INGLESE

Knowledge acquired in basic undergraduate courses in micro and macroeconomics

The teaching method is mainly based on frontal lectures. In addition to them there will be computer lab classes for data analysis and seminars in which students will give short presentations.

Students will get a comprehensive and updated review of the main determinants of innovation activities and their economic effects across countries, industries and companies.

Students should be able to: a) read and understand scientific articles and policy reports; b) use statistical sources and data bases for assessing, in a comparative perspective, how the economic peformance of different countries, industries and firms is affected by their R&D, patenting and IPR activities; c) write short reports on this topics.

The acquired competences should increase the students' capability to perform socio-economic analyses in a critical and autonomous way and communicate their findings to a broad public.

After a preliminary look at the relationship between scientific/technological progress and economic growth, the course illustrates some of the main features of the “Europe 2020” strategy for a smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. Then, the course examines: a) R&D activities among countries and industries and their impact on productivity growth; b) patents and other IPRs; the enforcement of patent rights; the role of environmental patents; the impact of IPRs on firm growth. Finally, innovation policies and the evaluation of R&D subsidies are addressed.
1. Introduction and policy issues
1.1. Science and economic growth
1.2. The Europe 2020 strategy
2. R&D and productivity growth
2.1. Research and Development (R&D)
2.2. Labour and Total Factor Productivity (TFP)
2.3. R&D and TFP growth: evidence across industries and countries
3. Patents and Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
3.1. Patents and other IPRs
3.2. Patent litigation and oppositions
3.3. Environmental patents and policies
3.4. IPRs and firm growth
4. Innovation policies and their evaluation
4.1. Taxonomy of innovation policies
4.2. Effectiveness of R&D subsidies

The final examination consists of a written and an oral exam.

The written exam is based upon:
1) an exercise requiring the computation and comparison of economic and innovation variables: maximum grade 6/30;
2) an open question (out of two proposed questions) concerned with a specific topic of the course: maximum grade 7/30
3) a short essay (out of three proposed titles) on a broad topic of the course: maximum grade 20/30
The oral exam is based upon an additional question, asked to check the overall preparation of the student and adjust the final grade.

Positive grades: from 18 to 30. Cum laude can be bestowed to outstanding performance

A grade for the written exam higher than 17/30 allows the students to be admitted to the oral exam. The latter could increase the former evaluation with a maximum of 3/30. The exam is passed with a grade higher than 17/30. The maximum grade is 30/30 cum laude.

Articles and statistical/policy reports concerned with the course topics.

Yes