MECO6303 - BUSINESS ECONOMICS COURSE
SYLLABUS
School of
The
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Information | Communications| Student
Assessments| Reading and Lesson Outline| University
Policies Relevant to Students|
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Course: |
MECO6303 - Business Economics, Fall 2010 |
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Instructor: |
Peter Lewin |
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Section |
MBC |
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Home Page: |
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Course Start/End Date: |
Fall 2011, Aug. 24 – Dec. 19, 2011 |
Course Information
Economics is
about the ordinary business of life and it is also the basis for many courses
in Business. It also contains much of the conceptual material necessary
for an intelligent understanding of business life. The approach in this course
to the teaching of economic principles is to try to ensure that students
acquire the necessary conceptual apparatus in a way that is both challenging
and interesting. This is done by attempting to ensure that the material is
presented in a lively, interesting and relevant fashion. We will constantly use
current real world examples to illustrate the application of concepts.
Catalogue
Description.
Business
Economics (3 semester hours) Foundations
of the economic analysis of business problems, with special emphasis on the
function and determination of market prices in production and consumption.
Supply and demand, price theory, production theory, trade theory with reference
to the global economy, the effects of tax and other policies in the economy,
and essential elements of the banking system and monetary policy are addressed.
2. Prerequisites: MATH 5304 or equivalent.
3. Learning objectives:
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Minimal General Learning Outcomes - the ability to |
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Understand and be able to apply the
concepts of supply and demand, equilibrium, and the factors that shift supply
and demand to analyze the behavior of real markets when conditions change. |
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·
Analyze the impacts of restricting
markets from reaching the competitive equilibrium through price controls,
taxes, and subsidies. |
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Understand the difference between
monopoly markets and competitive markets. |
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Understand the nature of production in
the modern economy. Be able to identify the profit maximizing price and the
relationship between different types of cost. |
I
would like students to take away from this course at least the following:
1). An appreciation
of the power of economic reasoning for understanding current events
2). A facility for
analyzing everyday economic problems using basic economic analysis
3). An
understanding of the concepts of
·
supply and demand
·
costs and benefits
·
and their multiple applications
4). An
appreciation of the role of
·
money in the economy
·
the dangers of inflation
·
the importance of free trade
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the limits of regulation
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the effects of taxes and subsidies of different types
·
the workings of the market system is determining earnings
(interest, profits, wages, salaries and rents)
·
the modern business firm, its function and its boundaries
·
the achievements of the American economic system.
4. Instructor Information
1). Contact information
Contact information is:
Email: plewin@utdallas.edu
Phone: 972-883-2729
Office: SOM
3.223, UTD
You can
contact me anytime by phone or email, and see me by appointment in my
office.
2).
Instructor brief biography
I was born
and grew up in
My wife and
I were married in December 1969. We have four children and seven
grandchildren.
To see more
about my professional and personal life visit my website at http://www.utdallas.edu/~plewin/
5. Course Materials
Text: Economics, (any edition will do), Walter Wessels, Barron’s Educational Series, + supplementary readings.
Ideas in
economics can be learned from multiple sources. I will post supplementary
material to complement the text and the lecture.
Textbooks
and other materials can be often be ordered online through, MBS Direct Virtual
Bookstore or Off-Campus Books web ordering site. They are also available
when in stock at UTD Bookstore and Off-Campus Books.
I make extensive use of WebCT in all of my courses. You should monitor the
course on WebCT frequently for announcements, discussions and
supplementary material
Interaction
with Instructor: I will
communicate with students mainly through the Discussion Boards and Course
Announcements. Students may send personal concerns or questions to me using
plewin@utdallas.edu. I will reply to student emails or Discussion
board messages within 3 working days under normal circumstances.
Interaction
with other students: You
may communicate and interact with other students using either email, discussion
board or the Collaboration tool shown on the course menu.
Student
Assessment: Grading/Evaluation
There will
be two online timed midterms 1 hour each (25%) and an on-campus comprehensive
final test (50% - 25 questions from the last third of course, 25 questions from
any part of the course).
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Test 1 (covers lessons 1-3) |
25% |
September 29 - 1 hour time limit |
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Test 2 (covers lessons 4-5) |
25% |
October 27 - 1 hour time limit |
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Test 3 (final, comprehensive) |
50% |
December 8 - 2 hour time limit |
All tests will be online in-class using Lockdown Browser. You will receive instructions on how to use it.
Self Tests
There is a self-test available for each
lesson module. Those are non-credit quizzes for self
assessment. Please take the quiz after you finish each lesson. Please
see the instruction above on accessing the self tests.
