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SYLLABUS

Comparative Political Economy of Innovation, 7,5 ECTS Credits

COURSE CATEGORY   Single Subject Course MAIN FIELD OF STUDY   Science, Technology and Society - TSE SUBJECT AREA     COURSE CODE   HINX30

AIM OF THE COURSE

Students acquire and develop, an essential understanding of relations amongst high technology, product or process innovation, employment and economic prowth.

CONTENTS

In this course, students examine innovation within different economic and political systems. They use comparisons between nations and regions to explore how firms, governments and other organisations interact in different systems of innovation. Their investigations focus on two main issues. The first is the relationship between different institutional settings and the innovation process. Students consider, for example, how different public technology policies or financial systems influence processes of innovation. The second focus is on the effects that different patterns of innovation have on economic performance. Technological Change and Economic Growth This section addresses a broad social and economic context within which firms act. It leads into questions such as the institutional framework of different countries and which types of technologies and products create new jobs and economic growth in general. Systems of Innovation and Networks This section uses the different perspectives already discussed in order to ask why and how regional vs. national vs. international contacts between firms and groups of firms and their institutional context can be important. This importance can vary in relation to institutional contexts. For example, this approach would allow us to compare "East Gothia region" (Östergötland) with Silicon Valley and Kista. This is relevant both for asking how firms can or should act in different areas as well as for understanding the different faces of capitalism.

TEACHING

Teaching takes the form of lectures and discussion seminars. The teachers are also active in the department of Technology and Social Change. Visiting scholars and practitioners in business or public organisations may also give guest lectures.

EXAMINATION

Written examination and active participation in seminars. In addition, all course members are expected to participate actively in seminar discussions. Students who have failed an examination are normally allowed to retake it on two additional occasions, one of which should be arranged shortly after the first examination. Students failing an exam covering either the entire course or part of the course two times are entitled to have a new examiner appointed for the reexamination. Students who have passed an examination may not retake it in order to improve their grades.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Documented knowledge of English equivalent to “Engelska B” is required, or an international proficiency test, e.g. TOEFL, minimum score 550/213. Students must be in at least their third year of studies. It is preferable to have studied at least two semesters of economics, political science or business studies.

GRADING

The course is graded according to the ECTS grading scale A-F

CERTIFICATE

Course certificate is issued by the Faculty Board on request. The Department provides a special form which should be submitted to the Student Affairs Division.

COURSE LITERATURE

The course literature is decided upon by the department in question.

OTHER INFORMATION

Planning and implementation of a course must take its starting point in the wording of the syllabus. The course evaluation included in each course must therefore take up the question how well the course agrees with the syllabus. The course is carried out in such a way that both men´s and women´s experience and knowledge is made visible and developed.

Comparative Political Economy of Innovation Comparative Political Economy of Innovation   Department responsible for the course or equivalent: TEMA - The Tema Institute             Registrar No: 102/05-41   Course Code: HINX30           Exam codes: see Local Computer System       Subject/Subject Area : Science, Technology and Society - TSE                       Level   Education level     Subject Area Code   Field of Education   C-D       TSE   SA   The syllabus was approved by the Board of Faculty of Arts and Science 2005-05-09