DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS
Economics 382.01
Seminar in Industrial Organization
spring
2009 Professor Paul G. Munyon
TTh
2:15 – 4:05 Carnegie 207, 269-3142
JRC 226
EMAIL : munyon@grinnell.edu
Professor's Home Page:
http://www.grinnell.edu/individuals/munyon/index.html
Course Home Page:
http://www.grinnell.edu/individuals/munyon/ioseminar09.html
LISTSERV:
Presentation Teams:
http://www.grinnell.edu/individuals/munyon/TeamsIO2009.html
Industry Presentation Schedule
http://www.grinnell.edu/individuals/munyon/2009IndustryList.html
Organization
.
THIS IS A SENIOR SEMINAR. This course will meet for approximately four
hours each week. You should be prepared
to be an active participant in each class session. Your participation in class discussion will
account for at least 15 percent of your course grade.
Papers
You will write two research papers for the seminar. The first paper (2-3 pages double-spaced) will be an essay setting out your criteria for identifying the relevant market you have chosen for your Market Paper. The final draft of the paper is due before the beginning of class on April 14. Please submit your final draft as Word documents attached to e-mail messages. (Five percent of course grade.)
The second paper (10+ pages double-spaced) will be an
"article" setting out concisely your argument developed from your
research on a contemporary change in the competitive structure or conduct in
your chosen relevant market and your assessment of how that change will affect
performance in the future in that relevant market. This paper will be prepared in association
with your 30-minute “Market” presentation to the seminar. Your rough draft of the paper is due
one week before your presentation. You
should schedule at least one appointment with me early in the week before your
presentation. (Five percent of course grade.) The
final draft of your paper is due by 5:00 PM one week following your
class presentation. Please submit both
the rough draft and the final paper as Word documents attached to e-mail
messages. (Twenty percent of course
grade.)
Both drafts of the “Market” paper should be prepared in a
form appropriate for a research paper. You
should make use of footnotes (some form of acknowledgment for citations) and a
bibliography. Both papers will be due at
the time noted on the syllabus unless you make prior arrangements
with me. You must complete all work for
the seminar before 5:00 PM on Thursday, May 14, 2009.
Class Presentations
You will make five presentations: three individual presentations, and two group presentations.
You will create and present a five-minute “analysis” on competition.
The purposes of this assignment are to
focus your thinking on one of the central issues of industrial organization and
to give you an opportunity to participate actively in the work of the seminar
at the beginning of the semester. (Five
percent of course grade.)
You will participate as a member of a group responsible for leading one class discussion (one two-hour session) on McCloskey’s The Rhetoric of Economics. (Fifteen percent of course grade.)
You will give a five-minute presentation on the relevant market you have identified for your Market study. This presentation will provide an opportunity for you to receive input from your colleagues on important question about competition associated with your relevant market. (Five percent of course grade.)
You will participate as a member of a group leading a class discussion (one two-hour session) of assigned material from Williamson's Markets and Hierarchies. (Fifteen percent of course grade.)
You will give a 30-minute presentation on your argument in support of the thesis of your research on your chosen contemporary Market. (Twenty percent of course grade.)
Required
The course syllabus lists the required and recommended readings for the course. Additional readings may be assigned during the semester. The required books are:
Deirdre McCloskey, The Rhetoric of Economics.
Oliver E. Williamson, Markets and Hierarchies: Analysis and Antitrust Implications. (This book is not available in the Bookstore.)
The Wall Street Journal. If you do not subscribe to the WSJ or arrangements to share a copy of the paper with a fellow student who already has a subscription, please use the opportunity that on the first day of class to order a subscription to the paper. Regularly reading of the WSJ may be the most important preparation you can do for each session of this seminar.
Grading
The papers, presentations, and discussions will account for approximately 85 percent of your final grade. General class participation will account for at least 15 percent of your final grade.
Your active participation in class discussion is essential for the success of this senior seminar. Failure to participate satisfactorily in the meetings of this seminar could result in a significant reduction in your final grade for this course. You cannot successfully complete this seminar without successfully participating in all phases of this seminar.
Late Work
There will be no "self-granted extensions" in Economics 382. To submit work after the deadline specified on the syllabus, you must receive an extension for the assignment from me prior to the stated deadline for the assignment. Any work not submitted by the appropriate deadline will receive a zero (0).
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS
Economics 382.01
Seminar in Industrial Organization
SYLLABUS
Week 1
January 20: Overview and Introduction
January 22: Competition Presentations
Week 2
January 27: Discussion of Competition Presentations
January 29: The Rhetoric of Economics, Chapters 1 through 3 (Team 1)
Week 3
February 3: The Rhetoric of Economics, Chapters 4 through 6 (Team 2)
February 5: The Rhetoric of Economics, Chapters 7 through 9 (Team 3)
Week 4
February 10: The Rhetoric of Economics, Chapters 10 through 12 (Team 4)
February 12: OPEN (Research)
Week 5
February 17: Antitrust in America
February 19: Antitrust in America (Continued)
Week 6
February 24: Introduction / Organizational Failure / Peer Groups (Team 4)
Markets, Preface, Introduction, and Chapters 1-3
February 26: The Employment Relation / Intermediate Product Markets /
Vertical Integration (Team 3) Markets, Chapters 4-6
Week 7
March 2: Limits to Firm Size / Multidivisional Structure / Conglomerates
(Team 2) Markets, Chapters 7-9
March 4: Technology / Dominant Firm / Oligopoly (Team 1)
Markets, Chapters 10-12
Week 8
March 10: Williamson in 2009
March 12: OPEN (Research)
Spring Break
Week 9
March 31: Relevant Market (Handout)
April 2: Relevant Market Revisited
Week 10
April 7: OPEN (Research)
April 9: OPEN (Research)
Week 11
April 14: Market Presentations
April 16: Appointments (Research and Writing)
Week 12
April 21: Appointments (Research and Writing)
April 23: Appointments (Research and Writing)
Week 13
April 28: Student Industry Presentations: Industries 1 through 3
April 30: Student Industry Presentations: Industries 4 through 6
Week 14
May 5: Student Industry Presentations: Industries 7 through 9
May 7: Student Industry Presentations: Industries 10 through 12
All work for this seminar is due no later than 5:00 PM on Thursday, May 14, 2009.