ECONS101-22A (TGA)

Economics for Business and Management

15 Points

Edit Header Content
Division of Management
School of Accounting, Finance and Economics

Staff

Edit Staff Content

Convenor(s)

Michael Ryan

Michael Ryan
See Moodle
michael.ryan@waikato.ac.nz

Lecturer(s)

Administrator(s)

: uwt@waikato.ac.nz

Placement/WIL Coordinator(s)

Tutor(s)

Student Representative(s)

Lab Technician(s)

Librarian(s)

: yilan.chen@waikato.ac.nz

You can contact staff by:

  • Calling +64 7 838 4466 select option 1, then enter the extension.
  • Extensions starting with 4, 5, 9 or 3 can also be direct dialled:
    • For extensions starting with 4: dial +64 7 838 extension.
    • For extensions starting with 5: dial +64 7 858 extension.
    • For extensions starting with 9: dial +64 7 837 extension.
    • For extensions starting with 3: dial +64 7 2620 + the last 3 digits of the extension e.g. 3123 = +64 7 262 0123.
Edit Staff Content

Paper Description

Edit Paper Description Content

Business Economics and New Zealand Economy aims to introduce students to the essential aspects of the economic environment within which individuals and businesses operate. It will provide an introduction to the characteristics of economic decision-making by individuals and businesses, the central issues of business strategy from an economic perspective, and the key aspects of how businesses operate within and interact with the macroeconomy.

This paper will help you to understand and cope with the diverse economic problems that you might encounter as a business manager.

IMPORTANT: ECONS101(TGA) is offered as a FLEXI paper, which means there are some flexible aspects of this paper that can be completed online. Attendance at the lecture and tutorial is desirable. It is your decision whether you attend on campus. I will note the relatively small class sizes on the Tauranga campus do provide an excellent opportunity to ask clarifying questions during lectures. While in-person attendance in tutorials provides opportunities to learn that are hard to recreate online

Edit Paper Description Content

Paper Structure

Edit Paper Structure Content

This paper is taught through interactive lectures (3 hours per week) and tutorials (1 hour per week). Lectures are recorded and available via Panopto for you to refer to later.

The paper is supported online through Moodle.

Edit Paper Structure Content

Learning Outcomes

Edit Learning Outcomes Content

Students who successfully complete the paper should be able to:

  • Apply constrained optimisation models and the 'economic way of thinking' to explain and solve economic problems;
    Linked to the following assessments:
  • Use elasticities and game theory to anticipate how buyers, sellers, and competitors will react to changes in prices and other variables;
    Linked to the following assessments:
  • Use descriptive and graphical models to explain the behaviour and decision-making (including pricing and non-price strategic decisions) of firms that sell a differentiated product and have some market power;
    Linked to the following assessments:
  • Apply the model of supply and demand to analyse market problems and anticipate profit opportunities in markets with perfect competition;
    Linked to the following assessments:
  • Use descriptive and graphical models to explain how NZ's GDP, employment and overall price level are determined, and how changes in the macroeconomy may influence the behaviour of buyers and firms;
    Linked to the following assessments:
  • Apply their knowledge to problems arising within the general business environment.
    Linked to the following assessments:
Edit Learning Outcomes Content
Edit Learning Outcomes Content

Assessment

Edit Assessments Content
The three tests can either be undertaken on campus or online. The marks of those sitting the test on campus and online will be scaled (using information from the weekly online quizzes if necessary) to ensure there is no advantage from sitting the test on campus or online
Edit Additional Assessment Information Content

Assessment Components

Edit Assessments Content

The internal assessment/exam ratio (as stated in the University Calendar) is 100:0. There is no final exam. The final exam makes up 0% of the overall mark.

The internal assessment/exam ratio (as stated in the University Calendar) is 100:0 or 0:0, whichever is more favourable for the student. The final exam makes up either 0% or 0% of the overall mark.

Component DescriptionDue Date TimePercentage of overall markSubmission MethodCompulsory
1. Test 1
4 May 2022
6:00 PM
22
  • Online: Submit through Moodle
  • In Class: In Test
2. Test 2
1 Jun 2022
6:00 PM
22
  • Online: Submit through Moodle
  • In Class: In Test
3. Online quizzes
16
  • Online: Submit through Moodle
4. Tutorial Completion
8
  • Hand-in: In Tutorial
  • Online: Submit through Moodle
5. Final test
20 Jun 2022
9:30 AM
32
  • Online: Submit through Moodle
  • In Class: In Test
✔
Assessment Total:     100    
Failing to complete a compulsory assessment component of a paper will result in an IC grade
Edit Assessments Content

Required and Recommended Readings

Edit Required Readings Content

Required Readings

Edit Required Readings Content

The CORE team. (n.d.). The Economy.

This book is a free e-book that can be accessed at http://www.core-econ.org/the-economy/index.html and can be downloaded as an app from the Google Play Store (for Android devices) or the Windows Store (for Windows 10 devices) (an iOS version will be released soon). The book was developed by a team of highly-respected professors, and is currently being used at University College London, Sciences Po (Paris), the Toulouse School of Economics, Azim Premji University (Bangalore), Humboldt University (Berlin), the Lahore University of Management Sciences and many other universities throughout the world.

Edit Required Readings Content

Recommended Readings

Edit Recommended Readings Content

Brickley, J., Smith, C., and Zimmerman, J. (2016). Managerial Economics and Organizational Architecture (6th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill.

Mankiw, N.G. (2015). Principles of Macroeconomics (7th ed.). Stamford, Ct.: Cengage.

Gans, J., King, S., Byford, M., and Mankiw, N.G. (2015). Principles of Microeconomics (6th ed.). Melbourne: Cengage.

These books are also available on Course Reserve in the library, and the applicable chapters will be available from the ECONS101 Reading List.

The ECONS101 Reading List is available directly from the ECONS101 Moodle page.

Edit Recommended Readings Content

Other Resources

Edit Other Resources Content

In addition to the required textbook (and additional resources that are associated with it online), students are encouraged to read widely including the business section of newspapers, The Economist magazine, and other similar sources.

Many other introductory microeconomics textbooks are available in the library and provide slightly different explanations that may help with learning. Posts on Michael Cameron's Sex, Drugs and Economics blog (tagged ECON100 or ECONS101) may also be helpful and provide additional real-world context to the concepts and theory discussed in class.

Edit Other Resources Content

Online Support

Edit Online Support Content

The paper is supported online through Moodle.

Edit Online Support Content

Workload

Edit Workload Content
Students will be expected to spend four to eight hours per week additional to class contact hours as described above. This time should be spent on reading the textbook, reviewing the lecture notes and completing any computer based quiz questions. Students who have not studied Economics prior to this paper may find that they will need to spend a few extra hours on reading the textbook, or using one of the textbook-related computer packages or websites, compared to students who have studied up to NCEA Level 3 Economics or equivalent.
Edit Workload Content

Linkages to Other Papers

Edit Linkages Content
Note any linkages to other papers where the linkage is of importance.
Edit Linkages Content

Prerequisite(s)

Corequisite(s)

Equivalent(s)

Restriction(s)

Restricted papers: ECON100

Edit Linkages Content