Martin Wörter: Catalogue data in Autumn Semester 2017

Name Prof. Dr. Martin Wörter
Address
KOF Konjunkturforschungsstelle
ETH Zürich, LEE F 111
Leonhardstrasse 21
8092 Zürich
SWITZERLAND
Telephone+41 44 632 51 51
E-mailwoerter@kof.ethz.ch
DepartmentManagement, Technology, and Economics
RelationshipAdjunct Professor

NumberTitleECTSHoursLecturers
363-1036-00LEmpirical Innovation Economics3 credits2GM. Wörter
AbstractThe course focuses on important factors that drive the innovation performance of firms, like innovation capabilities, science-industry relationships, environmental policy and it shows how innovation activities relate to firm performance and to the technological dynamic of industries. Hence, the course provides an understanding of the relationship between technical change and industrial dynamics.
ObjectiveThe course provides students with the basic skills to understand and assess empirically the technological activities of firms and the technological dynamics of industries.
ContentThe course consists of two parts. Part I provides an introduction into important topics in the field of the economics of innovation. Part II consists of empirical exercises based on the KOF Innovation Data. In part I we will learn about ...a) market conditions that encourage firms to invest in R&D (Research and Development) and develop new products. ...b) the role of universities for the technological activities of a firm (technology transfer). ...c) how technologies diffuse among firms. ...d) how the R&D activities of firms are affected by economic crises and how firms finance their R&D activities. ...e) how we can measure the returns to R&D activities. ...f) how (environmental) policies affect the technological activities of a firm. In part II we will use the KOF Innovation Survey Data in order to assess empirically the technological activities of firms referring to the topics introduced in part I.
Lecture notesWill be provided in the course
LiteratureLiterature will be presented in the course. For an introduction into the economics of innovation see G.M. Peter Swann, The Economics of Innovation - an Introduction, Edward Elgar, 2009.
For an overview of empirical innovation studies see W.M. Cohen (2010): Fifty Years of Empirical Studies of Innovation Activities and Performance, in: B.H Hall, N. Rosenberg (eds.), Handbook of Economics of Innovation, volume 1, Elsevier, pp. 129-213.
Prerequisites / NoticeCourse is directed to advanced Master-Students and PhD Students with an interest in empirical work.
751-0901-00LIntroduction to Microeconomics3 credits2GM. Wörter, M. Beck
AbstractIntroduction to the economic decisions of households and firms, and their coordination through perfectly competitive markets.
ObjectiveThorough understanding of basic microeconomic models. Ability to apply these models to real world situations.
ContentMarket, budget constraint, preferences, utility function, utility maximisation, demand, technology, profit function, cost minimisation, cost functions, perfect competition
Lecture notesCourse material in e-learning environment https://moodle-app2.let.ethz.ch/auth/shibboleth/login.php
LiteratureVarian, Hal R. (2014), Intermediate Microeconomics, W.W. Norton