These tests can be taken an unlimited number of times.
The following
grades can be earned in this class.
A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, X and F.
The actual grade distribution
for each test will be determined by the total class performance. I will publish
a grade distribution, linking scores to grades, after each test and for the
course as a whole.
Reading and Lesson Outline
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Lesson # |
Topic |
Reading |
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1
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Introduction to
Economics - assumptions and implications-
productions possibility curves
(two parts: part A
and part B)
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Chapters 1-2 |
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2
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Demand and Supply -
movements along curves vs. shifts of curves. Elasticities of demand and supply;
Engel curves; Market Equilibrium. (Three parts: part A, part B and part C) |
Chapters 3, 4, 17, 30 Supplementary Reading: More on Consumer and Producer
Surplus |
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3 |
Economic Policies
- Price controls, taxes and subsidies. Minimum wages, rent controls, consumer
and producer surplus. (two parts: part A and part B) |
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Test
1 (Covering lessons 1 – 3)
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4 |
Consumer Theory
- The isolated consumer, the consumer in the
market (two parts: part A and part B) |
Chapter 18 Supplementary Reading: More on
Indifference Curves |
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5 |
Producer Theory
- Monopoly,
competition, production, revenue and costs (four parts:
parts A - D) |
Chapters 19, 20 , 22 Supplementary Reading: Monopoly in Mexico - the real thing |
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Test 2 (Covering lessons 4
and 5) |
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6 |
Production and
Growth – Growth
accounting, the cost of living – price indexes (three parts:
part A, B and C) |
Chapters 6, 26, 27 Supplementary Reading: More on Production
Functions Types of Foreign Aid |
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7 |
The Financial
System – Saving, investment and financial markets
(two parts: part A and part B) |
Chapters 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 16, 28, 31 |
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Test 3 (˝
comprehensive and ˝ covering lessons 6 – 7) |
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University Policies Relevant
to Students:
Academic Integrity and
Scholastic Dishonesty
Student
Conduct & Discipline
The
University of Texas System and The University of Texas at Dallas have rules and
regulations for the orderly and efficient conduct of their business. It is the
responsibility of each student and each student organization to be
knowledgeable about the rules and regulations which govern student conduct and
activities.
The
University of Texas at Dallas administers student discipline within the
procedures of recognized and established due process. Procedures are defined
and described in the Rules and
Regulations of the Board of Regents of the University of Texas
System, Part 1, Chapter VI, Section 3, and in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities of
the Course Syllabus Page 8, University’s
Handbook of Operating Procedures. Copies of these rules and
regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean of Students,
where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules
and regulations (SSB 4.400, 972/883- 6391).
A
student at the university neither loses the rights nor escapes the
responsibilities of citizenship. He or she is expected to obey federal, state,
and local laws as well as the Regents’ Rules, university regulations, and
administrative rules. Students are subject to discipline for violating the
standards of conduct whether such conduct takes place on or off campus, or
whether civil or criminal penalties are also imposed for such conduct.
Academic
Integrity
The
faculty and administration of the School of Management expect from our students
a high level of responsibility and academic honesty. Because the value of an
academic degree depends upon the absolute integrity of the work done by the
student for that degree, it is imperative that a student demonstrate a high
standard of individual honor in his or her scholastic work. We want to
establish a reputation for the honorable behavior of our graduates, which
extends throughout their careers. Both your individual reputation and the
school’s reputation matter to your success.
The Judicial Affairs website lists examples
of academic dishonesty. Dishonesty includes, but is not limited to cheating,
plagiarism, collusion, facilitating academic dishonesty, fabrication, failure
to contribute to a collaborative project and sabotage. Some of the ways
students may engage in academic dishonesty are:
·
Coughing and/or using visual or
auditory signals in a test;
·
Concealing notes on hands, caps,
shoes, in pockets or the back of beverage bottle labels;
·
Writing in blue books prior to an
examination;
·
Writing information on blackboards,
desks, or keeping notes on the floor;
·
Obtaining copies of an exam in
advance;
·
Passing information from an earlier
class to a later class;
·
Leaving information in the bathroom;
·
Exchanging exams so that neighbors
have identical test forms;
·
Having a substitute take a test and
providing falsified identification for the substitute;
·
Fabricating data for lab assignments;
·
Changing a graded paper and requesting
that it be regraded;
·
Failing to turn in a test or
assignment and later suggesting the faculty member lost the item;
·
Stealing another student’s graded test
and affixing one’s own name on it;
·
Recording two answers, one on the test
form, one on the answer sheet;
·
Marking an answer sheet to enable
another to see the answer;
·
Encircling two adjacent answers and
claiming to have had the correct answer;
·
Stealing an exam for someone in
another section or for placement in a test file;
·
Using an electronic device to store
test information, or to send or receive answers for a test;
·
Destroying or removing library
materials to gain an academic advantage;
·
Consulting assignment solutions posted
on websites of previous course offerings;
·
Transferring a computer file from one
person’s account to another;
·
Transmitting posted answers for an
exam to a student in a testing area via electronic device;
·
Downloading text from the Internet or
other sources without proper attribution;
·
Citing to false references or findings
in research or other academic exercises;
·
Unauthorized collaborating with
another person in preparing academic exercises.
