READ BEFORE YOU APPLY ........ Managerial economics - 3 quizes + 3 short papers

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ECON 308: Managerial Economics, Fall 2019 (13516)

Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:30am – 10:45am, Bookstein Hall 1131

Instructor: Gabriel Pablo Axarlian, PhD

Office: Bookstein Hall, Fourth Floor, Room 4243

Phone Number: (818) 677 - 4552

Office Hours: Tuesdays 1-2pm and Thursdays 1-2pm, 3:15pm-6:15pm

• Michael Baye, Managerial Economics and Business Strategy, 9th edition

• Connect (homework system) access code as a stand-alone item or bundled with the textbook.

Course Description:

The course connects economic theory to practical issues faced by firm managers. It focuses on

the way economic theory affects the firm's behavior both internally and externally. Internal

issues include organizational structure and contract design, especially as these issues relate to

opportunism, rent-seeking and asymmetric information. External issues include discussions of

corporate strategy, advertising and the market for corporate control. For more details, please see

the schedule of lectures.

Readings/Lecture Slides/Attendance:

It is a good idea to read the sections in the book covered in class before the corresponding

lectures. My slides are based on the chapters covered in your book and they will also be made

available to you on Canvas. The slides are your primary information source for the course and

the textbook is supplementary to them.

Exams:

There will be 2 midterm exams and a final exam. The exam dates are listed in the lecture

schedule that follows. Make-up exams will not be given! Students will only be excused from

midterm 1 or midterm 2 at my discretion. The only excuse for missing an exam is a medical

emergency which is proven through official documentation. Going to the doctor because you

feel sick is not a medical emergency. The grades of students who are excused from an exam will

be based on homework scores, a single midterm score, and the final exam. The final must be

taken in order to pass the course, and will only be rescheduled for major illness or other well

documented emergencies.

Homework:

There will be (mostly) weekly homework assignments using the Connect software. Homework

will generally be due Sunday Nights at 11:59pm. I will drop your three lowest homework

scores. Thus, there will be no late assignments accepted.

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Paper (Note: There is a video on Canvas that explains the paper in detail):

You will be writing a 2500 word paper (Times New Roman, font size 12) that will be an

economic analysis of a corporate case. Assuming the role of the firm manager, and using the

theoretical tools covered in the course, you will provide input on one of the five corporate case

studies available on the Canvas class site (same case must be used for the entire paper). You will

be writing a rough draft in the form of three mini-papers (2-3 pages each) throughout the

semester corresponding to the three chapters1 you choose to use for your analysis, immediately

after we cover each chapter. You will have a week following the conclusion of the lectures on

corresponding chapter to turn in your minipaper digitally via Canvas (last option will be chapter

10). The final paper will be a compilation of these three papers in which you include an

introduction tying the three mini-papers together under an umbrella thesis, and a conclusion that

ties up the paper. The paper will need to be submitted digitally via Canvas as well as in

hardcopy form to me in class on the due date. Each day the paper is late you will lose 25% of the

credit.

The three mini-papers will not be graded based on content, but will adversely affect your

grade if they are not turned in on time. The final paper will be closely scrutinized and graded

based on content.

Course grade:

• Each of the 3 exams will be worth 23.33% of your grade (70% total)

• Homework will be worth 10% of your grade

• The paper will make up 20% o The completed paper will be worth 14% o The additional 6% will be awarded for the timely submission of the three mini-

papers (2% each)

• Following the communication policy will provide an opportunity for an extra credit of 5%

Letter grades will correspond (approximately) to the following ranges:

Overall Score Grade

90-100 A- to A

78-89 B- to B+

65-77 C- to C+

50-64 D

0-49 F

1 You are free to pick and choose which concepts you will use in your analysis from each chapter

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Communication Policy Communication is the most important skill you need to cultivate at CSUN in order to be

successful once you earn your degree. This policy is meant to help prepare you for professional

communication standards that you’ll be expected to adapt to in a variety of settings.

I am asking that electronic communication in this class be done through a message board

called Piazza. I get emailed every time a post is made on Piazza, so it’s equivalent to emailing

me. You can post questions there which can be answered by your fellow students as well as

myself. It also provides you the option to post anonymously, but all posts will be transparent to

me. Please do not email me directly with regards to questions about class logistics or questions

about class content. If you do, I will generally refer you back to lecture recordings and the

textbook for clarification.

If you have a personal issue you need to discuss with me, that is what office hours are for.

Please only email me for personal issues only if you are unable to come to my office hours. My

email address is [email protected] . If you email, please include your full name and

the class name, date and time of meeting, so that I may respond.

Your communication grade is based on a few factors:

1. Registering on Piazza

• Please register for Piazza as early as possible in the semester 2. Posting Professionally on Piazza

• Each post should pertain to only one question o So if you have multiple questions, start multiple posts

• Each post should be labeled correctly in the title as well as the folder you categorize it in o ie HW 3 Q 4 (this should be the title and put into “HW3” folder) o ie How does the communication grade work? (put in “logistics” folder)

• Before you post a question make sure it has not already been asked (do a search) o If it has been asked and your question isn’t answered, please post a follow up in

the same thread

• Questions and answers on Piazza should be limited to the topics in any particular thread 3. Post only professional comments

