Innovation and Business Clusters
Study Board of Business Economics
Teaching language: English
EKA: B100129402
Censorship: Second examiner: None
Grading: 7-point grading scale
Offered in: Soenderborg
Offered in: Autumn
Level: Bachelor
Course ID: B100129401
ECTS value: 5
Date of Approval: 08-03-2019
Duration: 1 semester
Course ID
Course Title
Teaching language
ECTS value
Responsible study board
Date of Approval
Course Responsible
Offered in
Level
Offered in
Duration
Mandatory prerequisites
Recommended prerequisites
A minimum of 2 semesters of studies in BSc or BA programmes in European Studies, Business or Economics. Basic knowledge in micro- and macroeconomics as well as statistics is helpful but not required.
Aim and purpose
The goal of this course is to equip students with the essential knowledge and analytical skills in important fields of business studies, namely, the analysis of innovation activities and industrial clusters in high-tech sectors.
To achieve this goal, the course starts with an introduction of basic thematic concepts including the innovation process, innovativeness and industrial clustering, which all have been identified as key success factors for economic development at the firm, sectoral, regional and national level. In terms of research methodology, these concepts are both approached from a theoretical as well as empirical perspective.
In the progress of this seminar, students shall then subsequently conduct own research studies in the subject at hand. By doing so, the overall aim of the seminar is to deepen the students’ knowledge and analytical skills in the fields of innovation and agglomeration economics, innovation management, competitiveness and business cluster analysis as well as cluster management and supply chain organization.
Further, the seminar aims to enable students to independently write a seminar-paper on a specific topic in the chosen thematic area.
Content
The following topics will be covered:
- Innovation economics and innovation measurement
- Intellectual Property and Innovation Management
- Innovative entrepreneurship
- Innovation policy
- Agglomeration economics and industrial clusters
- Empirical cluster identification
- Theoretical cluster analysis
- Cluster management and supply chain organization
- Cluster policy
Description of outcome - Knowledge
The course aims to provide the students' with knowledge to understand about the following aspects of innovation and business cluster research:
- Innovation economics and innovation measurement
- Intellectual Property and Innovation Management
- Innovative entrepreneurship
- Innovation policy
- Agglomeration economics and industrial clusters
- Empirical cluster identification
- Theoretical cluster analysis
- Cluster management and supply chain organization
- Cluster policy
Description of outcome - Skills
The course aims to provide the students' with knowledge to understand about the following aspects of innovation and business cluster research:
- Innovation economics and innovation measurement
- Intellectual Property and Innovation Management
- Innovative entrepreneurship
- Innovation policy
- Agglomeration economics and industrial clusters
- Empirical cluster identification
- Theoretical cluster analysis
- Cluster management and supply chain organization
- Cluster policy
Description of outcome - Competences
Students can:
- Analyse a specific topic in the field of Innovation and Business Clusters from a theoretical/empirical perspective, and to present the results in a seminar report.
- Analyse a specific topic in the field of Innovation and Business Clusters from a theoretical/empirical perspective, and to present the results in a seminar report.
Literature
A literature list will be available at semester start. Below are typical examples:
Innovation Economics:
Atkinson, R.; Ezell, S. (2012): “Innovation Economics: The Race for Global Advantage”, Yale University Press.
OECD (1999): “Boosting Innovation: The Cluster Approach”, Paris: OECD.
Swann, P. (2009): “The Economics of Innovation: An Introduction”, Edgar Elgar Publishing.
Agglomeration Economics:
McCann, P. (2006): “Urban and Regional Economics”, Oxford University Press: Oxford.
Capello, R. (2007): “Regional Economics”, Routledge: London & New York.
Business Clusters, cluster management and supply chain organization:
Duranton, G.; Martin, P.; Mayer, T. and F. Mayneris (2010): “The Economics of Clusters”, Oxford University Press: Oxford.
Saric, S. (2012): “Comparative Advantages through Clusters”, Springer Gabler: Wiesbaden.
Baptista, R.; Swann, P. (1998): „Do Firms in Cluster innovate more?“, in: Research Policy, Vol. 27, pp. 525-540.
Fornahl, D.; Brenner, T. (2009): “Geographic concentration of innovative activities in Germany”, in: Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Vol. 20, pp. 163-182.
Guiso, L.; Schivardi, F. (2010): “What determines entrepreneurial clusters?”; in: Journal of the European Economic Association, Vol. 9(1), pp. 61-86.
Porter, M. (2000): Location, Competition and Economic Development: Local Clusters in a Global Economy, in: Economic Development Quarterly, 14(1), pp. 15-34.
Porter, M. (2003): “The Economic Performance of Regions”, in: Regional Studies, Vol. 37(6&7), pp. 549-578.
