Syllabus v1

ECON 308: Managerial Economics, Fall 2018 (13555)

Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:30am – 10:45am, Bookstein Hall 1131
Instructor: Gabriel Pablo Axarlian, PhD
Office: Bookstein Hall, Fourth Floor, Room 4243
Phone Number: (818) 677 - 4552
Office Hours: Wednesdays 1-6pm

• Michael Baye, Managerial Economics and Business Strategy, 9th edition

• Connect (homework system) access code as a stand-alone item or bundled with the
textbook.

Course Description:
The course connects economic theory to practical issues faced by firm managers. It focuses on
the way economic theory affects the firm's behavior both internally and externally. Internal
issues include organizational structure and contract design, especially as these issues relate to
opportunism, rent-seeking and asymmetric information. External issues include discussions of
corporate strategy, advertising and the market for corporate control. For more details, please see
the schedule of lectures.

Readings/Lecture Slides/Attendance:
It is a good idea to read the sections in the book covered in class before the corresponding
lectures. My slides are based on the chapters covered in your book and they will also be made
available to you on Canvas. The slides are your primary information source for the course and
the textbook is supplementary to them.

Exams:
There will be 2 midterm exams and a final exam. The exam dates are listed in the lecture
schedule that follows. Make-up exams will not be given! Students will only be excused from
midterm 1 or midterm 2 at my discretion. The only excuse for missing an exam is a medical
emergency which is proven through official documentation. Going to the doctor because you
feel sick is not a medical emergency. The grades of students who are excused from an exam will
be based on homework scores, a single midterm score, and the final exam. The final must be
taken in order to pass the course, and will only be rescheduled for major illness or other well
documented emergencies.

Homework:
There will be (mostly) weekly homework assignments using the Connect software. Homework
will generally be due Sunday Nights at 11:59pm. I will drop your three lowest homework
scores. Thus, there will be no late assignments accepted.

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Paper (Note: There is a video on Canvas that explains the paper in detail):
You will be writing a 2500 word paper (Times New Roman, font size 12) that will be an
economic analysis of a corporate case. Assuming the role of the firm manager, and using the
theoretical tools covered in the course, you will provide input on one of the five corporate case
studies available on the Canvas class site (same case must be used for the entire paper). You will
be writing a rough draft in the form of three mini-papers (2-3 pages each) throughout the
semester corresponding to the three chapters1 you choose to use for your analysis, immediately
after we cover each chapter. You will have a week following the conclusion of the lectures on
corresponding chapter to turn in your minipaper digitally via Canvas (last option will be chapter
10). The final paper will be a compilation of these three papers in which you include an
introduction tying the three mini-papers together under an umbrella thesis, and a conclusion that
ties up the paper. The paper will need to be submitted digitally via Canvas as well as in
hardcopy form to me in class on the due date. Each day the paper is late you will lose 25% of the
credit.
The three mini-papers will not be graded based on content, but will adversely affect your
grade if they are not turned in on time. The final paper will be closely scrutinized and graded
based on content.

Course grade:
• Each of the 3 exams will be worth 20% of your grade (60% total)
• Homework will be worth 10% of your grade
• The paper will make up 20%
o The completed paper will be worth 14%
o The additional 6% will be awarded for the timely submission of the three mini-
papers (2% each)
• Communication will make up the last 10% of your grade
Letter grades will correspond (approximately) to the following ranges:

Overall Score Grade

90-100 A- to A
78-89 B- to B+
65-77 C- to C+
50-64 D
0-49 F

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You are free to pick and choose which concepts you will use in your analysis from each chapter
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Communication (Not Participation) Policy:

Communication is the most important skill you need to cultivate at CSUN in order to be
successful once you earn your degree. This policy is meant to help prepare you for professional
communication standards that you’ll be expected to adapt to in a variety of settings.
Electronic communication in this class will be done exclusively through a message board
called Piazza (PLEASE DO NOT EMAIL ME!). I get emailed every time a post is made on
Piazza so it’s equivalent to emailing me. You can post questions there which can be answered
by your fellow students as well as myself. It also provides you the option to post anonymously,
but all posts will be transparent to me. If you have a personal issue you want to discuss with me,
post a request anonymously on Piazza and if I feel it warrants a personal email conversation, you
may then email me at gabriel.axarlian@csun.edu . Also, you are free to discuss personal issues
with me during my office hours.

Your communication grade is based on a few factors:

1. Registering on Piazza
• If you do not register for Piazza by the end of the third week you will lose half of your
communication grade (no exceptions).
2. Posting Professionally on Piazza
• Each post should pertain to only one question
o So if you have multiple questions, start multiple posts
• Each post should be labeled correctly in the title as well as the folder you categorize it in
o ie HW 3 Q 4 (this should be the title and put into “HW3” folder)
o ie How does the communication grade work? (put in “logistics” folder)
• Before you post a question make sure it has not already been asked (do a search)
o If it has been asked and your question isn’t answered, please post a follow up in
the same thread
• Questions and answers on Piazza should be limited to the topics in any particular thread
3. Emailing me only when I tell you to
• If you email me out of the blue I will respond by telling you that you have violated my
communication policy and I will dock you 1 point on your communication grade. I will
also have you repost your question on Piazza.
4. Post only professional comments
• Posting personal feelings about anything related to the class is not professional
o The board is for relaying important information about the class
o If you want to have discussions about your opinions of the class, please do it on
personal social media
5. Not responding to my Canvas posts nor sending me messages on Canvas
6. Keeping up with all class information
• You must read all my emails from Canvas
• You must also be current on all information announced in class (usually at the start of
each class)

