Teaching

Syllabus

This course aims at equipping students to understand the complex strategies that firms apply to maximise their profits. Emphasis is given to the pricing, advertising and innovation strategies of firms, in static and dynamic perspectives. The range of strategies analysed is wide, because firms operate in diverse market organisations (various competitive environments, direct versus indirect sales to consumers), demand conditions (uncertainty, consumer heterogeneity) and information settings (imperfect information about prices, contracts or products).

The methodology used is microeconomic theory and industrial organisation.

Each class (3 h) includes a case study (0.5 h), theory (1.5 h) and exercises (1 h).

Themes of classes

Multiproduct pricing, advertising, entry, dynamic pricing, vertical contracts, vertical bargaining, innovation.