The course is designed to provide students an introduction to Industrial Organization and to develop abilities to perform case studies and sectoral analysis. Industrial Organization represents the analytical framework for: strategic planning of firms operating in competitive markets; antitrust and competition policy; economic regulation; industrial policy.

Knowledge and understanding: The course aims to provide students with the tools to understand the behaviours of firms, sectors and markets. Students will acquire skills to understand the analytical framework for strategic planning of firms operating in competitive markets from a managerial perspective and to understand micro economics topics such as antitrust and competition policy; economic regulation. Applying knowledge and understanding: At the end of the course, students will be able to understand the foundations of microeconomic underpinning alternative theories of the firm; to connect different theories and apply them to industrial cases and sectoral analyses. Critical thinking: Students will be able to analyze and autonomously assess firms behaviors and the specifics of the industrial systems Communication skills: Students will acquire the communication skills that allow to discuss the theories of the firms and industrial economics. Such skills and the ability to use technical and economic jargon will be assessed through participation in class, discussion of cases, case study analyses and exams. Learning skills: Students will acquire foundational knowledge in micro economics and management that allow them to deepen their knowledge in advanced micro economic courses.

Part 1. Background. 1. The discipline of Industrial Organization. 2. Market economy fundamentals. Foundation and limits. 3. Methodologies: the Harvard School, The Chicago School and recent approaches to industrial organization. 4. Sectors and markets. The relevant market. 5. Theory of the firm. Part 2. Supply-side market structure. 6. Seller concentration and the size distribution of firms. Measures, causes and consequences. 7. Entry barriers. 8. Contestable markets. 9. Vertical integration. Part 3. Firms conducts 10. Oligopoly theory. Collusion. 11. Noncooperative behaviour. Kinky demand curve. 12. Product differentiation. Product quality and innovation. Non-price competition. 13. Price policies. Price-making firms and their strategies. Part 4. Industrial policy. 14. Recent approaches to industrial policy. 15. Productive specialization, structural change, productivity and Kaldor's growth laws. 16. Antitrust and economic regulation.

Carlo Scognamiglio Pasini (CSP.), Economia Industriale, LUISS University Press, 2012

Traditional lectures, seminars and project work.

The exam includes an oral test (80% of the final grade) preceded by a classroom discussion of one or more case studies on topics agreed with the teacher (20% of the final grade). Students will have to organize themselves in groups of a maximum of 7/8 participants and work together to present a case study on one of the topics covered in class. They will have to send the slides in advance and prepare the oral presentation, which will last no more than 15 minutes. Who will be in charge of the oral presentation will be drawn at the time of presentation, it being understood that the teachers will also evaluate the presentation on the basis of oral questions to all members of the group. The group presentations will all be in attendance and will focus on the second half of the course. The presentations will be evaluated on the basis of the case chosen, the application of the theories and concepts addressed in class on the practical case, the detail and completeness of the discussion of the case and their policy implications. The vote of the presentations cannot be refused. Students will be assessed on the basis of: knowledge of the main theories and models indicated in the program (40%), ability to connect the different topics covered (30%), ability to apply the topics studied to examples and cases (20%), ability to use technical-economic terminology appropriately (10%) The sum of the evaluation obtained in the oral test and in the discussion of the case involves the attribution of a score of 30/30 with the attribution of honors. Failure to achieve a score of 18/30 involves, on the contrary, failure to pass the exam.

None.