Introduction to Course November 2015 Magnus Gulbrandsen

Expand on what you – hopefully – learned in the autumn, and increase your knowledge about innovation Include a more explicit link to research activities at TIK and provide concrete ideas for thesis frameworks Improve analytical ability and facilitate personal growth Create a good and fun learning environment

In March 2010, EU stated that the total level of research and development (R&D) investment in EU countries should be increased to 3% of GDP What is the theoretical foundation of this policy objective? What are the arguments in favour of and against this policy approach? (Why) does Europe lag behind other advanced countries in terms of innovativeness and international competitiveness? In which industries should private firms and policy-makers invest R&D resources in order to strengthen the economic performance of European countries and/or to improve the well-being of their citizens? The economics of innovation perspective

Europe agreed in 2007 that 20 percent of the bloc's final energy consumption should be produced from renewable energy sources by 2020 as part of a long term strategy to move away from fossil energy How can we use theories of technological change – development, introduction, diffusion of new technologies – to analyse this transition process? What types of public policies are needed to implement the energy transition? Which policy instruments are most common in Europe today? The transition perspective

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is the world’s largest private non-profit funder of research and innovation, believing that only innovation can help eradicate polio, malaria and deal with hunger and extreme poverty. In 2014 the Foundation spent 3.9 billion USD, a large proportion of it on research-driven innovation activities in universities Can universities solve the health problems of developing countries, and is it a good solution that they partner with pharmaceutical and other companies? Who should own the results of research funded by the Foundation, and who should it be accountable to? The systemic/knowledge transfer perspective

Studies of the role of innovation in economic growth; policies oriented at fixing market failures and building infrastructures Economics of innovation Studies of national/regional/sectoral systems; policies oriented at creating networks, linkages and moving research results into society Systems of innovation The current main perspective in both research, policy and many other organisations Solving the grand/global challenges Reference: Schot et al TIK4021 is organised with one module for each of these phases, plus a module for innovation in practice

Big issues of our time with much attention Public expenditure on research and development increasingly justified by and oriented towards global challenges Belief that science and innovation can solve challenges Can this be done? How? Global challenges as framework Directly and indirectly in the course Used for theoretical framings, in examples and policy discussions We see global challenges as relevant for all organisations

A complex role for science and innovation Focusing on problems and challenges, creating problems on its own, helping understand them, creating solutions with new problems A complex role for policy and firms How do you select ideas, innovations and technologies worthy of support? How can you support them? Why are seemingly good ideas as much resisted as the bad ones? How do you make organisations and society “move in the right direction”? A global challenge perspective will highlight also the non-technical side of innovation Political, social and ethical aspects

Why do we see so much difference in innovation and economic development and structure? From macro to micro: innovation and economic performance across Countries: absorptive capacity, social capabilities and institutional conditions Regions: agglomeration economies, regional systems and policies Sectors/industries: technological regimes and trajectories in manufacturing and service industries Firms: capabilities, resources and strategies

Objective 1: To present a summary introduction to four of the most popular themes within the economics of innovation, with an emphasis on why heterogeneity matters and how to deal with it Objective 2: To provide a few concrete examples of quantitative empirical research in the economics of innovation Objective 3: To suggest a few possible directions of research to be pursued in your Master theses

Innovation related to energy, climate change and natural resources From local to global: The case of Norway: historical developments, politics of resource-based innovation and dilemmas in climate and renewable energy policy Sustainable transition and transformation: perspectives on transformation processes, multi-level perspectives Dynamics of technological innovation systems (TIS) Policies for sustainable innovation: types and processes

How do we approach climate change and help reduce climate emissions from an innovation perspective? Climate strategy: define reduction aims – find cost efficient solutions Energy system transformation or transition from fossile to renewables

How can we study a large scale transformation consisting of many large systems? Emerging approaches within innovation studies Multi-level perspective Technological innovation systems

What is the role of (public) research in innovation and global challenges? How are scientific ideas evaluated? How does research create societal impact? Public research organisations: heterogeneity and linkages to industry The basics of commercialisation: patents, licences, entrepreneurship, spin-off companies Facilitating commercialisation: phases, actors, conflicts and effects

How can public policy and management practices influence innovation in a desirable way? Innovation management – a critical perspective Innovation policy – what can be done? Responsible research and innovation – what is it? Management workshop and group work Site visits and/or visits from innovative firms/organisations Wrap-up of the course This module a bit overloaded and will require your feedback for the final design

Mariana Mazzucato, The Entrepreneurial State. Debunking Public vs. Private Sector Myths. London: Anthem press.

10 credits Advanced master’s level course Two lectures per week plus group work TIK 4021 – Innovation and Global Challenges Please contact me if you have questions about the course Knock on my door or send me an Responsible for the course: Magnus Gulbrandsen