·
Submitting a substantial portion of
the same academic work more than once without written authorization from the
instructor.
http://www.utdallas.edu/judicialaffairs/UTDJudicialAffairs-Basicexamples.html
Updated: August, 2011
Plagiarism on written
assignments, especially from the web, from portions of papers for other
classes, and from any other source is unacceptable. On written assignments,
this course will use the resources of turnitin.com,
which searches the web for plagiarized content and is over 90% effective.
During tests and
quizzes, students in this section are not allowed to collaborate – they may
consult their notes or textbooks but not use any electronic devices other than
their computers to do the test. When possible,
students should sit in alternating seats, face forward at all times, and remove
any clothing which might conceal eye movements, reflect images of another’s
work, or hide course material for copying. Exam proctors will monitor any
communication or signaling between students by talking, whispering, or making
sounds, or by using your hands, feet, other body movements, the test paper
itself or your writing implement.
Students in this
course suspected of academic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary
proceedings, and if found responsible, the following minimum sanctions will be
applied:
1.
Homework – Zero for the
Assignment
2.
Case Write-ups – Zero
for the Assignment
3.
Quizzes – Zero for
the Quiz
4.
Presentations – Zero
for the Assignment
5.
Group Work – Zero for
the Assignment for all group members
6.
Tests – F for the
course
These sanctions will be administered
only after a student has been found officially responsible for academic
dishonesty, either through waiving their right for a disciplinary hearing, or
being declared responsible after a hearing administered by Judicial Affairs and
the Dean of Student’s Office .
In
the event that the student receives a failing grade for the course for academic
dishonesty, the student is not allowed to withdraw as a way of preventing the grade
from being entered on their record. Where a student receives an F in a course
and chooses to take the course over to improve their grade, the original grade
of F remains on their transcript, but does not count towards calculation of
their GPA.
The
School of Management also reserves the right to review a student’s disciplinary
record, on file with the Dean of Students, as one of the criteria for
determining a student’s eligibility for a scholarship.
Judicial Affairs
Procedures
Under authority delegated by the Dean of
Students, a faculty member who has reason to suspect that a student has engaged
in academic dishonesty may conduct a conference with the student in compliance
with the following procedures:
(i) the student will be informed that
he/she is believed to have committed an act or acts of academic dishonesty in
violation of University rules;
(ii) the student will be presented
with any information in the knowledge or possession of the instructor which
tends to support the allegation(s) of academic dishonesty;
(iii) the student will be given an
opportunity to present information on his/her behalf;
(iv) after meeting with the student,
the faculty member may choose not to refer the allegation if he/she determines
that the allegations are not supported by the evidence; or
(v) after meeting with the student,
the faculty member may refer the allegations to the dean of students along with
a referral form and all supporting documentation of the alleged violation. Under separate cover, the faculty member
should forward the appropriate grade to be assessed if a student is found to be
responsible for academic dishonesty;
(vi) the faculty member may consult
with the dean of students in determining the recommended grade;
(vii) the faculty member must not impose
any independent sanctions upon the student in lieu of a referral to Judicial
Affairs;
(viii) the faculty member may not
impose a sanction of suspension or expulsion, but may make this recommendation in the referral
documentation
If the faculty member chooses not to meet
with the student and instead forwards the appropriate documentation directly to
the dean of students, they should attempt to inform the student of the
allegation and notify the student that the information has been forwarded to
the Office of Dean of Students for investigation.
The student, pending a hearing, remains
responsible for all academic exercises and syllabus requirements. The student may remain in class if the
student’s presence in the class does not interfere with the professor’s ability
to teach the class or the ability of other class members to learn. (See Section
49.07, page V-49-4 for information regarding the removal of a student from
class).
Upon receipt of the referral form, class
syllabus, and the supporting material/documentation from the faculty member,
the dean shall proceed under the guidelines in the Handbook of Operating Procedures, Chapter 49, Subchapter C.
