ESSENTIALS OF ECONOMICS

The course is among those characterizing the Master's Degree Programme in Languages, Economics and Institutions of Asia and North Africa, for the curricula: Language, Societies and Institutions of Contemporary China and Language, Economics and Institutions of Japan.The objective of this course is to introduce students to the language of economics that is essential to understanding the micro-level analysis of the market mechanism, the influence of prices on the production and distribution of goods and services, market failures, and the role of government in promoting greater efficiency and equity in the economy.

1. Knowledge and comprehension skills:
1.2. understanding different economic systems used throughout the world
1.3. understanding how families and firms take economic decisions and interact in the market in order to determine the equilibrium quantity level and equilirium price level in the competitive marke
1.4. understanding the determinants of different market structures that can characterize an economy
1.5. understanding the redistributive role of the public intervention

2. Applied knowledge and comprehension skills:
2.1. Use the supply and demand model to determine changes in the market
2.2 Know how to analyze the choices of individuals as consumers and businesses, using margin analysis and the concept of opportunity cost
2.3. Assessing the redistributive impact of public policies

3. Use of independent judgment:
3.1. Develop an economic way of thinking
3.2. Reflecting on economic issues on the basis of an analytical method
3.3. Assessing the potential and limitations of the models and methods used in economic analysis

No prior training in the discipline of economics is required.

1. Introducing economics and economic systems
2. Markets, demand and supply
3. Individual demand and market demand
4. Elasticity of supply and demand and markets in action
5. The supply decision
6. Markets structures
7. Market failures and Government policies
8. Growth, Poverty and Inequality

Sloman, J. e Garratt, D., Elementi di economia, il Mulino, Bologna. (Introduction and Section I)

Readings and handouts will be available online in the Moodle website.

The exam consists of a written test, composed of 3 to 6 questions, which aims to verify the learning of the concepts and the ability to apply them to concrete cases. There is no oral exam.
- Duration of the written exam: 1h-1: 30h
- Each answer is worth a variable number of points depending on the question. The final grade of the task is given by the sum of the points obtained in the answers.The exam is passed if the sum is at least 18. If the sum of the points exceeds 30 the "lode" will be awarded.

Questions can be:
- theoretical
- analytical exercises
- numerical exercises
- multiple choice questions
- charts, tables and redistributional or poverty indices to be commented.

The Moodle website will include exercises and examples of exam questions with solutions.

The course is organized in:
a) lectures
b) classroom exercises, with Active Learning sessions guided by the teacher during the course
c) individual study

Students are encouraged to attend classes in an active way, reading the chapters of the book before coming to class and doing the exercises (available on the Moodle platform).
Economic models can be expressed in various ways, in words, in diagrams and in equations. Although this course mainly uses diagrammatic representations accompanied by words, simple equations can also be a concise way of expressing an economic model, and students will need to become familiar with this approach. The maths involved will be limited to simple algebra and elementary calculus. Some basic mathematical techniques will be also introduced in the first lessons.

Italian

Accessibility, Disability and Inclusion
Accommodation and support services for students with disabilities and students with specific learning impairments

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.

written

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Human capital, health, education" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development