It is the objective of this course that students become familiar with the most important theories of innovation, and learn how to apply these theories in the analysis of technology and innovation.

After completing this course, the student:
• has advanced knowledge and understanding of the dynamics and challenges of Science and Innovation Management in the context of both organizations and society at large;
• has insight in the complex interactions between science, innovative technology and society and are able to reflect critically upon roles of science and technology in organizations and society;
• is able to communicate conclusions, as well as the knowledge, reasons and considerations underlying these conclusions, to an audience of specialists and non-specialists.

This course will equip students with the necessary knowledge to make informed decisions about which theory to choose in order to tackle different kinds of innovation problems. We will systematically present and use the 10 most important approaches in innovation studies. In this course:
• students will become acquainted with the classic readings in economic, management and social science perspectives on technological change (the canon of innovation literature)
• students will learn to compare different theories in terms of their explanatory power and the kind of innovation problems a theory is able to tackle;
• students will learn how a careful choice of theory improves the quality of an innovation analysis.

This course, together with GEO4-2258, provides an important preparation for performing independent research on innovation questions in the second year of SIM.

Academic skills: Critical reading, argumentation, academic writing