COURSE SYLLABUS
IGA-523
Innovation for Global Development
Fall 2013
Faculty: Calestous Juma / Faculty Assistant: Katherine GordonOffice: L-356 / FA Office: L-349A
Telephone: 617-496-8127 / FA Telephone: 617-495-7961
Email: / FA Email:
Office Hours: Mondays 1-3PM; Tuesdays 10-12 & 3-4PM / Course Assistant: Jeff Locke
Lectures: Mondays and Wednesdays, 8:40-10:00 AM, Room L-130 / CA Contact Info
Review Sessions: N/A
Course Description
The aim of this course is to examine the role of science, technology and innovation in fostering economic growth in emerging economies as well as their increased participation in the global economy. It specifically focuses on the phenomena of technological catch-up and leapfrogging. Training in the natural sciences or engineering are not a requirement for the course. The course is divided into four units. The first unit provides a conceptual foundation for understanding the role of technological innovation and the associated institutional innovation in the process of economic transformation. The second unit presents country experiences of technological catch-up and leapfrogging. The third unit analyzes the technological opportunities and challenges open to developing countries. The final section assesses the policy and institutional innovations needed to foster technological catch-up and leapfrogging.
Governments around the world are searching for ways to harness the power of science, technology and innovation to foster economic development. Their strategies are being significantly influenced by the forces of globalization. International development agencies are similarly rethinking their approaches in light of the opportunities provided by rapid advances in science and technology.
The course seeks to equip students with skills in science and technology policy analysis. The course uses an interdisciplinary approach and emphasizes the importance of teamwork in the design and implementation of science and technology policy. In addition to developing analytical skills, students are expected to strengthen their capacity to work in teams by integrating knowledge from a diversity of sources. Students are expected to leverage their previous experiences as relevant or explore new avenues related to their career aspirations.
The course is designed to accommodate students from all fields interested in the role of technological innovation in development. The sessions will be conducted through guided discussion as well as lectures, guest speakers and presentations by students. Modest adjustments in the syllabus will be introduced to accommodate specialized interests by students and address important topical issues.
Class Participation
Class participation is an essential part of the course and students will be required to demonstrate knowledge of the readings and be able to offer a critical assessment of the contents. Students will be asked to lead class discussions and others will be expected to contribute to discussion based on the readings and other relevant sources of information.
Grading
Class participation (35%) will be evaluated on the basis of: (a) familiarity with the readings; (b) quality of contributions; (c) critical and creative approaches to the issue; and (c) respect for the views of others.
Paper outline (20%) of no more than 1,500 words based on the literature covered in class and identification of case material to be covered in the final paper. The aim of the outline is to lay the groundwork for the final paper and the grading will focus on the extent to which students demonstrate familiarity with the literature and underlying concepts.
Policy analysis paper (45%) of no more than 5,000 words covering a conceptual foundation, case material and identification of policy options and their implications.
Feedback and deadlines
Feedback will be provided to students at the various milestones in the preparation of the policy analysis paper. This will include feedback in office hours on the topic identification memo and extended outline, and written feedback on the draft policy analysis paper. The aim of the feedback will be to ensure that students get sufficient input before they submit their papers for grading. While offering reasonable flexibility, continuous feedback will depend on adherence to deadlines. No further feedback will be provided on the final paper other than the grade unless agreed upon prior to its submission.
Projects
Topic identification memo
This will be one paragraph that identifies the topic that the student plans to focus on during the course. This can be in the form of a particular case study or a theme that provides a basis for the identification of a case study. The aim of the memo is to help in the identification of the relevant literature, case studies, and contacts. Early identification of issues significantly improves the learning process and the quality of the final product. Students may later change their areas of focus as they start to work on their extended outlines, case studies, and policy analysis papers. Where possible, students are encouraged to liaise with external professionals as sources of input, networking and career advice.
Paper outline
Each student will be expected to produce an extended outline of their paper (1,500 words). The outline will serve as a conceptual foundation, framework or background that will be used to analyze a specific theme for the final paper.Students will be expected to demonstrate their knowledge of the literature and its relevance to a specific field of interest they intend to examine in the final paper.