If the respondent disputes the facts upon which the allegations are based, a
fair and impartial disciplinary committee comprised of UTD faculty and
students, shall hold a hearing and determine the responsibility of the student.
If they find the student in violation of the code of conduct, the dean will
then affirm the minimum sanction as provided in the syllabus, and share this
information with the student. The dean will review the student’s prior
disciplinary record and assess additional sanctions where appropriate to the
circumstances. The dean will inform the student and the faculty member of their
decision.
Email Use
The
Withdrawal from Class
The
administration of this institution has set deadlines for withdrawal of any
college-level courses. These dates and times are published in that semester's
course catalog. Administration procedures must be followed. It is the student's
responsibility to handle withdrawal requirements from any class. In other
words, I cannot drop or withdraw any student. You must do the proper paperwork
to ensure that you will not receive a final grade of "F" in a course
if you choose not to attend the class once you are enrolled.
Student Grievance Procedures
Procedures
for student grievances are found in Title V, Rules on Student Services and
Activities, of the university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures.
In
attempting to resolve any student grievance regarding grades, evaluations, or
other fulfillments of academic responsibility, it is the obligation of the
student first to make a serious effort to resolve the matter with the
instructor, supervisor, administrator, or committee with whom the grievance
originates (hereafter called “the respondent”).
Individual faculty members retain primary responsibility for assigning
grades and evaluations. If the matter
cannot be resolved at that level, the grievance must be submitted in writing to
the respondent with a copy of the respondent’s School Dean. If the matter is not resolved by the written
response provided by the respondent, the student may submit a written appeal to
the School Dean. If the grievance is not
resolved by the School Dean’s decision, the student may make a written appeal
to the Dean of Graduate or Undergraduate Education, and the deal will appoint
and convene an Academic Appeals Panel. The
decision of the Academic Appeals Panel is final. The results of the academic appeals process
will be distributed to all involved parties.
Copies of
these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean
of Students, where staff members are available to assist students in
interpreting the rules and regulations.
Incomplete Grade Policy
As per
university policy, incomplete grades will be granted only for work unavoidably missed
at the semester’s end and only if 70% of the course work has been
completed. An incomplete grade must be
resolved within eight (8) weeks from the first day of the subsequent long
semester. If the required work to
complete the course and to remove the incomplete grade is not submitted by the
specified deadline, the incomplete grade is changed automatically to a grade of
F.
Disability Services
The goal of
Disability Services is to provide students with disabilities educational
opportunities equal to those of their non-disabled peers. Disability Services is located in room 1.610
in the Student Union. Office hours are
Monday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday and Wednesday, 8:30 a.m.
to 7:30 p.m.; and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
The contact
information for the Office of Disability Services is:
The
(972)
883-2098 (voice or TTY)
Essentially,
the law requires that colleges and universities make those reasonable
adjustments necessary to eliminate discrimination on the basis of
disability. For example, it may be
necessary to remove classroom prohibitions against tape recorders or animals
(in the case of dog guides) for students who are blind. Occasionally an assignment requirement may be
substituted (for example, a research paper versus an oral presentation for a
student who is hearing impaired).
Classes enrolled students with mobility impairments may have to be
rescheduled in accessible facilities.
The college or university may need to provide special services such as
registration, note-taking, or mobility assistance.
It is the
student’s responsibility to notify his or her professors of the need for such
an accommodation. Disability Services
provides students with letters to present to faculty members to verify that the
student has a disability and needs accommodations. Individuals requiring special accommodation
should contact the professor after class or during office hours.
Religious Holy Days
The
The student
is encouraged to notify the instructor or activity sponsor as soon as possible
regarding the absence, preferably in advance of the assignment. The student, so excused, will be allowed to
take the exam or complete the assignment within a reasonable time after the
absence: a period equal to the length of the absence, up to a maximum of one
week. A student who notifies the instructor and completes any missed exam or
assignment may not be penalized for the absence. A student who fails to complete
the exam or assignment within the prescribed period may receive a failing grade
for that exam or assignment.
If a student
or an instructor disagrees about the nature of the absence [i.e., for the
purpose of observing a religious holy day] or if there is similar disagreement
about whether the student has been given a reasonable time to complete any
missed assignments or examinations, either the student or the instructor may
request a ruling from the chief executive officer of the institution, or his or
her designee. The chief executive officer or designee must take into account
the legislative intent of TEC 51.911(b), and the student and instructor will
abide by the decision of the chief executive officer or designee.
These descriptions and timelines are subject
to change at the discretion of the Professor.
©
Peter Lewin 2011.