Ateneo - UPO

The course introduces the fundamental concepts of microeconomic analysis. Starting from the principles of economics, it analyzes the functioning of markets through supply and demand models. The behavior of consumers and firms will be studied, followed by an analysis of different market structures, such as perfect competition, monopoly, oligopoly, and monopolistic competition. The final part of the course is dedicated to market failures, such as externalities and public goods, and the role of the state in the economy.

Mankiw & Taylor (2022) Principi di microeconomia. Ottava edizione italiana. Zanichelli.

The course aims to provide the foundational knowledge and analytical tools to understand economic phenomena at a micro level, that is, the individual decisions of consumers and firms and their interaction in markets. By the end of the course, students will be able to use fundamental economic models to analyze and interpret real-world economic problems, evaluate market efficiency, and understand the logic of economic policy interventions.

The course consists of 60 hours of in-person classroom lectures. Lessons will be conducted using visual aids (slides) and the whiteboard for graphical analysis and for solving exercises. The teaching style will aim to stimulate active student participation through discussions of practical case studies and concrete examples. All course materials, including slides and practice exercises, will be made available on the university's e-learning platform.

The course consists of 60 hours of in-person classroom lectures. Lessons will be conducted using visual aids (slides) and the whiteboard for graphical analysis and for solving exercises. The teaching style will aim to stimulate active student participation through discussions of practical case studies and concrete examples. All course materials, including slides and practice exercises, will be made available on the university's e-learning platform.

Students with disabilities, Specific Learning Disorders (SLD), or Special Educational Needs (SEN) can request specific services and tools by contacting the Career Development and Student Services Staff and by consulting the dedicated page on the University website: https://uniupo.it/it/servizi/servizi-studentidisabili-e-dsa.
Once they have contacted the University Staff, students with disabilities, SLD, or SEN can get in touch with the professor in charge of the course to discuss the specific arrangements for the examination and other teaching-related aspects.
For any other information and clarification about the course program, please contact Dr. Traverso via email. For any further information and clarification regarding the course program, please contact Dr. Traverso via email.

The assessment will be based on a written exam. Student presentations and active participation in class will earn additional points toward the final grade.

The course introduces the fundamental principles of economic thinking and the analytical tools to understand the functioning of markets. It will begin with the supply and demand model to analyze how equilibrium prices and quantities are determined.
Subsequently, the focus will shift to the main economic actors. We will study the behavior of firms in perfect competition, analyzing their production costs, and we will evaluate the overall efficiency of the market through the concepts of consumer and producer surplus. We will also examine how public policies, such as taxes and price regulations, can influence market outcomes.
Cases of "market failure" will then be addressed, with specific attention to externalities and the management of public goods.
Finally, the course will explore the different forms of imperfect competition, analyzing the operating logic of monopolies, oligopolies, and monopolistic competition markets, where the strategic interaction between firms plays a crucial role.

Chapters (tentative list):
CAPITOLO 1 Cos’è l’economia
CAPITOLO 2 Pensare da economista
CAPITOLO 3 Le forze di mercato della domanda e dell’offerta
CAPITOLO 5 Dietro l’offerta: le imprese in un mercato concorrenziale
CAPITOLO 6 Consumatori, produttori ed efficienza dei mercati
CAPITOLO 7 Domanda, offerta e politiche economiche
CAPITOLO 8 Beni pubblici, risorse collettive e beni meritori
CAPITOLO 9 Fallimento del mercato ed esternalità
CAPITOLO 11 Strutture di mercato I: il monopolio
CAPITOLO 12 Strutture di mercato II: la concorrenza monopolistica
CAPITOLO 13 Strutture di mercato III: l’oligopolio
CAPITOLO 14 Strutture di mercato IV: i mercati contendibili

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to understand the fundamental principles that guide the decisions of consumers and firms and to use the basic models of microeconomics, such as supply and demand, to analyze the functioning of markets. They will also have the ability to assess the efficiency of different market structures (from perfect competition to monopoly) and the impact of economic policy interventions. Finally, they will be able to present an economic analysis using appropriate terminology, having acquired the necessary foundations to successfully continue their studies in the economic field.