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2025/2026  KAN-CCBLO1802U  New Frontiers or More of the Same: Understanding Innovation in Asian Emerging Economies

English Title
New Frontiers or More of the Same: Understanding Innovation in Asian Emerging Economies

Course information
Language English
Course ECTS 7.5 ECTS
Type Mandatory (also offered as elective)
Level Full Degree Master
Duration One Semester
Start time of the course Spring
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Study board
Study Board for Global Business and Politics
Course coordinator
  • Sudhanshu Rai - Department of Management, Society and Communication (MSC)
Main academic disciplines
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Globalisation and international business
  • Innovation
Teaching methods
  • Face-to-face teaching
Last updated on 23-05-2025

Relevant links
Learning objectives
  • Demonstrate an understanding of what innovation is.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of innovation in practice.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of how to work with innovation under constraints.
  • Demonstrate and speculate theorizing how you might want to apply innovation theories in an Asian context.
Course prerequisites
Students wanting to take this elective should have basic knowledge of economics, business economics, and innovation theories.
Examination
New Frontiers or More of the Same: Understanding Innovation in Asian Emerging Economies:
Exam ECTS 7,5
Examination form Home assignment - written product
Individual or group exam Individual exam
Size of written product Max. 10 pages
The final exam paper must

• Analyze a case of innovation in an Asian context
• Use theories from the course literature to analyze the innovation case. Theories from outside the course curricula can also be used.
• Reflect over, how the fact that the innovation takes place in an Asian context (country/ culture / institutional) influences on the analyzed case. As Asian contexts vary enormously, it will typically imply that the context will be a specific Asian country.
• Take up a specific case. The case can be a concrete technical or business model innovation or it can be an industry that has innovated or a value chain function activity that is considered innovative.
• Be clearly structured as an academic paper and observe academic writing conventions
Assignment type Project
Release of assignment Subject chosen by students themselves, see guidelines if any
Duration Written product to be submitted on specified date and time.
Grading scale 7-point grading scale
Examiner(s) One internal examiner
Exam period Summer
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
Course content, structure and pedagogical approach

The focus of this course is to expose the student to the dynamic nature of the emerging economies. Why they are dynamic, what impact does this dynamic nature have on innovation and how do the emerging Asian economies engage with innovation. Are they actually innovative or simply reengineer innovative ideas from other parts of the world? Do they understand what it takes to innovate?   


We will start from current innovation ideas and then move on to emerging economies with a focus on how they engage with innovation, how different is it from current theories, if there is indeed a difference or are the emerging economies simply copying and coping with the theories, while tinkering at the edges.


The course themes are as follows;

 

  • Emerging economies and developing countries, is there a case for this difference, a critical appreciation.
  • Understanding the nature of flux in emerging economies
  • The economics of innovation in emerging economies
  • The markets for innovation in emerging economies
  • The process of innovation
  • Types of innovation, co-creation, frugal innovation etc in emerging economies
  • Challenges and obstacles
  • The business of innovation and opportunities
  • Synchronous and a-synchronous innovation in emerging economies
  • Innovation policies and their impact
  • Innovative firms, best practices, success stories and what can we learn
  • Entrepreneurial leadership and innovative potential, connecting the dots.
  • Focusing on the idea and building a business; exploring entrepreneurial capacity from the innovation.
  • A critical evaluation of innovation in flux, an emerging economy perspective, insights and conclusions
Research-based teaching
CBS’ programmes and teaching are research-based. The following types of research-based knowledge and research-like activities are included in this course:
Research-based knowledge
  • Classic and basic theory
  • New theory
  • Methodology
Research-like activities
  • Data collection
  • Analysis
  • Discussion, critical reflection, modelling
Description of the teaching methods
The teaching methodology will take the format of workshop and seminars and is designed to be interactive, reflective and engaging with importance given to feedback. Contact hours will primarily focus on reflective thinking, critical appreciation and hands on experiential understanding of the innovation process through dialogue and analysis.
Feedback during the teaching period
This class is designed to be interactive; therefore students must be committed to working in groups and asking questions at every stage of their innovative journey. Giving feedback and receiving feedback is an important part of the course design therefore students must be prepared to seek and receive feedback from the resource person.
Student workload
Lectures 30 hours
Preparation and exam 176 hours
Total 206 hours
Expected literature

General reference book for the course;

These two books to be used as reference books for the course

 

Book 1

Godin, B. (2015). Innovation Contested: The Idea of Innovation Over the Centuries. Routledge. Retrieved

from https:/​/​books.google.com/​books?id=kIscBgAAQBAJ&pgis=1

 

Book 2

Acemoglu, D., & Robinson, J. (2013). Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty. Retrieved December 9, 2015, from http:/​/​www.amazon.com/​Why-Nations-Fail-Origins-Prosperity/​dp/​0307719227

 

Complete literature list will be available on Canvas.

Last updated on 23-05-2025