Course content
In this course students study the concept of innovation in greater depth and the role that it has played in the economic development of Asian countries in the past and the present. Students will discuss the difference between imitation and innovation but also the blurred boundaries between the two. They will also examine how innovation happens and the different roles of firms and governments. Lastly, the course will also consider how innovation in firms and national economies interact with global economic dynamics, multinational corporations and transnational technical communities and the transfer of knowledge through the migration of people.
The first lectures will introduce students to the main themes and theoretical concepts in the economics of innovation literature. Then main part of the course will then look at specific country experiences ranging from the economic catch-up experiences of Northeast Asian countries South Korea and Taiwan to the latest catch-up effort of China. The course will also examine innovation in specific industries such as semiconductors, software, renewable energy and electric vehicles.
See the full course description in the course catalogue