Microeconomics of Competitiveness: Firms, Clusters, and Economic Development (MOC) is a university-wide graduate course offered to students from around the Harvard University community including the Harvard Business School, the Kennedy School of Government, and other Harvard graduate programs. The course has been created in a multiyear development effort by Professor Michael E. Porter and the staff and affiliates of the Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness at Harvard Business School. 

The MOC course explores the determinants of competitiveness and successful economic development viewed from a bottom-up, microeconomic perspective. While sound macroeconomic policies, stable legal and political institutions, and improving social conditions create the potential for competitiveness, wealth is actually created at the microeconomic level. The sophistication and productivity of firms, the vitality of clusters, and the quality of the business environment in which competition takes place, are the ultimate determinants of a nation's or region's productivity.

The course has been designed not only for students at Harvard but as a platform that can be taught at universities throughout the world. The course platform consists of case studies and other written materials plus an extensive library of video content that can be used in class including lectures by Prof. Porter for all sessions and videotapes of case protagonists including heads of state, senior ministers, governors, and others.  The course platform includes an extensive website for professors only to assist them in preparing for and teaching the course, including videotapes of case discussions for all sessions and audio tapes by Professor Porter and case writers to assist faculty in preparing for class.  Finally, a course website for students is available that can be customized by each participating university.

The links shown on the left hand column provide summary information on the course and how interested universities can participate. Faculty or interested universities should contact the MOC Program Manager at moc@hbs.edu.
 

Rev. 10/26/11