Spring 2025 - ECON 425 D100
Industrial Organization: Imperfect Competition (3)
Class Number: 1824
Delivery Method: In Person
Overview
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Course Times + Location:
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Fri, 9:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
Burnaby
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Instructor:
Marie Rekkas
mrekkas@sfu.ca
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Prerequisites:
ECON 302 with a minimum grade of C-.
Description
CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:
An in depth examination of firm behavior in the context of imperfect competition. Topics covered may include: monopoly and oligopoly pricing; product differentiation; market power; entry deterrence; antitrust laws; and regulation. Emphasis will be given to covering a limited number of issues in detail rather than attempting a broad survey of industrial organization theories.
COURSE DETAILS:
This class is designed to provide students with in depth coverage of firm behaviour in the context of
imperfect competition. Topics covered include: monopoly and oligopoly pricing, product differentiation,
advertising, cartels, entry deterrence, horizontal and vertical mergers.
Topics Covered
Monopoly
Static Oligopoly Games
Dynamic Games
Horizontal Product Differentiation
Vertical Product Differentiation
Advertising
Price Fixing and Repeated Games
Horizontal Mergers
Entry Deterrence
Vertical Mergers
Grading
- Writing Assignments (in-class) 20%
- Assignments (take-home) 20%
- Term Test 30%
- Cumulative Final Exam 30%
NOTES:
Writing Assignments (in-class)
A series of short in-class writing assignments will be given randomly throughout the semester to assess
your learning outcomes.
Assignments (take-home)
Weekly take-home writing assignments will be provided to evaluate your ability to apply the lecture
material to problem-solving tasks.
Term test
There will be no make-up tests. If the term test is missed, or if you do poorly on it, the weight of it will
be transferred to the final exam — this means the final exam will count for 60% of your final grade.
Materials
RECOMMENDED READING:
Pepall, Richards, and Norman, Industrial Organization: Contemporary Theory and Empirical
Applications, 5ed, 2014, Wiley Publishing.
REQUIRED READING NOTES:
Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.
Department Undergraduate Notes:
Please note that, as per Policy T20.01, the course requirements (and grading scheme) outlined here are subject to change up until the end of the first week of classes.
Final exam schedules will be released during the second month of classes. If your course has a final exam, please ensure that you are available during the entire final exam period until you receive confirmation of your exam dates.
Students requiring accommodations as a result of a disability must contact the Centre for Accessible Learning (CAL) at 778-782-3112 or caladmin@sfu.ca.***NO TUTORIALS DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF CLASSES***
Registrar Notes:
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS
SFU’s Academic Integrity website http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating. Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.
Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the university community. Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the university. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the university. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html
RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION
Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.