UMass Boston

Course Overview

Description

Introduces the student to economic principles of particular interest to the firm manager. The course is divided roughly into two parts that deal with macroeconomic and microeconomic issues. In the macro section such key aggregates as gross domestic product, unemployment rate, inflation rate, and balance of payments, which are of importance to the firm manager, are discussed. Discussions focus on a critical examination of how these aggregates are measured and determined in various competing theoretical models. The theory discussed here then serves as an analytical tool in understanding and evaluating economic policies related to such current economic issues as unemployment, inflation, and trade imbalances. In the micro section, emphasis is given to a) the theory of markets, how prices and quantities are determined in markets and factors that affect these prices and quantities; and b) how firms compete in different market environments. Besides concentrating on the theory, special attention is given to how the concepts covered are applied to real-world microeconomic problems.

Prerequisites

Graduate degree student in Management