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Tentative Lecture Schedule, Exam Dates, and Paper Due Date

Week 1
Tuesday, 8/28:
• Class Introduction
o Syllabus

Thursday, 8/30:
• Chapter 1 – The Fundamentals of Managerial Economics
Reading: Chapter 1

Week 2
Tuesday, 9/4:
• Begin Chapter 2 – Market Forces: Demand and Supply
Reading: Chapter 2

Thursday, 9/6:
• Conclude Chapter 2

Week 3

Tuesday, 9/11:
• Begin Chapter 3 – Quantitative Demand Analysis
Reading: Chapter 3

Thursday, 9/13:
• Conclude Chapter 3

Week 4

Tuesday, 9/18:
• Begin Chapter 4 – The Theory of Individual Behavior
Reading: Chapter 4

Thursday, 9/20:
• Conclude Chapter 4

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Week 5

Tuesday, 9/25:
• Midterm 1

Thursday, 9/27:
• Grading Day

Week 6
Tuesday, 10/2:
• Begin Chapter 5 – The Production Process and Costs
Reading: Chapter 5

Thursday, 10/4:
• Continue Chapter 5

Week 7
Tuesday, 10/9:
• Conclude Chapter 5

Thursday, 10/11:
• Chapter 6 – The Organization of the Firm
Reading: Chapter 6

Week 8
Tuesday, 10/16:
• Begin Chapter 7 – The Nature of Industry
Reading: Chapter 7

Thursday, 10/18:
• Conclude Chapter 7
• Begin Chapter 8 – Managing in Competitive, Monopolistic, and Monopolistically
Competitive Markets
Reading: Chapter 8

Week 9
Tuesday, 10/23:
• Continue Chapter 8

Thursday, 10/25:
• Conclude Chapter 8

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Week 10
Tuesday, 10/30:
• Midterm 2

Thursday, 11/1:
• Grading Day

Week 11
Tuesday, 11/6:
• Begin Chapter 9 – Basic Oligopoly Models
Reading: Chapter 9

Thursday, 11/8:
• Continue Chapter 9

Week 12
Tuesday, 11/13:
• Conclude Chapter 9
• Begin Chapter 10 – Game Theory: Inside Oligopoly
Reading: Chapter 10

Thursday, 11/15:
• Continue Chapter 10

Week 13
Tuesday, 11/20:
• Continue Chapter 10

Thursday, 11/22:
• Off – Thanksgiving Break

Week 14
Tuesday, 11/27:
• Conclude Chapter 10

Thursday, 11/29:
• Begin Chapter 11 – Pricing Strategies for Firms with Market Power
Reading: Chapter 11

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Week 15
Tuesday, 12/4:
• Conclude Chapter 11
• Completed Paper Due

Thursday, 12/6:
• Begin Chapter 12 – The Economics of Information
Reading: Chapter 12

Week 16
Tuesday. 12/11
• Conclude Chapter 12

Week 17
Tuesday, 12/18:
• Final Exam 8-10am

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*Policy on Academic Dishonesty:

University rules prohibit cheating, fabrication, facilitating the academic dishonesty of another
student, and plagiarism. If you engage in any of these activities in this class, you can expect to
receive a failing grade. A letter will be sent to the appropriate campus officials. “Cheating or
plagiarism in connection with an academic program at a campus is listed in Section 41301, Title
V, California Code of Regulations, as an offense for which a student may be expelled, suspended
or given a less severe disciplinary sanction.”
*Drop Policy:
According to University policy, non-attendance does not constitute withdrawal; to withdraw
from this class you must file a drop form with the University. If you fail to attend this class, and
you do not formally drop the class, a failing grade will be recorded.
During the first three weeks of instruction, students may withdraw online. Exceptions are granted
or denied by the Office of Undergraduate Studies if there is a "serious and compelling reason"
and "there is no viable alternative" (a viable alternative includes taking a failing grade and
repeating the course). Changes in work schedule, etc., will generally not be considered a
sufficient reason. "Complete Medical Withdrawals" (all classes are dropped due to medical
problems—yours or those of someone you care for) are processed by the Health Center.
*Incompletes:
A grade of "Incomplete" will only be assigned when most of the course has been completed with
a passing grade. This is only permitted when unforeseen circumstances arise that preclude
finishing course work related to a class. According to University policy, an incomplete may not
be assigned when a student would have to retake a course.
*Center on Disabilities:
http://www.csun.edu/cod/studentservices.htm, 818.677.2684, Bayramian Hall 110. The Center
on Disabilities serves students with a wide range of visible and hidden disabilities, in a
confidential environment. Students are encouraged to meet with the professional staff and
explore the services available to support their academic, career and personal goals. Discover
accommodations and strategies for help with disabilities in an academic setting.
*Videos and the hearing impaired
All videos are posted on Youtube which provides close captioning as is required by university
guidelines.
*This course’s paper satisfies the following writing intensive student learning objectives:

• Develop and clearly define your ideas through writing.

• Ethically integrate sources of various kinds into your writing.
• Compose texts through drafting, revising, and completing a finished product.
• Express yourselves through your writing by posing questions, making original claims,
and coherently structuring complex ideas.
• Revise your writing for greater cogency and clarity.
• Utilize adopted communication modes and documentation styles of specific disciplines
(MLA, APA, Chicago, CBE, etc) where appropriate.