Eastern ConnecticutStateUniversity

Syllabus for Economics 345

Industrial Organization

Instructor:	Dr. Maryanne Clifford	Summer 2003
Office:	451 Webb Hall
Phone:	860-465-5512
Email:	cliffordm@easternct.edu
Office Hours:	MTWR 4:45 pm- 5:45 pm and by appointment.

Course Objectives:   This course will provide an introduction to Industrial Organization. The economic tools, that we will acquire in this course, are applied by managers in the business sector, policy makers in the government sector, and economic researchers in the academic arena.  Students successfully completing this course should leave with an understanding of these basic organizational principles and their applicability to real world situations.  You should also be able to incorporate these tools of economic analysis into your own decision-making processes as you weigh costs and benefits to make choices.

Text:   The required text for the course is Industrial Organization: Theory and Practice, by Don Waldman and Elizabeth Jensen (Boston: Addison Wesley Longman, 2001). Additional require reading will be placed on Reserve at the Library. Also articles from The Wall Street Journal, other newspapers, and magazines will be assigned and discussed throughout the semester.

Course Outline and Readings

TOPIC	TEXT
I. An Introduction to Industrial Organization	Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4,  and 5
II.    The Name of the Games is …	Chapters 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,  and 11
III.   Business Practices	Chapters 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17
IV.   Regulation and Public Policy	Chapters 18, 19, and 20
If extra time occurs, I may teach selected topics with remaining time

Note:  Sections from these chapters may be omitted.  Omissions will be announced in class.

Exam:  There will be a mid-semester exam and a final exam.   The date for the midterm exam is July 24th, while the Final is Thursday August 14th. If you need to reschedule the final exam because of a conflict, university regulations require that you submit your request in writing to me two weeks in advance.  Exam Format: The mid-semester exam will consist of objective type questions along with short answer, essay, and graphical questions.  More precise details of the exam design will be given prior the exam.

Makeup Exams: Makeup exams are given only for excused absences or if the student has obtained the instructor's prior approval.  If you miss an exam with an unexcused absence you will receive a zero for the exam. The University defines the following as excused absences: illness of the student or serious illness of a member of the student's immediate family; death of a member of the student's immediate family; University sponsored trips; or major religious holidays.  In each foreseen case, written verification will be required at least one week before the scheduled exam and permission to miss an exam must be secured before the scheduled exam time unless the cause of the absence is unforeseen.  IF YOU MISS AN EXAM FOR AN UNFORESEEN REASON YOU SHOULD CONTACT ME AS SOON AS YOU ARE PHYSICALLY ABLE TO PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL ME.    

Makeups:  Makeups for missed exams or late assignments will be arranged only with written verification under conditions approved by the University.

Evaluation Criteria: Your final grade for the course is based on the distribution below and follows a standard 100-point scale. A: 94+, A-: 90 to 93, B+: 87-89, B: 83-86, B-: 80-83,C+: 77-79, C: 73-76, C-: 70-73, D+: 67-69, D: 64-66, D-: 60-63, E: 59 and below.   If I feel that a curve is necessary it will be determined separately for each exam. Grading in the course will be based upon class participation, writing assignments, a mid-semester exam, and a final exam.  Assignments, quizzes, and exams will include questions and problems to be solved based on both lecture material and assigned readings.  More details regarding writing assignments will be provided later during the semester.

Task	% of Course Grade
Class Participation	15%
Writing Assignment	15%
Midsemester Exam	35%
Final Exam	35%
Total	100%

Course Expectations: Students are expected to read assigned material prior to class and participate in class discussion and projects. If you do not get an opportunity to ask your question during class, stop by during my office hours or feel free to contact me via electronic mail.

Please note:If you are a student with a disability and believe you will need accommodations for this class, it is your responsibility to contact the Office of Disability Services at (860) 465-5573.  To avoid any delay in the receipt of accommodations, you should contact the Office of Disability Services as soon as possible.  Please understand that I cannot provide accommodations based upon disability until I have received an accommodation letter from the Office of Disability Services.  Your cooperation is appreciated.

Paper Assignment – The Research Paper                   Due: August 7, 2003

1.)You are to choose a topic in public economics. Then get your topic approved and research your Approved topic.

2.) Use this information to write a paper that is approximately 6 pages long. The paper must be double-spaced, have approximately 1 inch margins, and use a 10 or 12 inch font. Note: Although using the writing center is not required, it is recommended as it can help you write a better paper.      The paper will be graded as follows:

Explanation of topic	50
Relates to class	20
Applies (to world, economy, or business)	20
Graph/Diagrams	10
Total	100