This course aims to understand the dynamics interaction between innovation and governance. Employing an interdisciplinary approach, we explore how key technological sectors are initiated in different economic and institutional contexts, how they change over time, and how they are influenced by market competition and institutional arrangements at different locations.

Innovation has become a major field of study in a number of social science disciplines. Rather than a firm-centric or state-centric view, in this course, we seek to draw attention to the interplay between firms, state, institutions and labour. This course takes an empirical, comparative and global approach to discuss with students topics related to technological innovation and governance, such as (i) technological change and its social and economic consequences, (ii) the institutional and spatial results from this, and (iii) the necessities for economic policies at different territorial levels.

Starting with a critical scrutiny of the iconic Silicon Valley, we examine and compare various cases at multiple analytical levels and geographical scales. Over the course of the semester, we will cover technological innovation and economic transformation in both core countries (especially the U.S. and Japan) and major emerging economies, especially those in East Asia. We will also explore the key role of talents, universities and finance for innovation. We also compare innovation in the private and public sphere.