• Posting personal feelings about anything related to the class is not professional o The board is for relaying important information about the class o If you want to have discussions about your opinions of the class, please do it on

personal social media

4. Do not respond to my Canvas posts. That is not an official means of communication.

5. Keeping up with all class information

• You must read all my emails from Canvas

• You must also be current on all information announced in class

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Tentative Lecture Schedule, Exam Dates, and Paper Due Date

Week 1

Tuesday, 8/27:

• Class Introduction o Syllabus

Thursday, 8/29:

• Chapter 1 – The Fundamentals of Managerial Economics Reading: Chapter 1

Week 2

Tuesday, 9/3:

• Begin Chapter 2 – Market Forces: Demand and Supply Reading: Chapter 2

Thursday, 9/5:

• Conclude Chapter 2

Week 3

Tuesday, 9/10:

• Begin Chapter 3 – Quantitative Demand Analysis Reading: Chapter 3

Thursday, 9/12:

• Conclude Chapter 3

Week 4

Tuesday, 9/17:

• Begin Chapter 4 – The Theory of Individual Behavior Reading: Chapter 4

Thursday, 9/19:

• Conclude Chapter 4

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Week 5

Tuesday, 9/24:

• Midterm 1

Thursday, 9/26:

• Grading Day

Week 6

Tuesday, 10/1:

• Begin Chapter 5 – The Production Process and Costs Reading: Chapter 5

Thursday, 10/3:

• Continue Chapter 5

Week 7

Tuesday, 10/8:

• Conclude Chapter 5

Thursday, 10/10:

• Chapter 6 – The Organization of the Firm Reading: Chapter 6

Week 8

Tuesday, 10/15:

• Begin Chapter 7 – The Nature of Industry Reading: Chapter 7

Thursday, 10/17:

• Conclude Chapter 7

• Begin Chapter 8 – Managing in Competitive, Monopolistic, and Monopolistically Competitive Markets

Reading: Chapter 8

Week 9

Tuesday, 10/22:

• Continue Chapter 8

Thursday, 10/24:

• Conclude Chapter 8

Week 10

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Tuesday, 10/30:

• Midterm 2

Thursday, 11/1:

• Grading Day

Week 11

Tuesday, 11/5:

• Begin Chapter 9 – Basic Oligopoly Models Reading: Chapter 9

Thursday, 11/7:

• Continue Chapter 9

Week 12

Tuesday, 11/12:

• Conclude Chapter 9

• Begin Chapter 10 – Game Theory: Inside Oligopoly Reading: Chapter 10

Thursday, 11/14:

• Continue Chapter 10

Week 13

Tuesday, 11/19:

• Conclude Chapter 10

Thursday, 11/21:

• Begin Chapter 11 – Pricing Strategies for Firms with Market Power Reading: Chapter 11

Week 14

Tuesday, 11/26:

• Continue Chapter 11

Thursday, 11/28:

• Off - Thanksgiving

Week 15

Tuesday, 12/3:

• Conclude Chapter 11

• Completed Paper Due

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Thursday, 12/5:

• Begin Chapter 12 – The Economics of Information Reading: Chapter 12

Week 16

Tuesday, 12/10

• Conclude Chapter 12

Week 17

Tuesday, 12/17:

• Final Exam 8-10am

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*Policy on Academic Dishonesty:

University rules prohibit cheating, fabrication, facilitating the academic dishonesty of another

student, and plagiarism. If you engage in any of these activities in this class, you can expect to

receive a failing grade. A letter will be sent to the appropriate campus officials. “Cheating or

plagiarism in connection with an academic program at a campus is listed in Section 41301, Title

V, California Code of Regulations, as an offense for which a student may be expelled, suspended

or given a less severe disciplinary sanction.”

*Drop Policy:

According to University policy, non-attendance does not constitute withdrawal; to withdraw

from this class you must file a drop form with the University. If you fail to attend this class, and

you do not formally drop the class, a failing grade will be recorded.

During the first three weeks of instruction, students may withdraw online. Exceptions are granted

or denied by the Office of Undergraduate Studies if there is a "serious and compelling reason"

and "there is no viable alternative" (a viable alternative includes taking a failing grade and

repeating the course). Changes in work schedule, etc., will generally not be considered a

sufficient reason. "Complete Medical Withdrawals" (all classes are dropped due to medical

problems—yours or those of someone you care for) are processed by the Health Center.

*Incompletes:

A grade of "Incomplete" will only be assigned when most of the course has been completed with

a passing grade. This is only permitted when unforeseen circumstances arise that preclude

finishing course work related to a class. According to University policy, an incomplete may not

be assigned when a student would have to retake a course.

*Center on Disabilities:

http://www.csun.edu/cod/studentservices.htm, 818.677.2684, Bayramian Hall 110. The Center

on Disabilities serves students with a wide range of visible and hidden disabilities, in a

confidential environment. Students are encouraged to meet with the professional staff and

explore the services available to support their academic, career and personal goals. Discover

accommodations and strategies for help with disabilities in an academic setting.

*Videos and the hearing impaired

All videos are posted on Youtube which provides close captioning as is required by university

guidelines.

*This course’s paper satisfies the following writing intensive student learning objectives:

• Develop and clearly define your ideas through writing.

• Ethically integrate sources of various kinds into your writing.

• Compose texts through drafting, revising, and completing a finished product.

• Express yourselves through your writing by posing questions, making original claims,

and coherently structuring complex ideas.

• Revise your writing for greater cogency and clarity.

• Utilize adopted communication modes and documentation styles of specific disciplines

(MLA, APA, Chicago, CBE, etc) where appropriate.