of management and economics who plan to work with high technology firms or institutions that finances innovative firms such as banking, private equity or Venture Capital.

Course readings

The main text of this course is Suzanne Scotchmer's textbook "Innovation and Incentives". The book is supplemented by academic papers from both Economics and Management as well as by case studies and articles from the business press. For more information see the reading list.

Course format

Every Tuesday during the spring semester

* Tutorials start tba.

Grading

This class is worth 6 ECTS points. Students from Business Administration and Management and Economics can use the credit points for the course as follows:

• MA: Wahlpflichtbereich BWL 5
• MA: Pflichtmodule ME

Final written exam probably on tba; study material is not allowed.