德克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校经济学科研项目

Economics research program of Texas University at Austin

课前建议

学生具备基础宏观/微观经济学，企业财务相关知识为佳，除此之外，由于课程资料将密集使用大量的数据，具备计算机相关能力如Excel Matlab Stata 是必要的。

课程介绍

详细阅读所有相关的经济学原理并且能详尽说明应用在案例上的看法。这门课程是以案例为基础的：对于每一节课，学生都应该熟悉并理解相关概念以及现实环境中的商业困境。 因此，学生不仅要掌握基本原则，还要运用这些原则来制定成功的策略。

科研主题

以下领域内的相关课题，具体课题根据学生的基础，导师面试后确定。

Managerial decision-making  [管理决策]

Principal-agent problem  [委托代理问题]

Adverse selection   [逆选择]

Game theory  [博弈论]

Price discrimination  [价格歧视]

Strategic commitment  [战略承诺]

Barriers to entry   [市场壁垒]

Network effects   [网络效应]

参考课题

Strategic Management

Course Objectives

The goal of this course is to help you use economic principles to think strategically about business

decisions. The course focuses on understanding microeconomic ideas (such as the principal-agent

problem) and using this understanding to make better managerial decisions. Readings will detail each concept; a case elucidating the application of that concept will then be considered. Topics will include adverse selection, game theory, price discrimination, strategic commitment, barriers to entry,and network effects. In this course, you will gain an understanding of how markets operate in the presence of real-world frictions such as hidden information, transaction costs, and barriers to entry.

Prerequisite

Students need to be fluent in English to participate in class discussion which is the key component of the class. Students need to have taken intermediate microeconomics classes.

Research Project

The final project is a required study-group assignment that fills several unique objectives of the course. It allows you to acquire a deeper understanding of a specific organization and industry of your choice. It lets you see up-close the impact of the legal environment on organizational performance. It gives you an opportunity to practice various forms of analysis developed in the course in a setting of special interest to you. The project also encourages you not only to reason within, but also to extend beyond, the frameworks used in the course.

The project involves two phases:

A. Phase A consists of topic selection and culminates in a one-page prospectus due in class by the end of this third day of the class. The prospectus should provide a concise overview of the topic, list the main frameworks you plan to use in your analysis of the issue, and present strategic alternatives facing the company or industry. The prospectus does not require you to choose and implement a strategy. You will not be graded on your prospectus, only your final paper.

B. Phase II of the project is the final report and is due by 5 p.m. on the last day of the class. The final report should do the following: expand on the overview in the prospectus, apply frameworks that help understand the environment in which the issue or problem is located, specify a strategic alternative, describe its implementation, and explain why it is likely to be more effective than other possible strategies.

The paper should be written in a style suitable for thoughtful executives who are generally familiar with the situation but who are relying on your analysis of the business environment. Successful projects will explore the strategic options available to the firm and perform a comprehensive analysis of the costs and benefits of each option, as well as a final recommendation for action. The main determinant of your grade will be the depth and clarity of your strategic analysis. Some outstanding past study group projects will be made available on the class webpage.

The group project is not to exceed 20 double-spaced pages. Obviously, every member of a study

group will receive the same grade on the group project.