20452 - INDUSTRY AND COMPETITION ANALYSIS
EMIT
Department of Management and Technology
Course taught in English
EMIT (7 credits - I sem. - OB | SECS-P/06)
Course Objectives
The course provides a broad examination of the conceptual tools needed to understand business strategies and to carry out industry analyses. A special emphasis is placed on understanding how firms interact strategically in imperfectly competitive markets, how they compete or cooperate, and how those interactions affect market structures, firms' profitability and social welfare. The role played by competition policies and authorities are discussed throughout the course.
The course is ideally divided into two parts.
The first part of the course reviews the basic models of industrial organization. This is followed by a positive analysis of the price and non-price strategies used by firms to exercise market power.
The second part of the course is devoted to study the high-technology sectors characterized by network effects.
Intended Learning Outcomes
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Knowledge and understanding
At the end of the course student will be able to do:
understand the theoretical models and the conceptual tools useful to analyze the industrial sectors and the strategic interaction among firms, in contexts characterized by imperfect competition.
Applying knowledge and understanding
At the end of the course student will be able to do:
grasp and assess critically and analytically the relevant structural factors, firm strategies and competitive outcomes in concrete contexts of industrial sectors and markets.
Course Content Summary
- Introduction to industrial organization.
- Static and dynamic models of imperfect competition.
- Horizontal mergers and vertical restraints.
- Strategic barriers to entry and predatory behavior.
- Price discrimination.
- Network externalities.
- Two-sided markets.
- Intellectual property rights and innovation.
- Antitrust issues in high-tech markets.
Teaching methods
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- Face-to-face lectures with use of software and/or new technology
- Guest speaker's talks (in-class or in distance)
- Theories and/or case studies discussions (in-class or in distance)
- Other interactive class activities (business games, simulations, role playing, use of scientific software, etc.) - specify in the relevant open section of the syllabus
Detailed Description of Assessment Methods
For attending studentsTwo partial written exams or one final written exam.
For non attending studentsWritten exam.
Textbooks
To be defined and communicated during the course.
Prerequisites
The course is self-contained, but a good knowledge of microeconomics represents a pre-requisite.
Last change 23/05/2017 16:36