2011 Special Topics: “Technology and Business”

The rise and fall of the oversea and international business and enterprise reflect broad changes in technology revolution, markets, production organization, and business models, as well as the operation of government policies. These broader changes, which include but go well beyond the technology revolution itself, suggest that the industrial economy is being fundamentally transformed by the diffusion of innovations in technology and business models across the industrial and industrializing economies. At the same time, these changes cannot be understood without a deeper examination of the factors that created competitive advantage at the national level in many of these industries during the previous centuries. This course intends to provide students with a fundamental understanding and worldview on our civilization progresses and international business changes, and explores the broad changes in "who is winning, who is losing, and why" in global markets.

This course seeks to make sense of the decline and recovery of various industries across the globe, the evolution of innovation and technology strategies and policies in various countries and regions, the historic and current roles of governments in shaping markets for both high-technology and conventional industries, and the impact on business strategies of recent developments in early-stage capital markets. Our general approach views technological innovation and competition as dynamic processes that reflect choices and policies made by firms and governments. Modern technologies develop in markets that are international in scope, often imperfectly competitive, and subject to influence by a variety of economic and political stakeholders. We will use an eclectic mix of practical, historical, and theoretical perspectives throughout the course in examining these issues.