Policy analysis papers
The final product from the class will be case studies on issues and themes discussed in the class. The focus of the 5,000-word paper will be on institutional reforms needed to support technological innovation. The paper should be divided into the following sections: (a) executive summary; (b) introduction; (c) background to the topic; (c) literature review based on the readings and additional sources; (d) case study serving as an illustration; (e) identification of policy options for action; and (f) references. The paper will be based on secondary sources but students are encouraged to make contacts with practitioners in the field as part of the professional networking.
Papers will be prepared individually, or in groups of no more than three, on topics discussed with and approved by Professor Juma. They are expected to demonstrate analytical rigor, familiarity with the literature, coherence in presentation, and clarity of the recommendations or policy options as well as their political feasibility. Support may be provided to students seeking to contribute feature articles or opinion pieces to newspapers based on their draft policy analysis papers. Additional support may be provided to those interested in submitting revised papers to scholarly journals for consideration.
Case study
Students do have the option of undertaking to write a case study on a topic related to technological innovation in substitution of the class presentation. Students may choose to focus on an organization they have worked with, write or document an event that took place, or explore the experiences of a certain individual. Cases generated though class will be used in the future as a reading and reference material for the class. For information on how to write case studies kindly visit
http://www.hks.harvard.edu/var/ezp_site/storage/fckeditor/file/pdfs/degree-programs/teaching/Case-Writing-Tips-July-2009.pdf
Resources
In addition to the required readings, students will have opportunities to contact development professionals associated with the Science, Technology and Globalization (STG) Project. Students will be supported to build international connections with experts in their areas of interest. They will also have access to the STG website http://www.belfercenter.org/global/ which provides links to additional background papers, discussion papers, journals, organizations and conferences.
Scholarly journals
Professor Juma edits two peer-reviewed journals, the International Journal of Technology and Globalisation and the International Journal of Biotechnology, in addition to serving on the editorial boards of leading innovation journals such as Research Policy; Science and Public Policy; Technovation; International Journal of Technology Transfer and Commercialisation; International Journal of Technology Management and Sustainable Development; and International Journal of Global Environmental Issues. Following the completion of the course, some of the outstanding papers have formed the basis for the preparation of papers that have been published by the authors in peer-reviewed journals.
Networking
Information on career and networking opportunities will be provided as needed. STG maintains links with numerous international organizations and alumni of the HKS executive education program on Innovation for Economic Development around the world. Additional contacts are provided through scientific academies such as the Royal Society of London, the US National Academy of Sciences, the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World, the Royal Academy of Engineering, and the African Academy of Sciences. In addition, the course offers opportunities for establishing contacts with a wide range of international professionals and institutions working on science, innovation and development. The focus of the network is to enable course participants to explore opportunities for future professional engagement. Course participants will also have the opportunity to recommend guest speakers or professional contacts of relevance to the syllabus. Additional networking will be provided through the Agricultural Innovation in Africa (AIA) Project directed by Professor Juma and funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Syllabus Overview
UNIT 1: BACKGROUND AND THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS
Week One
Class #1 – Fri., Sept. 6: Introduction
Week Two
Class #2 – Mon., Sept. 9: Innovation studies in history
Class #3 – Wed., Sept. 11: Innovation systems and development
Week Three
Class #4 – Mon., Sept. 16: Technological capacity building and upgrading
Class #5 – Wed., Sept. 18: Science and technology policy analysis
Unit 2: GLOBALIZATION AND TECHNOLOGICAL LEARNING
Week Four
Class #6 – Mon., Sept. 23: Technology and globalization (Topic identification memo due)
Class #7 - Wed., Sept. 25: Entrepreneurship and development [Guest speaker]
Week Five
Class #8 - Mon., Sept. 30: Higher technical training and development
Unit 3: TECHNOLOGICAL CATCH-UP AND LEAPFROGGING
