PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMICS

Diletta Topazio

Obiettivi formativi

The course aims at introducing the fundamentals of economic theory.

Prerequisiti

None

Risultati di apprendimento attesi

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING SKILLS Students at the end of the Course will have proved their understanding of the main microeconomic and macroeconomic relations such as: utility and profit maximization, the effects of commodity taxes, international trade and the principle of comparative advantages, the process of GDP formation. The acquired information set is a fundamental support for the understanding and deepening of the studies of all higher-ranking economic and financial subjects. APPLYING KNOWLEDGE At the end of the Course, Students will be able to interpret and assess key microeconomic and macroeconomic dynamics of the real economy. ABILITY TO DRAW CONCLUSIONS Students will be able to identify the most appropriate models, among those presented in the course, to describe microeconomic and macroeconomic phenomena in their relationship with the real world. COMMUNICATION SKILLS Students will be able to describe economic problems analytically, with the opportunity to refer to the scientific literature proposed in the course. Students will also be able to interact in operational contexts related to economic phenomena, being able to develop analyses through the identification of causality links and the most appropriate methodologies to interpret them. ABILITY TO LEARN At the end of the Course students will master a good degree of understanding of the key tools and concepts of economics that will enable them to tackle studies in the economic and financial sectors at more advanced levels.

Contenuti Del Corso

- Demand and supply - Consumption theory - Production - Market theory - Demand and supply - Consumption theory - Production - Market theory - Public intervention - Labor market - Growth and income distribution - Inflation - Unemployment - Money and banking

Testi Di Riferimento

N.G. Mankiw, Principles of Economics, 7th ed.,

Metodologie Didattiche

Lectures and exercise classes

Modalità di verifica dell'apprendimento

The student is evaluated at the end of the course via a written test. In addition, students also have the possibility of undertaking an intermediate in class test during the course (the date will be announced at the beginning of the term). The students will have to demonstrate knowledge of the theoretical notions of Principles of Economics, knowing how to apply them in practical cases demonstrating of having has achieved the method of study and the learning ability necessary to continue the study of the subject autonomously. The failure to achieve at least the score of 18/30 will result in failure to pass the exam.

Criteri per l’assegnazione dell’elaborato finale

Successfully completing the exam Successfully completing the exam

Settimana 1

INTRODUCTION TO ECONOMICS (ch. 1-3) Introduction, info about grading and other suggestions. Basic principles of Economics and the role of economists. Market economy, demand and supply.

Settimana 2

MARKET DEMAND AND SUPPLY (ch. 4-5) Market dynamics: demand, supply, market equilibrium. Comparative statics. Demand and supply elasticities.

Settimana 3

CONSUMPTION THEORY (ch. 21) Rational choices and constrained optima. Utility functions and indifference curves. Optimal choices, internal solutions and corner solutions. Price, income and substitution effects.

Settimana 4

PRODUCTION THEORY (ch. 13, 18) Factors of production and production functions in the short/long run. Marginal returns. Cost analysis. Profit maximization.

Settimana 5

PERFECT COMPETITION (ch. 14) Revenues and profit maximization under perfect competition. The role of taxation. Entry and exit dynamics.

Settimana 6

MARKET THEORY: MONOPOLY AND OLIGOPOLY (ch. 15) Monopoly. Natural monopolies and antitrust legislation. Oligopoly and game theory.

Settimana 7

WELFARE (ch. 6-8) Pareto efficiency. Welfare theorems. Market failures.

Settimana 8

NATIONAL ACCOUNTING: GDP (ch. 23) Introduction to macroeconomics. Nominal and real GDP. Inflation. Consumption and investments.

Settimana 9

INFLATION AND THE COST OF LIVING (ch. 24) Financial markets and institutions. Financial tools. Interest rates and public debt.

Settimana 10

MONETARY ECONOMICS (ch. 30) Definition and role of money. Monetary institutions. Central Banks and money supply.

Settimana 11

IS-LM MODEL (ch. 25) IS and LM curves. Macroeconomic equilibrium. Fiscal and monetary policy.

Settimana 12

UNEMPLOYMENT (ch. 18, 28) Labor demand and supply. Phillips curve, natural rate of unemployment, short and long run unemployment. The role of economic policies.