Economic Analysis & Policy Group

This course develops and applies models of the world's economies to explain long-run trends and short-run fluctuations in key macroeconomic variables, such as GDP, wage and profit rates, inflation, interest rates, employment and unemployment, budget deficits, exchange rates, and trade balances. 2 units.

 

The key learning objectives are:

 

1. Apply game-theoretic analysis, both formally and intuitively, to formulate and implement strategy.
2. Develop the ability to engage in outward thinking—planning and strategy based on the idea that rivals have their own objectives and capabilities that must be accounted for in developing strategy.
3. Build a toolbox of key game theory concepts, such as the value of commitment, that can be used to fundamentally alter unfavorable strategic situations and transform them into something more promising. Simply put, students will learn how to “change the game” in exploiting strategic situations.

 

The course has a strong experiential component. Students will repeatedly participate in a variety of games based on real-world business situations thereby developing the ability to translate their analyses into practice. The mid-semester and final projects also emphasize translating the core concepts into usable strategies in real-world markets. 2-3 units.

A survey of the main ideas and techniques of game-theoretic analysis related to bargaining, conflict, and negotiation. Emphasizes the identification and analysis of archetypal strategic situations in bargaining. Goals of the course are to provide a foundation for applying game-theoretic analysis, both formally and intuitively, to negotiation and bargaining; to recognize and assess archetypal strategic situations in complicated negotiation settings. 2-3 units.

 

The energy industries feature a complex mix of regulation and market-driven incentives. Over the 15 years, energy markets that had previously been viewed as staid and conservative have been rocked by deregulation initiatives, the California electricity crises, the Enron scandal, rising commodity prices, and now the challenge to reduce greenhouse gases.

 

Drawing on the tools of economics and finance, we study the business and public policy issues that these changes have raised in energy markets. Topics include the development and effect of organized spot, futures, and derivative markets in energy; the political economy of deregulation; climate change, environmental policy and the emerging markets for green energy; market power and antitrust; and the transportation and storage of energy commodities. We examine the economic determinants of industry structure and evolution of competition among firms in these industries; investigate successful and unsuccessful strategies for entering new markets and competing in existing markets; and analyze the rationale for and effects of public policies in energy and environmental markets. 3 units.

Business strategy and public issues in energy and environmental markets. Topics include development and effect of organized spot, futures, and derivative energy markets; political economy of regulation and deregulation; climate change and environmental policies related to energy production and use; cartels, market power and competition policy; pricing of exhaustible resources; competitiveness of alternative energy sources; and transportation and storage of energy commodities. 3 units.

Course covers core topics in strategy, including selection of goals; the choice of products and services to offer; competitive positioning in product markets; decisions about scope and diversity; and the design of organizational structure, administrative systems, and other issues of control and internal regulation. 2 units.

Economic analysis applicable to the problems of business enterprises with emphasis on the determination of the level of prices, outputs, and inputs; effects of the state of the competitive environment on business and government policies. 3 units.

This course draws upon theories and frameworks from industrial organization economics, game theory, and resource-based views to address the unique challenges confronted by senior executives of organizations. The focus is strategies for competitive advantage at an organizational level. Topics include industry and competitor analysis, horizontal and vertical boundaries of the firm, strategic positioning, internal competencies, and dynamic capabilities. 3 units.

Class format consists of online instruction, student presentations, and case discussion. This course will cover the study of the concepts and techniques required to design and implement business strategies for private, public, and/or not-for-profit organizations. Students work in teams with a client organization and present their strategic recommendations. 3 units.