Martin Wörter: Catalogue data in Autumn Semester 2019

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, the use of digital technologies, 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.
Learning 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 various data sets, e.g., the KOF Innovation Data, data about the digitization of firms, or patent 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, data on digitization of firms, or other data sources, to investigate empirically the technological activities of firms in relation 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.
363-1109-00LIntroduction to Microeconomics
GESS (Science in Perspective):
This course is only for students enrolled in a Bachelor’s degree programme.

Students enrolled in a Master’s degree programme may attend “Principles of Microeconomics” (LE 363-0503-00L) instead.

Note for D-MAVT students: If you have already successfully completed “Principles of Microeconomics” (LE 363-0503-00L), then you will not be permitted to attend it again.
3 credits2GM. Wörter, M. Beck
AbstractThe course introduces basic principles, problems and approaches of microeconomics. It describes economic decisions of households and firms, and their coordination through perfectly competitive markets.
Learning objectiveStudents acquire a deeper understanding of basic microeconomic models.

They acquire the ability to apply these models in the interpretation of real world economic contexts.

Students acquire a reflective and contextual knowledge on how societies use scarce resources to produce goods and services and distribute them among themselves.
ContentMarket, budget constraint, preferences, utility function, utility maximisation, demand, technology, profit function, cost minimisation, cost functions, perfect competition, information and communication technologies
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
Prerequisites / NoticeThis course "Einführung in die Mikroökonomie“ (363-1109-00L) is intended for Bachelor students and LE 363-0503-00 "Principles of Microeconomics" for Master students.