ECM621: Topics in Business Economics

Module code: ECM621

Module provider: Economics; School of Philosophy, Politics and Economics

Credits: 20

Level: Postgraduate Masters

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Dr Minyan Zhu, email: minyan.zhu@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 23 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module seeks to provide a foundation to the economic analysis of corporate decision-making – such as price-setting, output-setting, mergers, and anti-competitive behaviour. In this context, firms’ incentives and strategic interactions among firms are emphasised.  Both the role of market competition and the imperatives for government intervention are discussed.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Apply economic analysis to the problems of modern business enterprises;
2. Analyse the influence on corporate strategy of competition among rivals;
3. Analyse the strategies of dominant firms and firms operating in oligopolistic markets;
4.  Analyse how firms’ practice can impact economic welfare; and
5.  Analyse the rationale for government intervention and its potential consequences.

Module content

The module aims to cover the following economic aspects of corporate strategies: an introduction to the game theoretical tools /models to the understanding firms’ strategic behaviour; the strategies of dominant firms and firms operating in oligopolistic markets; contractual relations between firms including mergers; the impact of firms’ practice on economic welfare; and different forms of government intervention.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

A combination of lectures, group discussions of assigned topics and problems, and assessed essays.

Study hours

At least 20 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 50% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: /cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Reassessment

Additional costs