Instructional goals
The course aims at introducing students to key concepts of economic
theory. Particular attention is paid to the economic analysis of laws and
institutions.
Prerequisites
None
Intended learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding: At the end of the course, students will acquire full knowledge of the main micro and macroeconomic models and
will be able to understand the functioning of the market supply and demand, the price formation, the consumer choice, the firm’s theory, the
different markets; the main economic aggregates as well as aims and effects of economic policies. The acquisition of this knowledge will be
ascertained through a final oral exam.
Applying knowledge and understanding: After acquiring tools, methods, and an appropriate economic jargon, students will be able to critically interpret the main economic phenomena and apply acquired models to the debate on the functioning of economic systems.
Making judgements: By using the models studied during the course, students will be able to make their own critical assessment on the
functioning of modern market economies and will be able to discuss independently the decisions of economic agents and the effects of economic policies by identifying the appropriate solutions to real cases.
Communication skills: At the end of the course students will be able to properly use the economic language, adapting it to different contexts. By
participating in the different course’s activities (e.g. lectures, oral exams), students will be able to exploit the acquired communication
skills.
Learning skills: The economic knowledge acquired during the course will allow students to independently understand and interpret the functioning
of economic systems. Students will develop a solid knowledge of economics concepts that will allow them to deepen independently the
micro and macroeconomic models learned during the course.
Course Contents
• Supply and demand
• Markets mechanisms
• Competition, antitrust and market power
• The role of the State
• Labour market
• Income, growth and Institutions
• Economic fluctuations and stabilization of the cycle
• Inflation and unemployment
• Money and Financial Markets
Reference Books
MICROECONOMICS
Text book:
Boccella, N., Imbriani, C., & Morone, P. (2014). Analisi microeconomica e
scelte pubbliche. LED.
Please exclude chapter 6, paragraph 11.4 as well as chapters 12, 13 and
14. All boxes are excluded.
Link: https://tinyurl.com/cnfvpssx
or:
Sloman, J., & Garratt, D. (2018). microeconomia (Quinta ed.). Il Mulino.
Chs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Link1: https://tinyurl.com/429as8ur
Link2: https://tinyurl.com/pzd5z7hk
MACROECONOMICS
Text book:
Imbriani, C., & Lopes, A. (2016). Macroeconomia, un'introduzione:
Mercati, istituzioni finanziarie e politiche. UTET Università.
Chs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 (until 8.5 included) and 9. Please exclude all boxes
with the exception of B6 and C3.
Link: https://tinyurl.com/8z8fy9re
Teaching Methods
Lectures
Classes
Assessment Method
The final examination (only oral) will cover all topics included in the
course programme. During the exams, students must demonstrate their
knowledge of the micro- and macroeconomic models analysed in the
course and their ability to represent them graphically. Students must also
demonstrate to correctly use the economic vocabulary and to have
acquired the necessary study method and learning ability. The
examiniation mark will take into account the student's ability to orally
answer the questions (65%) and to graphically represent the economic
models analysed (35%). The failure to achieve at least the score of 18/30
in microeconomics or macroeconomics will result in failure to pass the
exam.
Thesis assignment criteria
None
Week 1
INTRODUCTION TO ECONOMICS
Session 1 online
Introduction to the course - examination methods and tips for studying
the subject.
Basic principles of economics and the role of the economist
Market economics
Session 2 on campus
Demand
Supply
Week 2
QUANTITY AND MARKET PRICES:
Session 1 online
The market mechanisms
Variations of market equilibrium
Session 2 on campus
The elasticity of demand
The cross-elasticity
The elasticity of supply
Week 3
CONSUMPTION THEORY:
Session 1 online
Choice problems as constrained maximization
Optimal choice: the budget constraint
Session 1 on campus
Optimal choice: utility functions and indifference curves
The demand: income effect and substitution effect
Income-consumption line and Engel Curve
Week 4
PRODUCTION THEORY (part 1)
Session 1 online
Introducing the production function
Production function in the short term
Production function in the long term
Session 2 on campus
From production to costs
Fixed and variable costs; total costs, average and marginal costs
Week 5
PRODUCTION THEORY (part 2)
Session 1
Isoquant and isocost
Optimal combination of inputs
Session 2
Perfect competition
Profit maximization
Types and characteristics of monopoly: the natural monopolies
Week 6
MARKET MECHANISM
Session 1 online
The revenue curve of the monopolist and profit maximization
Introduction to Law & Economics and anti-trust legislation
Session2 on campus
Duopoly and oligopoly
Monopolistic competition
Microeconomics: summing up
Week 7
INTRODUCTION TO MACROECONOMICS
Session 1 online
Subject and method of macroeconomic theory
National accounts, the three methods of calculating GDP
Session 2 on campus
The private sector; multiplier of private expenditure
Public sector; public spending multipliers
Foreign sector; open economy multiplier
Week 8
MONEY SUPPLY AND MONEY DEMAND
Session 1 online
Central Bank, money supply, interest rate; money multiplier
Monetary base, the channels of liquidity creation
Session 2 on campus
Money demand theories: quantity theory of money; liquidity preference
Equilibrium in the money market and the role of the interest rate
Monetary policy
Week 9
INVESTMENT, FIRMS DECISIONS AND FINANCIAL MARKETS - THE IS-LM
MODEL
Session 1 online
Investment decisions theory and the role of the interest rate
Investment, accelerator theory, equity markets
Session 2 on campus
Deriving the IS curve
Deriving the LM curve
Macroeconomic equilibrium at fixed prices
Week 10
MODELLO IS-LM
Sessione 1 online
Politica fiscale e effetto spiazzamento
Meccanismo di trasmissione della politica monetaria e suoi effetti
Sessione 2 on campus
Efficacia delle politiche monetarie e fiscali a confronto
Efficacia delle politiche fiscali e monetarie nel dibattito tra keynesiani e
monetaristi
Crescita del debito pubblico, profili e problemi
Week 11
LABOUR MARKET
Session 1 online
Neoclassical model of the labor market: supply and demand
Labor market equilibrium; voluntary and involuntary unemployment
Session 2 on campus
Inflation and unemployment, the Phillips curve
Natural rate of unemployment, the monetarist critique and the Phillips
curve
Policy implications of the monetarist critique
Week 12
MACROECONOMIC EQUILIBRIUM: THE AD-AS MODEL
Session 1 online
Aggregate supply and demand
Macroeconomic equilibrium: AD-AS model and special cases
Session 2 on campus
International trade and financial markets. Balance of payments and
exchange rates
Floating vs. Fixed Exchange Rates - The international monetary system
Macroeconomics: Summing up