Class #9 – Wed., Oct. 2: Intellectual origins
Week Six
Class #10 – Mon., Oct. 7: South Korea and China [Guest Speaker]
Class #11 – Wed., Oct. 9: No class; writing break
Week Seven
Columbus Day – Mon., Oct. 14
Class #12 – Wed., Oct. 16: India and Brazil (Paper outline due)
Week Eight
Class #13 – Mon., Oct. 21: Argentina, Chile, and South Africa
Class #14 – Wed. Oct. 23: Limitations
UNIT 4: EMERGING TECHNOLOGICAL OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES
Week Nine
Class #15 – Mon., Oct. 28: Catch-up in Agricultural Biotechnology: The Case of China and India [Guest speaker]
Class #16 – Wed., Oct. 30: Information and communications technologies
Week Ten
Class #17 – Mon., Nov. 4: Biomedicine
Class #18 – Wed., Nov. 6: Catch-up and Leapfrogging: The Case of Energy [Guest speaker]
Week Eleven
Class #19 – Mon., Nov. 11: Nanotechnology (First draft due)
Class #20 – Wed., Nov. 13: Biopolymers
UNIT 5: POLICY AND INSTITUTIONAL INNOVATION
Week Twelve
Class #21 – Mon., Nov. 18: Innovation systems and public policy
Class #22 - Wed., Nov. 20: Regional innovation systems in the global economy
Week Thirteen
Class #23 – Mon., Nov. 25: Financing technological innovation
THANKSGIVING: Nov. 27; no classes
Week Fourteen
Class #24 - Mon., Dec. 2: Role of government
Class #25- Wed., Dec. 4: Book launch and wrap-up
FINAL PAPER DUE: DECEMBER 16
Class Meetings, Readings and Assignments:
UNIT 1: BACKGROUND AND THEORETICA FOUNDATIONS
Week One
Class #1 – Fri., Sept. 6:
Introduction
Much of the policy debate on “poverty” focuses on relief programs that do not take into account the importance of building endogenous capacity for problemsolving. But technological innovation is emerging as a key factor in boosting economic productivity, raising agricultural productivity, expanding educational opportunities, empowering women, reducing child mortality, improve maternal health, combating infectious diseases, promoting environmental sustainability, and enhancing international trade and cooperation. It has also raised issues of global justice that need to be reflected in innovation policy.
Read:
UN Millennium Project. 2005. Innovation: Applying Knowledge in Development. Task Force on Science, Technology and Innovation. Earthscan, London, pp. 1-12, http://www.unmillenniumproject.org/documents/Science-part1.pdf.
Papaioannou, T. 2011. “Technological Innovation, Global Justice and Politics of Development,” Progress in Development Studies, Vol. 11, No. 4, pp. 321-328, http://ezp-prod1.hul.harvard.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=61767379&site=ehost-live&scope=site.
Week Two
Class #2 – Mon., Sept. 9:
Innovation studies in history
The role of innovation in the economy was first put forward by Joseph Schumpeter in his 1911 classic, The Theory of Economic Development. The aim of this session is to examine the evolution of the innovation studies and their relevance for technological catch-up.
Read:
Schumpeter, J.A. 2005. “Development,” Journal of Economic Literature, Vol. 43, No. 1, pp. 108–120, http://ezp-prod1.hul.harvard.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=17018317&site=ehost-live&scope=site.
Discussion questions:
How does Schumpeter’s theory of development differ from other approaches?
What role does innovation play in Schumpeter’s theory of development?
What are the key elements of Schumpeter’s view of innovation?
Class #3 – Wed., Sept. 11:
Innovation systemsand development
Knowledge flow and the associated institutional organization play a critical role in shaping the pace and direction of economic transformation. This session extends this line of inquiry by presenting the concept of “innovation systems”. The session examines the characteristics of “innovation systems” and the important role they play in evolutionary approaches to economic growth.
Read:
Metcalfe, S. and Ramlogan, R. 2008. “Innovation Systems and the Competitive Process in Developing Economies,” Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance,Vol. 48, No. 2, pp. 433-446, http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezp-prod1.hul.harvard.edu/science/article/pii/S1062976907000440.
Nelson, R. 2008. “Economic Development from the Perspective of Evolutionary Economic Theory,’ Oxford Development Studies, Vol. 36, No. 1, pp. 9-21, http://ezp-prod1.hul.harvard.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=28723028&site=ehost-live&scope=site.
Discussion questions:
What is the origin of the concept of “innovation systems”?
What are the essential attributes of an innovation systems approach?
What is the role of institutions in innovation systems?
Week Three
Class #4 – Mon., Sept. 16
Technological capacity building and upgrading
Economic growth is associated with accumulation of technological capabilities in enterprises. This session provides examples of the dynamics and sources of technological capability development and the role it plays in helping countries adapt to changes in the global trading environment. It examines the theme of capability building as part of the larger enterprise of economic learning.