GRA 3151 Theories of Innovation

APPLIES TO ACADEMIC YEAR 2012/2013

GRA 3151 Theories of Innovation

Responsible for the course
Heidi Wiig Aslesen

Department
Department of Innovation and Economic Organisation

Term
According to study plan

ECTS Credits
6

Language of instruction
English

Introduction
This course will give an introduction to the understanding of the concept of innovation at the micro, meso and macro level by introducing theories conceptualizing and problematizing the term.

Learning outcome
This course introduces students to frameworks of understanding concepts and principles in innovation theory and research. The course aims at providing an understanding of the different aspects of innovation and its relationship with economic growth and welfare. The course will introduce the student to themes addressed more in depth in other courses of the programme and as such, have an introductory and synthesizing role for the programme as a whole.

The students should during the course have acquired knowledge on why and how innovations happen. They should understand aspects of the process through which innovation occurs through a number of theoretical perspectives. These perspectives should give insight to what influences innovation and how this varies across industries, sectors and through time.

After the course the studens should have acquired skills so that they can be able to reflect upon concepts and principles in innovation theory and research, and should have developed a constructive and critical atitude towards different approaches.

Prerequisites
A bachelor degree qualifying for entrance to the master programme in innovation and entrepreneurship.

Compulsory reading
Books:
Fagerberg, Jan, David C. Mowery and Richard R. Nelson, eds. 2005. The Oxford handbook of innovation. Oxford Unversity Press

Other:
During the course there may be hand-outs and other material on additional topics relevant for the course and the examination.
Selected articles


Recommended reading

Course outline
* Processes of innovation at the firm level; from static to dynamic models; absorptive capacity; types of innovation; measuring problems.
* Innovation as interactive learning
* Network and process perspectives on innovation
* Systems of innovation; national, regional and sectoral innovation systems
* Role of innovation at the macrolevel; MNC’s and innovation.

Computer-based tools
Standard, It's learning/homepage

Learning process and workload
A course of 6 ECTS credits corresponds to a workload of 160-180 hours.
The course will be carried out through lectures and working seminars and excursions. The lectures will be carried out with the expectation of high degree of student involvement through group work, presentations and discussions.

Please note that while attendance is not compulsory in all courses, it is the student’s own responsibility to obtain any information provided in class that is not included on the course homepage/It's learning or text book.



Examination
The evaluation process is composed of 3 elements:
1) The student’s participation in the classroom through presentations and discussions and the deliverable of assignments given in class (20%)
2) A mid term paper (20%), written individually.
3) A term paper delivery (60%), written individually or in groups of max 3 students.

Specific information regarding student evaluation beyond the information given in the course description will be provided in class. This information may be relevant for requirements for term papers or other hand-ins, and/or where class participation can be one of several elements of the overall evaluation.

This is a course with continuous assessment (several exam elements) and one final exam code. Each exam element will be graded using points on a scale (e.g. 0-100). The elements will be weighted together according to the information in the course description in order to calculate the final letter grade for the course. You will find detailed information about the point system and the cut off points with reference to the letter grades on the course site in It’s learning.

Examination code(s)
GRA31511 accounts for 100 % of the final grade in the course GRA3151

Examination support materials
N/A. Exam aids at written examinations are explained under exam information in our web-based Student handbook. Please note use of calculator and dictionary. http://www.bi.edu/studenthandbook/examaids

Re-sit examination
It is only possible to retake an examination when the course is next taught.
The assessment in some courses is based on more than one exam code.
Where this is the case, you may retake only the assessed components of one of these exam codes.
Where this is not the case, all of the assessed components of the course must be retaken.
All retaken examinations will incur an additional fee.

Additional information
Honor Code
Academic honesty and trust are important to all of us as individuals, and represent values that are encouraged and promoted by the honor code system. This is a most significant university tradition. Students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with the ideals of the honor code system, to which the faculty are also deeply committed.

Any violation of the honor code will be dealt with in accordance with BI’s procedures for cheating. These issues are a serious matter to everyone associated with the programs at BI and are at the heart of the honor code and academic integrity. If you have any questions about your responsibilities under the honor code, please ask.

Semesters

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