By the end of the course, students should have a solid understanding of patent theory from an economic perspective, including both theoretical foundations and real-world implications. They should also be able to design and program basic agent-based models to simulate and analyze innovation processes, equipping them with both conceptual and technical tools valuable for research, policy analysis, and industry applications.
Prerequisiti
No prerequisites.
Metodi didattici
In the part on ABMs, emphasis will be placed on hands-on programming exercises, allowing students to build and analyze simple models that capture key innovation-related processes, such as technological diffusion, firm competition, and learning dynamics.
In the part on intellectual property, emphasis will be placed on interactive teaching, combining short instructor-led presentations with guided class discussions and active student participation.
Verifica Apprendimento
In the first part, students will work in groups on a project combining a coding component with a written essay. In the second part, students will complete an individual essay. The final grade will be the average of the grades obtained in the two parts.
Contenuti
The course intends to introduce students to two fundamental topics in the economics of innovation: agent-based models (ABMs) and the economic theory of intellectual property. These two areas are increasingly central to the analysis of innovation dynamics, firm behavior, and policy design in complex economic systems.
