Course Description

In this course, we examine economic, social, and institutional determinants of innovation. Innovation is a driving force of economic development in contemporary global economy. Empirical studies suggest innovation is not solely promoted by spontaneous scientific discovery, but also initiated by well-designed economic institutions that support the activities of scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs. In this course, we seek to answer several important questions such as: how innovation is defined, how innovation is promoted, and how to understand the influences of economic environment on the innovation carried out by various types of firms and organizations.