Micro Economic Analysis

 ECO 6118

Fall 2008

This is the first Micro Economic Theory course in the graduate program sequence. We meet in BA 238 Tuesdays and Thursdays at 3:00 pm.

In order to coordinate with the mathematical economics course, where you will first need to learn some of the tools we are going to use in this course, some of our class time will be used for that course during the first four weeks. Instead, during weeks 5-8 we will use some of the class time of the math econ course to make up for those lost classes. Check out the schedule below for the preliminary dates of our class.

All students are also expected to actively participate in the departments seminar series, asking questions and offering comments. We will spend some of our class time to prepare for those seminars so you will have to read the seminar paper for our class.

Typo in Silberberg p 162 eq 7-20b.

Syllabus as pdf file

Preliminary Schedule 2008

Review for Final

Sample Final Exam (2007)

Preparing for first test

Preparing for second test

Slides for Lecture 1

First Homework problem based on Silberberg chapter 1. Due date Sept 4. Please put in my mailbox in Department office or email me.

Second Homework problem based on Silberberg chapter 4. Due data Sept 18.

Third Homework problem based  on n factor profit maximization. Due date Oct 1 in my mailbox or email.

Fourth Homework problem based on cost minimization DUE DATE OCT 21

Fifth Homework problem (Silberberg ch 10) due date Oct 29 (give to Shree)

Sixth Homework problem (Silberberg ch 13) due date Nov 25

Wakker problem set (RDU model) due Nov 25

Non-EUT readings:

Kahnemann and Tversky 1979 pp 274-284

Tversky and Kahnemann pp 46-49

Weber pp 231 - 235

Wakker (read the whole thing)

Slides non-EUT

Readings for Class 2  Slides for downloading UPDATED MONDAY

Concepts slides

Cox, James C. . How to Identify Trust and Reciprocity. Games and Economic Behavior 46, 2004, pp. 260-281.

Cummings, Ronald G., Glenn W. Harrison and E. Elisabet Rutström, Homegrown Values and Hypothetical Surveys: Is the Dichotomous Choice Approach Incentive Compatible? American Economic Review 85 (1), March 1995, pp. 260-266.

McDaniel, Tanga M. and E. Elisabet Rutström, Decision Making Costs and Problem Solving Performance, Experimental Economics 4, 2001, pp. 145-161.

Smith, Vernon L., Theory, Experiments and Economics, Journal of Economic Perspectives, Winter 1989, pp. 113-131.

Readings for class 8 slides for downloading

Coursey, Don, R. Mark Isaac, and Vernon L. Smith, "Natural Monopoly and Contested Markets" Some Experimental Results", Journal of Law and Economics, Vol. 27, No. 1 (April 1984), 91-113.

Harrison, Glenn W., Michael McKee, and E. E. Rutstrom, "Experimental Evaluation of Institutions of Monopoly Restraint", in L. Green and J.H. Kagel (eds.), Advances in Behavioral Economics (Norwood: Ablex Publishing Corporation, Volume 2, 1989). Download here.

Isaac, R. Mark, Valerie Ramey, and Arlington W. Williams, "The Effects of Market Organizations on Conspiracies in Restraint of Trade", Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization 5 (1984) 191-222.

Cobb-Douglas  graphs

CES graphs

Comparative Statics summary sheet as web page. Right-click to download.

Ptolemy and Copernicus slides