Industrial Organization and Public Policy

Economics 275

Description: criss-crossed conveyors by charles sheeler

Professor Stull

Spring 2013



Industrial Organization studies the impact of market structure on strategy, conduct, and economic performance.  Monopolists, oligopolists, and competitors behave differently on pricing, entry, innovation, marketing, product differentiation, and other decisions.  These differences have important implications for economic efficiency and public policy.  Antitrust law, economic regulation and deregulation, public ownership and privatization have all been responses to industrial organization problems.

This course will use a series of industry studies to develop the theoretical framework of industrial organization, to examine economic problems related to each market structure, and to analyze public policy.  




This course will have three exams and a group presentation

Topic sheets from last time are available.  These will be updated before each exam.
Topics for Exam One

Topics for Exam Two 

Topics for Final Exam 


Links




   North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)  A list of SIC codes , or search OSHA SIC code site

    US Census Bureau



    2002 Economic Census    1997 Economic Census


    Industry Concentration: CR4 and Herfindahl explained , Table of concentration ratios (pdf) [big and  slow to download]




Industries

Agriculture

        US Department of Agriculture
   
Oil

Whatever Happened to Standard Oil?

        OPEC


       Oil Online

        Oil.com    

Steel

       American Iron and Steel Institute




Automobiles

    Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers



Telecommunications
   
    Federal Communication Commission
   
    Bell Phone History

Computers
   
    IBM Antitrust Suit Records

    United States v. Microsoft Dep't of Justice

    Microsoft Antitrust Case Documents National Association of Attorneys General

   

Airlines

    American Airlines Predation case

Beer

Modern Brewery Age

Taking the Long View (United States brewing industry)(Interview with Robert S. Weinberg)
 
Craft Beer industry statistics


Other links
   
    Useful links for IO students, teachers and researchers from Luis Cabral

   Research Paper.  See this page for Industry Studies done in 2004


Chuck Stull's homepage

Department of Economics homepage

Kalamazoo College Homepage

 

Questions, problems, or comments?
email: cstull@kzoo.edu