Provided by the teacher. Excerpts from books and pdf files, drawn on international reviews.
The students can choose between two programs
Standard (mainstream) Program
Musu, Introduzione all’Economia ambientale, Il Mulino
Lombardi-Macchi, I processi decisionali. Ricerca e innovazione per l’esplorazione dell’ignoto, Nerbini Ed., chapters 1-4, 7-8
Main Progam
Lombardi-Macchi, I processi decisionali. Ricerca e innovazione per l’esplorazione dell’ignoto, Nerbini Ed., chapters 1-4, 7-8
Pdf files provided by the teacher
Type of Assessment
Written text
Course program
The course pursues this main objective: to allow students to enrich their theoretical and empirical frameworks in order to better understand the complex and dynamic relationships between production processes, environmental evolution and endowments of natural resources. These aspects are particularly important during the present techno-economic dynamics. To this end, going beyond the mainstream approach and its main conceptual instruments, this Course is based on the following cognitive Building blocks:
BB1: Models of rationality in economics
From standard model of rationality to bounded rationality and evolutionary approach. The production process as set of hierarchical problem solving activities under certainty, risk and uncertainty (radical, procedural, substantial). Analysis of decision-making processes in technological contexts characterised by different degrees of uncertainty.
BB2: Technology and innovation processes.
Taxonomy of innovations. Techno-scientific paradigms and technological trajectories. Techno-economic paradigms and evolutionary sequences of 5 techno-economic paradigms until the present digital age. Modelling innovation processes through a number representations: S-models (Sigmoid), recurrent sequences of cyclical waves. The present landscape characterise by disruptive technologies first of all in the field of renewable energies.
BB3: A multi-level and systemic approach to the analysis of economic processes and to the use of natural resources
Basic concepts: system, socio-technical system, complex systems, socio-technical transition. All these concepts are employed to analyse the complex, multi-level and large-scale evolution of economic processes and their effects at planetary scale. Global constraints on the natural endowment of resources (water, energy, food clean air) are essential focuses of the Course, particularly centred on International agreements (Tokyo, Paris) and the theoretical framework proposed by the Nobel Prize winner Elinor Ostrom (socio-ecological system, SESs acronym)
BB4 Probable scenarios for socio-technical transition
Ongoing dynamic trajectories at a global level. Challenges, potentialities and constraints for designing activities of economic processes
Challenges: towards the space of immaterial activities and functions embedded into cyber-physical systems, which are pervading every type of environment.
Constraints: availability of natural resources, ageing population, Water-Food- Energy Nexus.
Potentialities: innovative potential generated by new techno-scientific principles, economics of abundance, growing potential of energy saving bot at micro- and macro-level. Innovative approaches to energy and environment related problems: smart cities visions; new design and management frameworks for products and production processes: Industrial Symbiosis, From Cradle to Cradle, Circular Economy.