Economics for Management
| Module title | Economics for Management |
|---|---|
| Module code | BEE1034 |
| Academic year | 2024/5 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Professor Ben Zissimos (Convenor) Dr Arpita Ghosh (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 400 |
|---|
Module description
This module focuses on problems that arise with decision making in firms, and how you as a manager can address these problems using economics. The course takes a problems solving approach. You will be presented with problems that have arisen in real world firms and shown how these problems can be addressed using ideas from economics. The course requires the ability to critically analyse readings and is based on problem sets. GCSE level maths or equivalent will be required.
Module aims - intentions of the module
Economics offers powerful insights into the world of business. This introductory economics course aims:
• to provide an essential, simple, useable body of economics- based tools, which will both provide the basis for further study and equip students with a real understanding of the role of economics in business.
• to encourage students to understand how we as managers can make decisions more effectively and why we can sometimes make poor decisions
• to give students an understanding of how businesses use economic theory to make decisions
• to illustrate how economics is relevant to a number of areas of management
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Compute the relevant costs of any decision.
- 2. Use marginal analysis to make extent (how much) decisions.
- 3. Make investment decisions that increase firm value.
- 4. Set optimal prices and price discriminate.
- 5. Predict industry-level changes using demand/supply analysis.
- 6. Develop long-run strategies to increase firm value.
- 7. Use game theory to predict how your actions influence those of others.
- 8. Solve the problems caused by moral hazard and adverse selection.
- 9. Align individual incentives with the goals of the company.
- 10. Align division incentives with the goals of the company.
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 11. Demonstrate reasoning and problem-skills.
- 12. Demonstrate an understanding of the links between problems in business and economic theory
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 13. Demonstrate problem-solving and independent study skills
- 14. Use the ELE and the online resources that are companion to the textbook to develop IT skills
Syllabus plan
Week 1: Introduction
Week 2: Identifying Business Opportunities, Understanding Costs and Benefits
Week 3: Extent Decisions and Investment Decisions
Week 4: Pricing Decisions, with Simple and Complex Costs
Week 5: Understanding Markets and Market Structure
Week 6: More Realistic and Complex Pricing
Week 7: Strategic Games and Bargaining
Week 8: Adverse Selection, Moral Hazard
Week 9: Incentive Alignment
Week 10: Review
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 26 | 124 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 22 (2 hours per week) | Lectures |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 4-5 (1 hour each) | Tutorials |
| Guided Independent Study | 12 ( approx 1 hour per week) | Web-based activities |
| Guided Independent Study | 34 (approx 3 hours per week) | Use of Online Resources |
| Guided Independent Study | 56 (approx 5 hours per week) | Reading |
| Guided Independent Study | 22 (2 hours per week) | News Research and Reading |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tutorials | Throughout the term | 112 | Feedback on tutorial exercises |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 100 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Examination | 100 | 2 hours | 1-13 | Exam result and feedback as requested |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Examination (100%) | Examination (2 hours) 100% | 1-13 | August examination period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Managerial Economics: A Problem Solving Approach International Edition by Luke M. Froeb and Brian T. McCann. Published by Cengage Learning. Earlier editions, which can be obtained second hand online are fine as well.
Supplementary reading:
The Art of Strategy: A Game Theorist’s Guide to Success in Business and Life by Barry J. Nalebuff and Avinash K. Dixit.
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None
|
| Module co-requisites | none Non-requisites: Cannot be taken with BEE1029, BEE1036 or BEE1037 |
| NQF level (module) | 4 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 01/09/2012 |
| Last revision date | 08/03/2023 |
