Economics of Innovation

(3 Credits)

Why are some people and firms more innovative than others? This course analyzes the behavior of inventors, artists, and writers to figure out what makes people creative, what encourages firms to take the risks that are inherent in innovation, and what types of institutions encourage people to do their best work. Class work alternates between weekly lectures and hands-on laboratory work. Lectures discuss current research on the determinants of creativity and innovation. Laboratory sessions use real data sets from recent research to gain hands-on experience with data analysis.