A comprehensive list of readings and further course information will be available the Blackboard Teaching platform of SDU.
Teaching Method
Combination of lectures and independent course work.
The course starts with lectures introducing the theoretical concepts and empirical methods of the subject. In the remaining part of the semester, students work independently on a topic with supervision available.
During the first part of the course students are expected to develop the theoretical skills required for the independent course work in the second part of the semester.
Workload
Initial lectures of 3 hours per week in the five first weeks of the semester.
An amount of maximum 2 hours of supervision per seminar report all included such as correspondence, meetings and the supervisors preparation for the meetings. The organization of supervisions and the distribution of supervision times will be explained in the beginning of the course.
Lectures: 15 hours
Preparation for lectures: 30 hours.
Independent work on seminar paper including supervision: 90 hours
In total: 135 hours.
Examination regulations
Examination
Name
Examination
Timing
Ordinary exam in January.
Reexamination in February.
Examination form may be altered for the reexamination, eg. from written to oral examination.
Tests
Examination
Name
Examination
Form of examination
Project report
Censorship
Second examiner: None
Grading
7-point grading scale
Identification
Student Identification Card - Date of birth
Language
English
Duration
Ongoing throughout the semester.
Length
15 pages for one student + additional 5 pages for each additional student.
It must be clearly stated for which parts each student is responsible so that individual grading is possible.
Assignment handover
Not applicable.
Assignment handin
Through SDU assignment in the course page in Blackboard.
ECTS value
5
Additional information
The seminar can be written in groups of up to 2 students.
Location: Home
Internet Access: Required.
The report must meet the requirements stated in the "Formalities for written assignments in economics and business administration" - available at the study programme page on www.sdu.dk under "Exam".
Grading according to the extent to which the individual student meets the goals listed under "goals description".
Re-examination:
Re-examination based on previously filed report in the ordinary examination takes places as submission of a revised report. The only guidance available for the revision is an explanation of the grade at the ordinary exam.
Re-exam without previous participation in the ordinary exam is in the form of a report following the guidelines for the ordinary exam. There is no guidance beyond the deadline for submission of the report for the ordinary examination.
EKA
B100129402
External comment
NOTE - This course is identical with the former course Innovation and Business Clusters, Id: 9858101.
Used examination attempts in the former identical course will be transferred.
Courses that are identical with former courses that are passed according to applied rules cannot be retaken.
The student is automatically registered for the first examination attempt when the student is registered for a course or course element with which one or more examinations are associated. Withdrawal of registration is not possible, and students who fail to participate in an examination have used one examination attempt, unless the University has made an exemption due to special circumstances.
NOTE- If a very limited number of students have selected the course, the study board may decide to cancel it.
The number of students enrolled may be restricted by the Study Board.
Exchange students, if any: Internal grading. Assessment as for ordinary students.
Courses offered
| Offer period | Offer type | Profile | Education | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2019 | Optional | AP degree as Financial Controller - Odense Sønderborg | Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Economics and Business Administration | Esbjerg, Soenderborg, Slagelse, Odense, Kolding | |
| Fall 2019 | Optional | AP degree in Marketing Management - Odense Sønderborg | Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Economics and Business Administration | Esbjerg, Soenderborg, Slagelse, Odense, Kolding | |
| Fall 2019 | Optional | AP degree in Financial Management - Odense Sønderborg | Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Economics and Business Administration | Esbjerg, Soenderborg, Slagelse, Odense, Kolding | |
| Fall 2019 | Optional | BSc European Studies (fra 2017) | BSc European Studies | Bachelor of Science (BSc) in European Studies | Soenderborg | |
| Fall 2019 | Optional | BA int. 180 ECTS tysk/engelsk, Optag: 2016 | Bachelor of Science (BSc) in International Business Administration and Modern Languages | Soenderborg | |
| Fall 2019 | Optional | BA int. 180 ECTS tysk/engelsk, Optag: 2017 | Bachelor of Science (BSc) in International Business Administration and Modern Languages | Soenderborg | |
| Fall 2019 | Optional | BA int. 180 ECTS dansk/engelsk, Optag: 2017 | Bachelor of Science (BSc) in International Business Administration and Modern Languages | Soenderborg | |
| Fall 2019 | Optional | BA int. 180 ECTS dansk/engelsk, Optag: 2016 | Bachelor of Science (BSc) in International Business Administration and Modern Languages | Soenderborg | |
| Fall 2019 | Optional | International Economics and Business Relationships - Sønderborg (Admission 2017 2018) | Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Economics and Business Administration | Esbjerg, Soenderborg, Slagelse, Odense, Kolding | Fall 2019 | Exchange students |