GECO 5117 -

Institution:

The New School

Subject:

Description:

Economics of Technological Innovation and Design Not offered 2008-09. Three credits. William Milberg Why do some technological innovations alter the course of history while others are quickly forgotten Why do some new products and designs have staying power while others disappear overnight This course is aimed at building an understanding of the economic causes and consequences of innovations in technology and design. The course begins with a historical overview of the role of innovation in economic development and the institutional contexts in which innovation has or has not flourished. We then look at the role of the firm as a source of innovation and consider both supply- and demand-based theories of innovation as well as theories of innovation and market structure. This leads to an in-depth study of economic, cultural, and political institutions in which innovations occur-for example, companies, universities, media arrangements, defense efforts, and even countercultural groups. We consider briefly the relation between innovation and production processes, analyzing the move to greater flexibility of production processes and to a more international focus in production and consumption. We then take up the issue of patents and intellectual property protection. The course ends with a series of case studies both of national systems of innovation (e.g., the United States, Germany, Japan, Korea, China) and of specific commodities (e.g., those produced in electronics, fashion, and pharmaceuticals) whose design and technology provide general lessons for understanding what makes innovation successful and how that success is sustained in society. The course is intended for upperlevel undergraduates and beginning MA students. Prerequisite: Introduction to Microeconomics (ULEC 2030), Introduction to Macroeconomics (ULEC 2020), an equivalent course in the principles of economics, or permission of the instructor. Cross-listed as LECO 4504.

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.newschool.edu

Phone Number:

(212) 229-5600

Regional Accreditation:

Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

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