Maastricht University - School of Business and Economics

Companies such as Amazon, Airbnb, and LinkedIn build and manage powerful supply networks to create value. This course provides an understanding of these networks and their relationships with customers as well as suppliers. The digitization and innovation processes that govern these relationships are also examined. Students critically evaluate cutting-edge thinking on these topics and discuss implications for supply chain management, strategy, and marketing.

This course gives a brief introduction to the economics of technological change and the labor market. The main aim of this course is to understand the impact of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) on the demand for workers and on wages. The course considers such questions as what are the effects of ICT on the structures of organizations; how does ICT impact wages and the division of labor? do people with ICT skills earn higher wages?

This is an introductory course to the management of innovation. Core topics covered in this course include market failures faced by innovating firms, knowledge about the various definitions of innovation and innovative activities, how to search for novel ideas (inside as well as outside of the firms’ boundaries), what tools to use inside and outside of the firm to evaluate promising ideas efficiently and accurately, ways to acquire external financing in case of cash flow constraints, tools to use to increase appropriability of innovations as well as various forms to develop innovations inside and outside of the firm. In examples, cases, and an assignment students work out in practice how to assess the feasibility and desirability of innovation opportunities and how to manage innovation from the first idea to implementing an innovation plan. PREREQUISITES: Basic knowledge of management/business economics, organization, and strategy.