66231 - Crash Course in Economics

Learning outcomes

To provide first-year students, particularly those without a bachelor degree in economics or business studies, with the basic tools and pre-requisites needed to successfully attend the GIOCA programme, a crash courses in Economics is organized.

Economics is a dynamic social science. The study of economics is essentially about dealing with scarcity, resource allocation and the methods and processes by which choices are made in the satisfaction of human wants. As a social science, economics uses scientific methodologies that include quantitative and qualitative elements.

The following specific skills are encouraged:

• The ability to use sources such as graphs and tables in a critical manner;

• The ability to analyse and interpret information from a wide range of sources;

• The ability to make well-substantiated decisions and to relate them to real-world contexts within the study of Innovation and Organization of Culture and Arts.

Course contents

Syllabus Outline:

• Math Review

• Principles of Microeconomics:

• Competitive markets: demand and supply

• Elasticity

• Government Intervention: taxes and subsidies

• Theory of the firm

• Production Theory

• Costs

• Market structures

• Perfect Competition

• Monopoly

• Oligopoly

• Market Failures

Readings/Bibliography

Simon C.P. - Blume L., “ Mathematics for Economists ”.

Mankiw N.G.-Taylor M.P., “ Principles of Economics ”.

Assessment methods

Students have to pass a set of four short partial exams plus a power point presentation on issues related to Case Studies selected during classes.

Teaching tools

A Moodle web-site designed by Dottor Matteo Cati is provided for those attending the Crash Course in Economics - GIOCA, where students can find: 

- Tests of self-assessment;
- The answers to these self-tests;
- Revision cards to be used to review the various issues addressed in the tests;
- The references with an indication of the chapters to be studied;
- Numerous power point presentations and learning objects with an in-depth review of the fundamental concepts of Microeconomics, solved exercises and case studies.

The instructions on how to login into the website are available at the following link: http://www2.dse.unibo.it/cati/GIOCA/GIOCA

Office hours

See the website of Matteo Maria Cati