|
|
|
|
|
 |
|||
| Fin 60210 Microeconomic Analysis Syllabus -- Fall - 2009 Instructor: Professor Barry Keating Office: 226 COBA
|
|||
Text and Materials:
Microeconomics For MBAS,, ISBN: 0-521-85981-6, Richard B. McKenzie and Dwight R. Lee (Cambridge University Press) -- Required
A wireless enabled laptop will be usefull for in-class experiments.
Please purchase the textbook early so that you have access to the text starting on the first day of class. The textbook is available in the Notre Dame Bookstore.
Courses in microeconomic analysis typically have the reputation of being among the most challenging in any curriculum. The reputation is well deserved—that should be admitted at the outset. But, despite the analytical rigor which characterizes the course, microeconomic analysis is the heart of economics and the key to its application in the world of business.
Economics in general, and this course in particular, are designed to explain the nature of the real world; the intent here is to integrate theory and application. Theory is only justified by its power of application in this course.
We will confine our inquiry in this course to six major topic areas:
Consumer choice, demand, and forecasting
Production analysis and optimal input combinations
Cost analysis and Estimation
Market structure and regulation
The Economics of Risk and Finance
Economic Regulation
Regular attendance is essential to the successful completion of this course. Attendance will regularly be taken at the beginning of each class and you are responsible for material covered in class whether or not you have attended class.. In-class experiments are not reproducible for individual students. Thus, unsatisfactory attendance may result in a grade reduction or a failing grade. Missing more than two class meetings is unsatisfactory. You should plan on spending at least two hours of independent study for each hour of class attendance.
A course grade will be assigned as follows on the basis of individual student performance on a three examinations: two midterm examinations and a final examination.
First Midterm Examination
25% of the course gradeSecond Midterm Examination
25% of the course gradeFinal Examination
50% of the course grade
On the “Assignment Sheet” below you will find a class-by-class list of topics to be individually covered; this is your reading assignment.
"Modules" Podcasts are available for each chapter of the text (these are included with the CD packaged with the textbook); please listen to these podcasts before each class. Extra "Modules" podcasts are also available on this web site; these podcasts are also to be covered before each class meeting (http://www.nd.edu/~mbamicro/podcasts.html).
Also note that the entire textbook is available in podcast format (in addition to the "Modules" mentioned above). This allows you to transport the entire text anywhere on your 4 oz iPod. Take the text on your Interterm travels.
We will extensively use economic experiments in this course. These experiments will utilize your wireless enabled (i.e., WiFi) laptops. Each experiment will model a particular aspect of economic reality. You will play a defined role in each of the experiments and should pay particular attention to the debriefing sessions following each experiment.
No problems will be handed in for grading. However, it is recommended that you carefully examine “The Bottom Line” that appear at the end of each chapter (see page 41 in the text for an example).
The “Review Questions” at the end of each chapter are also recommended for your individual and study group preparation.
These examinations will be full-period examinations including questions and problems similar to examples in the textbook and lectures. Because of the technical nature of these examinations, students are allowed to use calculators (but not computers or PDA devices). These examinations, however, are to be completed without reference to the textbook, class notes or any other materials. The Mendoza College of Business Graduate Academic Code of Honor is in effect for these examinations.
No RF (i.e., radio frequency) devices are allowed in the classroom during an examination; possession of such a device during an examination is an automatic Honor Code violation (this includes cell phones).
This is also a cumulative examination administered during final exam day (Monday December 14th at 8:00 am in Jordan Auditorium). The same procedures which apply to the midterm examination also apply to this examination. The Mendoza College of Business Graduate Academic Code of Honor is again in effect for this examination.
The Mendoza College of Business Graduate Academic Code of Honor is observed in this class. Violation of the Code of Honor consists of misrepresenting, in any way, anyone else’s work as your own, any verbal or written misrepresentations to the instructor, any use of unauthorized external materials during quizzes and/or tests, or any collaborative effort on the examinations. All members of the class have an equal and shared responsibility to enforce the code of ethics among their peers.
1 10/26 (Monday)
Microeconomics: A Way of Thinking about Business—Chapter 1
2 10/28 (Wednesday)
Competitive Product Markets and Firm Decisions—Chapter 2
3 11/2 (Monday)
Principles of Rational Behavior in Society and Business—Chapter 3
The Logic of Group Behavior in Business and Elsewhere – Chapter 4
4 11/4 (Wednesday)
Government Controls: How Management Incentives are Affected—Chapter 5
5 11/9 (Monday)
Reasons for Firms and Incentives—Chapter 6
6 11/11 (Wednesday)
First Midterm Examination
7 11/16 (Monday)
Consumer Choice and Demand in Traditional and Network Markets—Chapter 7
8 11/18 (Wednesday)
Production Costs and Business Decisions—Chapter 8
9 11/23 (Monday)
Production Costs in the Short Run and Long Run—Chapter 9
Thanksgiving Holiday
November 25th - November 29th
10 11/30 (Monday)
Second Midterm Examination
11 12/2 (Wednesday)
Firm Production Under Idealized Competitive Conditions—Chapter 10
12 12/7 (Monday)
Monopoly Power and Firm Pricing Decisions—Chapter 11
Firm Strategy Under Imperfectly Competitive Market Conditions—Chapter 12
13 12/9 (Wednesday)
Problems in Collective Decision Making—Chapter 14
