Contemporary Economic Issues

Pedagogical objectives:

• Understand the process of economic growth and the sources of growth: accumulation of factors and increase in total factor productivity; understand the link between technical progress and the increase in total factor productivity.
• Understand that technical progress is endogenous and that it results in particular from innovation.
• Understand how institutions (in particular property rights) influence growth by affecting the incentive to invest and innovate; understand that innovation is accompanied by a process of creative destruction.
• Understand how technical progress can lead to income inequality.
• Understand that sustainable economic growth comes up against ecological limits (in particular resource depletion, pollution and global warming) and that innovation can help to push back these limits.
• Understanding the concepts of the digital economy.
• Main paradigm shifts, dimensions and trends that govern the economy based on innovation and digital technologies.
• Roles of data, information, knowledge in digital economy paradigm. Information economy. Network economy. Platform economics.
• Growth methods at micro (organizations), and meso (business sectors) specific to digital economy
• Growth models at macroeconomic level specific to digital economy
• Capabilities and capacities specific to digital enterprises and organizations in digital economy
• New organizational management principles for digital economy. New business models specific of digital economy
• Roles of technologies and digital innovations in the new paradigm of digital economy
• Digital change and transformation management
• Digital organizations (architectures, processes, governance principles)
• To get an entrepreneurial mindset, fostering creativity, resilience, and a proactive approach to problem-solving and opportunity identification in the business world.
• To apply design thinking and innovative approaches to develop products and services that meet market needs.
• To develop, assess, and iterate viable business models that can adapt to changing market conditions and leverage new opportunities.
• To understand venture financing and financial forecasting in order to carry out investment strategies to startups and new ventures.
• To conduct thorough market analysis, understand customer behavior, and devise effective marketing strategies to reach their target audience and achieve market penetration.
• To build, motivate, and manage teams, as well as navigate the challenges of startup culture.
• To understand the legal and ethical considerations of starting and running a business, including intellectual property rights, regulatory compliance, and ethical decision-making.
• To manage operational aspects of running a business, focusing on how to scale operations efficiently while maintaining quality and customer satisfaction.
• To understand the global entrepreneurial ecosystem, including how to navigate and leverage international markets, cultural considerations, and global trends impacting entrepreneurship.