Syllabus

Title
4768 Microeconomics
Instructors
Friedrich Bähr, MSc (WU)
Contact details
fbaehr@wu.ac.at
Type
VUE
Weekly hours
2
Language of instruction
Englisch
Registration
04/30/24 to 05/07/24
Registration via LPIS
Notes to the course
Subject(s) Bachelor Programs
Microeconomics
Applied Microeconomics
Dates
Day Date Time Room
Monday 05/13/24 05:00 PM - 07:00 PM TC.5.13
Wednesday 05/15/24 05:00 PM - 07:00 PM TC.5.13
Wednesday 05/22/24 05:00 PM - 07:00 PM TC.5.13
Monday 05/27/24 05:00 PM - 07:00 PM TC.5.13
Wednesday 05/29/24 05:00 PM - 07:00 PM TC.5.13
Monday 06/03/24 05:00 PM - 07:00 PM TC.5.13
Wednesday 06/05/24 05:00 PM - 07:00 PM TC.5.13
Monday 06/10/24 05:00 PM - 07:00 PM TC.5.13
Wednesday 06/12/24 05:00 PM - 07:00 PM TC.5.13
Monday 06/17/24 05:00 PM - 07:00 PM TC.5.13
Tuesday 06/25/24 02:00 PM - 04:30 PM Präsenz-Prüfung

On this page:

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Contents

This course introduces some key approaches that economists use to analyse and understand the behavior of consumers, firms and governments, both from a theoretical and an applied perspective. The course is divided into three thematic blocks.

The first block focuses on reviewing and reinforcing the content of basic courses during the introductory phase of studies (economic actors, consumer behavior, forms and decisions of enterprises, competitive markets).

The second block is dedicated to analyzing the behavior of economic actors in markets with imperfect competition (monopoly, oligopoly, cartels, pricing with market power, game theory).

In the third block, microeconomic models are applied to analyze entrepreneurial strategies (including product differentiation, price discrimination, bundling and tying, ...) as well as to discuss current developments (such as the information revolution and digitalization, ecological transformation of the economy, energy transition, ...).

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Learning outcomes

As a crucial subfield of economics, microeconomics examines the decisions of individual economic agents (households, businesses, government, etc.) and their implications for society within an institutional context.

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

  1. Understand and critically reflect on core areas of microeconomic theory (including key concepts of game theory) and apply them to practical issues.
  2. Apply acquired mathematical skills to solve concrete problems using formal models of microeconomics.
  3. Differentiate between various market structures (competition, monopoly, monopsony, oligopoly), derive corresponding entrepreneurial pricing and quantity decisions, and determine welfare effects.
  4. Evaluate and critically compare entrepreneurial strategies (including price discrimination and bundling, product differentiation, mergers and collaborations, advertising, research and development) depending on different market situations.
  5. Recognize various causes of market failure and develop corrective measures.

Acquiring these knowledge and skills provides students with a sufficient foundation for advanced (micro-)economically oriented courses.

Additionally, this course promotes the following skills among students:

  1. The ability to apply theoretical concepts to practical issues.
  2. Structuring analytical problem statements and developing solutions.
  3. Utilizing basic mathematical tools for deriving optimal courses of action.
  4. Teamwork and ability to engage in discourse.
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Attendance requirements

Applied Microeconomics is a lecture with interactive elements (VUE), therefore attendance is necessary. Three lectures can be missed without excuse. Further absenteeism will lead to deregistration.

Non-attendence in the first lecture will lead to deregistration from the course.

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Teaching/learning method(s)

Lecture with interactive elements

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Assessment

Microeconomics is a lecture with interactive elements (VUE), therefore the garde must be composed of at least two components.

  1. Please enter your own performance component here! For example, solving exercise problems (15%)
  2. Multiple-choice questions (15%)
  3. Written final exam (70%)

You can take the exams in the next two examination weeks. Please consider any overlaps with stays abroad and choose a course for which you can also be present at the final exam.

 

Grading scale:

100% - 90% = Very Good

89% - 80% = Good

79% - 70% = Satisfactory

69% - 60% = Sufficient

<60% = Fail

A positive final test result (minimum 50% = 35 points) is a prerequisite for a positive assessment!

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Prerequisites for participation and waiting lists

The allocation of places during the registration period follows the "first come, first served" principle. After the registration deadline, additional course places will be made available and allocated to individuals on the waiting list who do not yet have a valid registration for this course point in the current semester (i.e., exchange requests will not be considered). This allocation is not based on the order in the waiting list but on urgency and academic progress. The implementation is the responsibility of the Vice-Rectorate for Teaching and Students and is therefore not influenced by the course instructor. Allocation criteria include considering whether students in the 2019 study plan version are significantly advanced in their studies or whether students in the 2023 study plan version are registered for a maximum of 1 CBK course point in the first half of the semester or are on the waiting list for this course point in the first half of the semester.

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Readings

Please log in with your WU account to use all functionalities of read!t. For off-campus access to our licensed electronic resources, remember to activate your VPN connection connection. In case you encounter any technical problems or have questions regarding read!t, please feel free to contact the library at readinglists@wu.ac.at.

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Recommended previous knowledge and skills

STEOP

Last edited: 2024-05-07



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