A SURVEY OF NEOCLASSICAL AND CONTEMPORARY THEORIES OF THE PRINCIPAL DETERMINANTS OF PRICES AND OF THE ROLE OF PRICES IN ECONOMIC ORGANIZATION. REQUIRED OF STUDENTS MAJORING IN ECONOMICS. STUDENTS MAY NOT ATTEMPT ECONOMICS 420K MORE THAN TWICE.
PREREQUISITE: ECONOMICS 304K AND 304L WITH A GRADE OF AT LEAST C- IN EACH, AND MATHEMATICS 408C AND 408D, OR MATHEMATICS 408K AND 408L, WITH A GRADE OF AT LEAST C- IN EACH.
The primary objective of the course is to study contemporary theories of the principal determinants of prices and the role of prices in economic organization. The course will emphasize the fundamental concepts of microeconomics and provide concrete examples of their application. The course will cover the demand and supply theories for competitive markets, some instances of market power, basics of the game theory, choice under uncertainty, and equilibrium in an exchange and production economy.