Economics

This course focuses on innovation policy. In a first step, various economic justifications for government involvement in innovation activities are presented with a focus on market and system failure aspects. In a second step, the development of innovation policy initiatives at national, European and international level is presented and analyzed. The course provides a general understanding of government´'s innovation policy as well as knowledge about specific innovation policy programs. Students learn to understand developments in innovation policy and to discuss them critically. Students are taught the general analytical abilities for public policy management (instrument design, implementation and evaluation). The contextual understanding of innovation policy also makes it possible to incorporate government regulation in business considerations. Topics include definitions, types of innovation policy measures, economic legitimation of research and technology policy, market failures, system failures, the market for knowledge, limits of economic analysis and alternative approaches, selected topics of innovation policy, supply-side innovation policy, R&D financing, diffusion and technology transfer, networks and clusters, entrepreneurship, education, demand-oriented innovation policy, public procurement, regulation and innovation.

This course builds upon the concepts studied in the course, Introduction to Economics A. It introduces business strategies and covers cost calculations, market structures, firms' decision making, supply chains, and other topics.

Required course prerequisite: Introduction to Economics A.

This course is an introduction to concepts central to understanding market economies, including allocation of scarce resources, consumer and business reactions to changing market conditions, and the application of economic principles to personal and business decision-making.

This course explores the critical roles of entrepreneurship and innovation in the Chinese growth story and its implications for conducting business in the country. We will begin by documenting the rise of entrepreneurship and innovation in China, then, using in-depth case studies and statistical evidence, we will examine how factors like personal characteristics, social networks, demographics, and government policies shape this landscape.

This course is part of the Laurea Magistrale degree program and is intended for advanced level students. Enrollment is by permission of the instructor. The course offers students a multidimensional perspective on the dynamic links between human societies and the environment, using insights from environmental, resource, and ecological economics. The course particularly focuses on the design, implementation, and implications of economic policies aimed at improving environmental sustainability, without affecting human prosperity. Several types of policies are analyzed and discussed, including fiscal policies (taxes and subsidies), pollution permit markets, public spending policies, behavioral interventions, and financial policies. The mitigation and adaptation to climate change is the main applied focus. At the end of the course, students have a comprehensive understanding of the ongoing environmental policy debate. The course covers the following topics: Basics of environmental economics; The rationale for environmental policy-making; Market-based policies vs command-and-control regulation; Carbon pricing: carbon taxes and emission trading schemes; International environmental agreements; Paris Agreement; Sustainable finance policy-making; Behavioral change; strategic interactions; social norms.

This course will introduce fundamental mathematical concepts and methods used in economic analysis, including static optimization, dynamic programming, and basic quantitative methods. The goal is to help students understand and grasp these tools for further study and research.

This course provides an overview of the main facts about world economic history before and after the Industrial Revolution, focusing on the economic changes over the past 1,000 years.

This course offers a study of the juridic principles of constitutional, public, and commercial law in the field of economics. After an introduction to the legal field, it discusses, among other topics, the legal framework for businesses, labor relations, free competition, intellectual property, commercial contracts, consumer protection, and insolvency. 

This course examines the economic problems and policies of those countries that have not yet reached the level of economic well being observed in the western world. Students analyze theories of development and their applications in the real world. Students gain a better understanding of a number of topics that shed light on the development process including: poverty, inequality, migration and employment, education, international trade, the role of the government, rural development, the environment, finance and insurance, and population issues.

The course discusses the global economy since 1500, from a European perspective. The focus is placed on the development of material living standards, political participation, and their interaction over time. Students understand the long-term perspective and the role of historical case studies for economic decision making. They gain new insights into long-term development and apply their knowledge of economic theory and basic empirical methods, together with a critical perspective on historical sources.