General description

The course is part of Nordic Master Programme in Innovative Governance and Public Management. The programme is run in cooperation with University of Tampere as coordinating institution and KTH School of Education and Communication in Engineering Science.

Learning outcomes

After exam students shall
- have knowledge about different theories for regional industrial development and in particular the importance of innovation activity for industrial development
- have knowledge about factors leading to path dependent regional industrial development, including factors that stimulate and hamper long term growth
- have skills to describe and analyse the importance of regional factors for innovation activity and knowledge creation in firms and organisations
- be able to design, participate in, and reflect from an action research process in the field of regional industrial development

Contents

The course includes central theories for regional industrial development, such as
- regional cluster and innovation system theories
- industrial location theories, including the creative class theory
- theories for evolutionary regional development and entrepreneurship
The course also gives an introduction to action research. The main focus is what action research is and how action research can be used in change processes in organizations, networks and regions.

Further information on prerequisites and recommendations

Students must have completed the first semester of the Nordic Master Programme in Tampere.

Teaching methods

Teaching methods and workload:
Lectures and discussions. The students plan and carry-out a study of innovation activity in a regional firm or organisation, and report from the study. The work is done in groups of two or three students.

Evaluation and evaluation criteria

Numeric 1-5.
Student evaluation: Student evaluation is carried out as a midway evaluation and in accordance with the normal arrangement as described in the quality assurance system, chapter 2.1.1. If necessary, a possible end of semester evaluation may be implemented.

Belongs to following study modules