INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATION

This course provides an introductory analysis of imperfectly competitive markets through formal models of firms’ strategies and of the way the latter interact to determine market results.
Within the curricular activities of the degree in Economia e Commercio - Economics, Markets and Finance, this third year course completes what students learnt in the first year course in Microeconomics, by extending the study of the way markets function to the case of imperfect competition.

1. Knowledge and understanding:
At the end of the course the student should know the most important models of oligopolistic markets both, both from a static and a dynamic point of view and to evaluate their implications in terms of social welfare.

2. Ability to apply knowledge and understanding:
At the end of the course the student should be able to identify and explain which factors determine firms’ market power in oligopolistic markets and to predict how the functioning of these markets is influenced by policy issues and by firms’ strategies.

3. Ability to make judgments:
At the end of the course the student should be able to apply the to use the knowledge gained during the course to:
a) model simple economic situations, apply mathematical techniques to solve them, and interpret the answers intuitively,
b) discuss case-studies taken from the news,
c) critically compare different models of oligopoly and discuss the relevance of their results.

Microeconomics, see for more details https://www.unive.it/web/it/1234/esami

1. Monopoly and price discrimination.
2. Product differentiation
3. Quantity and price competition in oligopoly
4. Horizontal, and vertical mergers

The corresponding chapters in the book by Pepall et al. are 5,6,7,8,9,10,11,15,16, and 11 on Churche and Ware

Additional topics (if time allows) will be selected among:

5. Non-price vertical restraints, such as exclusive contracts
6. Research and development and patents
7. Advertising

The textbook for the course is Pepall L, Richards D, Norman G, 2014, Industrial Organization Contemporary Theory and Empirical Applications, John Wiley & Sons.
If needed, references to additional teaching material (books, articles, slides, etc.) will be provided in class.

The exam is written and lasts 80 minutes.

The test includes multiple choice questions, open questions ,and exercises of a quantitative and theoretical nature. The exam is considered passed if the grade is at least 18. During the exam it is forbidden to use books, notes, telephones and any other electronic device, except for the calculator. It is not possible to take an oral exam. The exam assesses the knowledge and understanding of course content and the student's ability to use the concepts presented in the course.

Students are invited to contact the course responsible during the first two weeks of the course for clarifications concerning the exam.

written

A. Grades within 18 and 22 will be assigned in case of:
- sufficient knowledge of the main content of the program;
- limited ability to solve exercises;


B. Grades within 23 and 26 will be assigned in case of:
- discrete knowledge of the main content of the program;
- discrete ability to solve exercises;


C. Grades within 27 and 30 will be assigned in case of:
- good or optimal knowledge of the main content of the program;
- good or optimal ability to solve exercises, elaborate and interpret its results, also providing a critical view on them


D. 30 cum laude is assigned when the student shows excellent abilities to handle the content of the program of the course, ability to solve exercises and proof of excellent critical thinking.

Lectures and individual study.

An active lectures' attendance is warmly recommended. An active attendance implies the reading of the book chapters (to be presented in class) before the classes and the independent handling of the exercises suggested by the course responsible. Note that the exercises are an integral part of the preparation.

The detailed programme for the exam and all the mandatory supplementary material will be made available during the course through the Moodle area accessible from the lecturer's web page.

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Ca' Foscari abides by Italian Law (Law 17/1999; Law 170/2010) regarding support services and accommodation available to students with disabilities. This includes students with mobility, visual, hearing and other disabilities (Law 17/1999), and specific learning impairments (Law 170/2010). If you have a disability or impairment that requires accommodations (i.e., alternate testing, readers, note takers or interpreters) please contact the Disability and Accessibility Offices in Student Services: disabilita@unive.it.