
Aggregate all demand and supply curves to form the market demand and market supply, then identify the equilibrium price and quantity and explain excess demand and excess supply.
Explore how demand and supply curves respond to price, income, and production costs, illustrating the law of demand and the positive relationship in supply.
Explore demand and supply analysis and the three market types—factor markets, product markets, and intermediate markets—through an aircraft industry example.
Explore how indifference curves are downward sloping and convex to the origin, possibly overlapping, and how the budget constraint for two goods X and Y links income to attainable combinations.
Identify the equilibrium bundle where an indifference curve tangents the budget constraint, yielding maximum utility, and explain substitution and income effects across normal, inferior, Giffen, and Veblen goods.
Explore how to calculate cross rates from USD, GBP, and CHF using cross-multiplication. Examine forward quotes, spot rates, points, and forward premium or discount under no-arbitrage exchange-rate conditions.
Explore how exchange rates affect trade deficits and surpluses, using the elasticities approach, marshall-lerner condition, j-curve, and the absorption framework to link private savings, investment, tax revenue, and government spending.
Explore monetary and fiscal policy fundamentals, including money supply, interest rates, expansionary and contractionary approaches, and how taxes and spending shape aggregate demand and budgets.
Understand the neutral interest rate as trend real GDP growth plus target inflation, and how it shapes expansionary or contractionary policy, with limits like liquidity traps and zero lower bound.
Define inflation, disinflation, and deflation; compare indices like CPI, PCE, GDP deflator, and PPI, and explain base period baskets of goods and services in inflation calculations.
Monopolistic competition features many firms with differentiated products and near-elastic demand. Companies compete on price, quality, and marketing, with short-run profits possible yet long-run profits driven to zero by entry.
Explore how monopolistic competition achieves efficiency through product differentiation and branding, with advertising shaping costs, prices, and perceived quality as Nissan and Ferrari illustrate.
Introduction:
Economics influences every facet of our lives, shaping markets, policies, and global trade. This course delivers a comprehensive journey through the foundational concepts of economics, including demand and supply, market dynamics, fiscal and monetary policies, and international trade. Designed for learners of all levels, this course provides actionable insights into economic decision-making and its impact on the world.
Section 1: Fundamentals of Economics and Market Dynamics
This section dives into the core concepts of demand and supply, equilibrium, and market structures. Students will explore shifts and movements in demand and supply, equilibrium stability, and the nuances of auctions. The module also introduces indifference curves and consumer equilibrium, equipping students with the tools to analyze individual and market behaviors.
Section 2: International Economics and Trade
Here, students will gain an understanding of currency exchange rates, trade flows, and comparative advantages. The lectures cover exchange rate regimes, the impact of trade deficits, and trade restrictions, offering a thorough grounding in global economics. Students will also explore capital flows and the interplay between trade and international economic policies.
Section 3: Fiscal and Monetary Policies
This section delves into the objectives, tools, and impact of fiscal and monetary policies. Lectures cover the role of central banks, fiscal multipliers, and monetary policy transmission mechanisms. Students will also study the effects of fiscal policy lags and how policies influence business cycles, inflation, and overall economic stability.
Section 4: Market Structures and Firm Behavior
Explore the characteristics of various market structures, from perfect competition to monopolistic competition, oligopoly, and monopolies. Students will analyze firm behavior, supply functions, and the economic implications of price floors, elasticities, and producer and consumer surplus. This section also addresses profit maximization and cost structures, providing insights into firm-level decision-making.
Section 5: Economic Growth and Indicators
Students will wrap up the course by exploring sources of economic growth, national income, and GDP. Lectures will cover leading, lagging, and coincident indicators, as well as theories related to business cycles. By the end of this section, students will have a comprehensive understanding of how economies grow and how key indicators reflect their health.
Conclusion:
This course provides a robust foundation in economics, equipping students to analyze and understand market behaviors, trade dynamics, and fiscal and monetary policies. Whether you’re pursuing a career in economics, business, or finance—or simply curious about how the economy functions—this course will empower you with knowledge and practical tools.