Introductory Economics and Statistics
A.Y. 2018/2019
Learning objectives
The aim of the course is to introduce students to jargon and basic principles of economics and statistical sciences. The module of Economics is meant to explain laws describing behavior and interaction among economic agents (families and firms) mainly at micro level (microeconomics) with a short outline at aggregated level (macroeconomics). The module of statistics introduces descriptive statistics and treats some topics of inferential statistics.
Expected learning outcomes
Students should be able to understand and manage economic information (about production, consumption and food and foodservice markets dynamics) presented both on newspapers and reviews of food science. Students should be able to correctly understand and represent statistical data both in tabulation and in diagram.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
Economics:Chapter 1. Introducing Economics - What do economists study? Different economic systems. The nature of economic reasoning. Chapter 2. Supply and Demand - Demand. Supply. Price and output determination. The control of prices. Chapter 3. Markets in Action - Elasticity. The time dimension. Agriculture and agricultural policy. Chapter 4. Background to Demand - Marginal utility theory. Indifference analysis. Chapter 5. Background to Supply - The short-run theory of production. Costs in the short run. The long-run theory of production. Costs in the long run. Revenue. Profit maximization. Chapter 6. Profit Maximising Under Perfect Competition and Monopoly - Alternative market structures. Perfect competition. Monopoly. The theory of contestable markets. Chapter 7. Profit Maximising under Imperfect Competition - Monopolistic competition. Oligopoly. Game theory. Price discrimination.Statistics: Language of statistics. Graphical representation of data. Numerical description of data. Bivariate data analysis. Probability. Random variables and probability distribution. Confidence intervals, hypothesis testing. Test on a single population. Test on two populations. Economics: Sloman, J., Wride J, Garrat D. Economics, Pearson. Statistics: Pelosi M. K. e Sandifer T. M. (2009). Elementary statistics from Discovery to Decision, McGraw-Hill.
Teaching methods
Economics: Sloman, J., Wride J, Garrat D. Economics, Pearson.Supplementary text: Libermann M., Hall R.E., Economics, principles and applications (2009) 5th edition, South Western Educational Publishing. Module Statistics: Pelosi M. K. e Sandifer T. M. (2009). Elementary statistics. from Discovery to Decision, McGraw-Hill.
AGR/01 - AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS AND RURAL APPRAISAL - University credits: 8
Practicals: 16 hours
Lessons: 56 hours
Lessons: 56 hours
Professor:
Raimondi Valentina Maria Paola
Professor(s)
Reception:
By appointment
Lecturer’s office – 1st floor, DESP (via Celoria)