88-392: Industry Structure and Dynamics
Our modern economy comprises a wide diversity of industries. These industries exhibit a variety of patterns in 1) the distribution of production, employment, and profits among participating firms; 2) business practices and modes of competition; 3) innovation and technology diffusion; and 4) geography. Not only do industries differ, but also specific industries evolve as they mature. Nevertheless, certain features and issues appear in many industries. This course uses an augmented case study approach to examine both selected industries and some of the patterns and behaviors that occur across industries. Each unit begins with a profile of a specific industry. Students learn how to collect statistical data and descriptive information to construct their own industry profiles. Examples of industries that might be covered include steel, pharmaceuticals, restaurants, telecommunications, airlines, and software. A unit continues by examining selected prominent characteristics from the case study that reappear in other industries. The course draws upon the fields of industrial organization, spatial economics, and regional economic development to study the economic logic and prevalence of this prominent feature or behaviour. Potential examples include entry and exit; firm growth; pricing policies; franchising and principal-agent problems; advertising; product differentiation and design; patents and intellectual property; technology adoption; economies of agglomeration; and network externalities.
| A | TR | 03:00 pm - 04:20 pm | PH 225B | Greenstreet |