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ECON 361

I. Course Title: Industrial Organization.   

II. Course Number: ECON 361

III. Credit Hours: 3 credits

IV. Prerequisites: ECON 206 and either MATH 126, MATH 151, MATH 169, or MATH 171

V. Course Description: 

Investigates the relationships among market structures, market conduct and market performance.  Examines the rationale for government intervention into or regulation of different industries.

VI. Detailed Description of Content of the Course:

This course studies the behavior of firms, their strategic interactions with one another in the marketplace, and the impact that those interactions have on market structure and welfare. The course focuses on market power, how firms strive to acquire and use market power, and its effects on the market outcomes. Consequently, government’s role as a regulator and public policies that affect market structure are studied. 

Topic Outline

  1. Microeconomic Theory and Public Policy
  2. Competition, Pricing Behavior, Collusion
  3. Industrial Structure and Its Analysis
  4. Market Concentration
  5. Horizontal and Vertical Integration
  6. Antitrust in Theory and Practice
  7. Regulation and Business Practices
  8. Regulatory Reform

VI. Detailed Description of Conduct of Course:

The following teaching strategies may be employed:

  • Lectures, videos, discussions, in-class and/or at-home activities and assignments.

VII. Goals and Objectives of the Course:

After successfully completing this course, students will be able to:

  1. Identify the market structure the firm faces based on market characteristics. (SLO3, SLO4)
  2. Analyze pricing strategies of firms under different market structures. (SLO3, SLO4, SLO6)
  3. Explain the theory and evidence about the conduct in markets with significant concentration of market power. (SLO4, SLO6)
  4. Measure market concentration and explain its implications. (SLO4)
  5. Analyze the determinants of the firm's structure. (SLO6)
  6. Explain the public policy towards market structure and antitrust legislation. (SLO6)

VIII. Assessment Measures:

The following assessment measures may be employed: Tests, quizzes, homework, reports, presentations, or class participation.  Grades and percentages depend on individual professors.

Review and Approval

Date Action Reviewed by
December 2004 Made alterations to syllabus N. Hashemzadeh, Chair
Revised 4/13/09    Charles Vehorn
April 16, 2012 Revised

August 2020

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