MCCCD Program Description

Microeconomic Principles

Course: ECN212

First Term: 2011 Fall

Lecture 3 Credit(s) 3 Period(s) 3 Load
Subject Type: Academic
Load Formula: S

Description: Microeconomic analysis including the theory of consumer choice, price determination, resource allocation and income distribution. Includes non-competitive market structures such as monopoly and oligopoly; and the effects of government regulation.

MCCCD Official Course Competencies
1. Define the major concepts in economics, and describe and analyze major economic systems. (I, II) 2. Describe the determinants of supply and demand and their effect on equilibrium price. (III) 3. Describe utility theory and the underpinnings of demand. (III, V) 4. Describe the relation of price elasticity to revenue. (IV) 5. Define market structures and business organization and provide examples. (VI) 6. Define the production function, marginal and average product, and their relationship to costs. (VI) 7. Describe the relation between short-run cost and supply. (VI) 8. Describe the determinants of scale economics. (VI) 9. Describe the relation between long-run cost and supply. (VI) 10. Describe the nature of supply and demand in competitive markets. (VII) 11. Describe monopoly behavior and why it has resulted in regulation and antitrust legislation. (VII, VIII) 12. Describe other forms of imperfect competition including oligopoly, monopolistic competition, and price discrimination. (VII) 13. Compare perfectly and imperfectly competitive industries from the buyer`s and seller`s perspectives. (VII) 14. Describe the unique features of resource markets. (IX)
MCCCD Official Course Competencies must be coordinated with the content outline so that each major point in the outline serves one or more competencies. MCCCD faculty retains authority in determining the pedagogical approach, methodology, content sequencing, and assessment metrics for student work. Please see individual course syllabi for additional information, including specific course requirements.

MCCCD Official Course Outline
I. Major Concepts in Economics A. Scarcity and choice B. Macro vs. microeconomics C. Positive vs. normative economics D. Factors of production II. Analysis of Economic Systems A. Production possibility frontier B. The economic problem C. Specialization, exchange, and comparative advantage D. Property rights III. Introduction to Supply and Demand A. Supply 1. The supply curve 2. Factors that cause supply curves to shift B. Demand 1. The law of demand 2. Factors that cause demand curves to shift C. Equilibrium of demand and supply 1. What the market accomplishes 2. Effects of price ceilings D. Changes in equilibrium price IV. Demand and Consumer Choice A. Price elasticity of demand B. Price elasticity and total revenue C. Price elasticity and marginal revenue D. Income elasticity of demand E. Cross-price elasticity V. Utility and Rational Consumer Choice A. Marginal utility B. Diminishing marginal utility C. Paradox of value D. Consumer equilibrium VI. Cost and Supply A. Market structures and business organization 1. Definitions 2. Examples B. Social and opportunity cost C. External and internal cost D. Economic profit; explicit and implicit costs E. The short-run production function 1. Marginal product 2. Average product 3. Relationship to costs F. Short-run cost structures 1. Fixed costs 2. Variable costs and diminishing returns 3. Marginal cost and short-run competitive supply 4. Short-run profit-maximizing levels of output G. Economies and diseconomies of scale 1. Determinants of scale economies 2. Scale economies and market structures 3. Recent trends in scale economies H. Long-run supply 1. Constant cost 2. Increasing cost 3. Decreasing cost 4. Technological change and prospects for the future VII. Competition: Perfect and Imperfect A. Perfect competition and the optimal allocation of resources B. Monopoly power and the misallocation of resources C. Motives for businesses growing large D. Industrial concentration E. Repercussions of imperfect competition 1. Price discrimination 2. Predatory practices 3. Mergers F. Modes of behavior among oligopolists 1. The kinked-demand curve 2. Parallel action 3. Cartels G. Monopolistic competition VIII. Government Regulation of Business IX. Resource Markets and Pricing A. Marginal productivity analysis 1. The case of labor 2. Other productive resources B. Wage-rate determination 1. Average wage in the economy 2. Occupational wage differentials 3. Union strategies 4. Economic impact of unions

MCCCD Governing Board Approval Date: 5/23/2006

All information published is subject to change without notice. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information presented, but based on the dynamic nature of the curricular process, course and program information is subject to change in order to reflect the most current information available.