Syllabus
EN
IT
Learning Objectives
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
The main goal of this course is to provide students with knowledge of basic microeconomics methods and topics. This includes understanding the decision-making processes of economic agents such as consumers and firms, as well as the functioning of competitive markets both in situations with and without market power.
RESULTS
By the end of the course, students will be able to analyze, comprehend, and articulate the themes discussed throughout the course. This includes understanding the behavior of economic agents and the economic mechanisms of production and exchange. Additionally, students will develop an understanding of the strategic interaction between these agents. Furthermore students will be capable of effectively applying economic reasoning to a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental microeconomic phenomena and of the ongoing political and economic debate.
The main goal of this course is to provide students with knowledge of basic microeconomics methods and topics. This includes understanding the decision-making processes of economic agents such as consumers and firms, as well as the functioning of competitive markets both in situations with and without market power.
RESULTS
By the end of the course, students will be able to analyze, comprehend, and articulate the themes discussed throughout the course. This includes understanding the behavior of economic agents and the economic mechanisms of production and exchange. Additionally, students will develop an understanding of the strategic interaction between these agents. Furthermore students will be capable of effectively applying economic reasoning to a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental microeconomic phenomena and of the ongoing political and economic debate.
ANDREA PIANO MORTARI
Prerequisites
Basic Algebra and Calculus
Program
Externalities
Public Goods
The rational consumer: Consumer preferences and choice
Supply curve: inputs, costs.
Markets:
- Perfect Competition,
- Monopoly
- Oligopoly
- Monopolistic competition
Public Goods
The rational consumer: Consumer preferences and choice
Supply curve: inputs, costs.
Markets:
- Perfect Competition,
- Monopoly
- Oligopoly
- Monopolistic competition
Books
Krugman, P., & Wells, R. (2020). Microeconomics (7th edition). Macmillan.
Bibliography
Essential mathematics for economic Analysis K. Sydsaeter and P. Hammond
Microeconomics with Calculus J. Perloff
Microeconomia, H.Varian
Microeconomics with Calculus J. Perloff
Microeconomia, H.Varian
Teaching methods
Lectures and practice classess, group work.
Exam Rules
Written examination featuring open questions/ essays to test knowledge of theoretical notions and exercises meant to test the ability to formalize and analyze an economic problem.
EMILIO CALVANO
Prerequisites
Basic Mathematics: A solid understanding of basic mathematical concepts is necessary to comprehend and manipulate economic models and equations. Proficiency in algebra, little calculus (particularly derivatives), and graphing is typically expected.
Program
- Economic Principles: Individual choice, interaction, and economy-wide interactions.
- Microeconomic Theory & applications: Theory, market design, advertising auctions, and demand estimation.
- Trade: Comparative advantage, international trade, and models in economics.
- Supply and Demand: demand and supply curves,
- Equilibrium: equilibrium concept, changes in supply and demand, and competitive markets.
- Consumer and producer surplus: Surplus concepts, gains from trade, efficiency, and market economy.
- Price controls and quotas: Government control, price ceilings, price floors.
- Quotas and Elasticity: Controlling quantities, elasticity of demand, and midpoint method.
- Elasticities: demand and supply elasticity.
- Elasticities and Taxes: Other demand elasticities, price elasticity of supply, and preliminary view of taxes.
- Taxes: Price elasticities and tax incidence, benefits and costs of taxation, tax revenues, and costs of taxation.
- Decision making by individuals and firms: Costs, benefits, profits, explicit and implicit costs, and marginal analysis.
- Consumer preferences: Utility, budgets, optimal consumption, and indifference curves.
- Behind the Supply Curve: Production function, cost function.
- Perfect Competition: Price-taking behavior, profit maximization, equilibrium, and short run and long run profits.
- Monopoly: Barriers to entry, profit maximization, price discrimination, and monopoly's effects.
- Oligopoly: partial equilibrium, collusion, prisoner's dilemma, and market power.
- Monopolistic competition and product differentiation: Differentiation, profit maximization, advertising, and product diversity.
- Externality: External costs and benefits, private solutions, government policy, and environmental standards.
- Public Goods: Rivalry, excludability, free-rider problem, common resources, and club goods.
- Microeconomic Theory & applications: Theory, market design, advertising auctions, and demand estimation.
- Trade: Comparative advantage, international trade, and models in economics.
- Supply and Demand: demand and supply curves,
- Equilibrium: equilibrium concept, changes in supply and demand, and competitive markets.
- Consumer and producer surplus: Surplus concepts, gains from trade, efficiency, and market economy.
- Price controls and quotas: Government control, price ceilings, price floors.
- Quotas and Elasticity: Controlling quantities, elasticity of demand, and midpoint method.
- Elasticities: demand and supply elasticity.
- Elasticities and Taxes: Other demand elasticities, price elasticity of supply, and preliminary view of taxes.
- Taxes: Price elasticities and tax incidence, benefits and costs of taxation, tax revenues, and costs of taxation.
- Decision making by individuals and firms: Costs, benefits, profits, explicit and implicit costs, and marginal analysis.
- Consumer preferences: Utility, budgets, optimal consumption, and indifference curves.
- Behind the Supply Curve: Production function, cost function.
- Perfect Competition: Price-taking behavior, profit maximization, equilibrium, and short run and long run profits.
- Monopoly: Barriers to entry, profit maximization, price discrimination, and monopoly's effects.
- Oligopoly: partial equilibrium, collusion, prisoner's dilemma, and market power.
- Monopolistic competition and product differentiation: Differentiation, profit maximization, advertising, and product diversity.
- Externality: External costs and benefits, private solutions, government policy, and environmental standards.
- Public Goods: Rivalry, excludability, free-rider problem, common resources, and club goods.
Books
Krugman, Paul, and Robin Wells. Microeconomics (Sixth international edition)
Teaching methods
Conventional lecture mode (frontal lesson) and interactive (the students will be required participate actively in the class discussions and group work). Tutorial sessions.
Exam Rules
To obtain credit, students must pass an exam. There are two options available for determining their final grade. One option is to complete a comprehensive general exam that encompasses all the material covered in the course. The other option involves taking both a midterm and a final exam, with the final grade being based on the average score.
In the event that a student either fails the midterm or passes the midterm but fails the final exam, they will be required to take the general exam. During the first examination opportunity ("primo appello"), both the final exam and the general exam will be offered. However, for all subsequent examination opportunities ("appelli successivi al primo"), students must take the general exam.
Students always have the option to decline a grade and can take as many general exams as they are able to. If a student chooses to decline a grade they should communicate this intention via email with the subject line "grade rejection" addressed to the instructor.
The structure of the final exam will be as follows. Quizzes/multiple choice averaging about 2/3 of the grade and exercise(s). Exercises will be along the lines of those assigned in class and solved in tutorial sessions.
In the event that a student either fails the midterm or passes the midterm but fails the final exam, they will be required to take the general exam. During the first examination opportunity ("primo appello"), both the final exam and the general exam will be offered. However, for all subsequent examination opportunities ("appelli successivi al primo"), students must take the general exam.
Students always have the option to decline a grade and can take as many general exams as they are able to. If a student chooses to decline a grade they should communicate this intention via email with the subject line "grade rejection" addressed to the instructor.
The structure of the final exam will be as follows. Quizzes/multiple choice averaging about 2/3 of the grade and exercise(s). Exercises will be along the lines of those assigned in class and solved in tutorial sessions.