Intermediate Microeconomics

Recommended Prerequisites

Solid knowledge of microeconomic analysis, mathematical analysis, and econometric methods is highly advisable.

Teaching Methods

The main propositions are shown in class using either the blackboard or powerpoint. The students will have access to handouts for specific topics as well as specific bibliographic references to complement class presentation. After each leacture, there will be a set of exercises to be solved by the student in the following week.

Four articles/reports will be selected for presentation and discussion by groups of students. The material will be extracted from Portuguese regulatory agencies and students will have to show their understanding of the main aspects contained in the article/report.

Learning Outcomes

Students are expected to: 1) derive the main decision rules of consumers and firms in a market economy; 2) discuss the properties of a competitive equilibrium; and 3) discuss the decision-making in non-cooperative games.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1. Basic notions of mathematical economics.

2. Consumer choice

3. The theory of the firm

4. Technical efficiency

5. General equilibrium analysis

6. Game theory

Head Lecturer(s)

Paulino Maria Freitas Teixeira

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Students are advised to choose "avaliação continua". In this regime, the final grade is a weighted average of the following items: attendance (5%); problem solving and class discussion (15%), midterm (35%) and a final test (45%). Alternatively, students can select to take an exam in January (Época Normal) or in February (Época de Recurso): 100.0%

Bibliography

A. Mas-Colell, M.D. Whinston,  J.R.  Green, Microeconomic theory, Oxford University Press, New York, 1995.

A.C.  Chiang, K. Wainwright, Fundamental methods of mathematical economics, 4th ed., McGraw-Hill, Boston, 2005.

A. Mateus, M.M. Mateus,  Microeconomia : teoria e aplicações, Verbo, Lisboa, 2001-2002. 2 vol.

C.P. Simon, L. Blume, Mathematics for economists,  W.W. Norton & Company, New York, 1994.

No decorrer do curso serão ainda selecionados, para discussão na aula, cerca de quatro textos (artigos científicos ou relatórios) produzidos no âmbito de entidades reguladoras nacionais.