The course provides an introduction to three topics in the Economics of Innovation: 1) Overview of Economics of Innovation, 2) Innovation Networks and 3) Radical Innovation, Technological Revolutions and General Purpose Technologies.

Part 1 will offer a general overivew of concepts and topics studies in Economics of Innovation. Basic models on incentives to investment in R&D will be introduced and explained.

Part 2 will depart from the idea that innovative activities occur in isolation to model and test the formation and performance of innovation networks. Both the theoretical and the methodological dimensions of network analysis are discussed in class.

Part 3 will trace a (theoretical and empirical) path going from theories of Long Waves and technological revolutions to recent modeling involving the role of major technological change to explain long-run macroeconomic fluctuations as well as mutual inducements in innovative activities between different industries.

Assessment: Students are assessed on the basis of a seminar paper (10 pages of plain text, 50% of the final mark) and a research proposal (2 pages of plain text, 50% of the final mark). The seminar paper develops a topic assigned by the teacher and is based on suggested relevant literature. The research proposal is an original attempt of the student to re-interpret the concepts learnt in class into a draft research project stating aim, hypotheses, reference literature, methods, expected results. The topic for the essay will be communicated in class, together with the deadline for the delivery.