Engineering Economics P - Z
Academic Year 2023/2024 - Teacher: FRANCESCO MASCALIExpected Learning Outcomes
. "Knowledge and understanding". The course introduces the knowledge of the principles of economic rationality and provides the basic methods for business decisions in the field of cost analysis, market analysis, and economic analysis of engineering design. Finally, the student is introduced to the main macroeconomic aggregates and basic models for the analysis of economic systems.
2. “Applying knowledge and understanding”. Upon completion of the course, students must be able, for each economic decision, to identify the cost items and the expected benefits. They must also be able to identify the variables of the macroeconomic context that are relevant to business decisions. Finally, they will have to be able to apply the main criteria for evaluating the economic value of a project.
3. "Making judgments". Based on the basic principles learned, the student will be able to autonomously investigate further aspects relating to business and engineering decisions in the economic-financial field.
4. "Communication skills". At the end of the course, the student must be able to communicate the reasons underlying the analysis of costs, of the market, and of engineering projects using specialized language.
5. “Learning skills”. The principles of economics provided at the beginning of the course will be a basis for conveying further contents in the microeconomic, macroeconomic and engineering project fields. They can be used by the learner to refine and deepen their skill set through independent learning and knowledge acquisition.
Course Structure
The course is organised as a mix of theoretical lectures (concerning the principles of Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, and the foundations of project appraisal) and tutorials during which exercises on the course topics will be discussed.
N.B. Should teaching be carried out in mixed mode or remotely, it may be necessary to introduce changes with respect to previous statements, in line with the programme planned and outlined in the syllabus. Learning assessment may also be carried out on line, should the conditions require it.
Required Prerequisites
Detailed Course Content
Economics of the firm and of markets
How economists think. The logic of costs and benefits. The market. Individual and aggregate demand. Theory of production: the production function and short and long run costs. Market structures: perfect competition, monopoly, imperfect competition. Strategic interaction in oligopolistic markets.
Contemporary economics.
Macroeconomic variables: GDP, price level and inflation, employment and unemployment, balance of payments, public budget, money, financial markets and interest rates. The determination of the national income in the short run. The economic cycle. The AD-AS model. Economic Policy. Principles of open economies.
Project Analysis
Formulating investment alternatives. Project costs. Some representative short-term decisions (make-or-buy, choice of materials). Principles of financial mathematics. Decision Criteria: NPV, IRR, payback, other criteria. Choosing among alternative projects. Capital depreciation. Taxation. Economic evaluation of public sector projects.
Textbook Information
O’SULLIVAN A., SHEFFRIN S.M., PEREZ S.J., BIANCHI C. (2015). Elementi di Economia, Pearson.
SULLIVAN W.G., WICKS, E.M., LUXHOJ (2006). Economia applicata all’ingegneria. Pearson Prentice-Hall.
Course Planning
Subjects | Text References | |
---|---|---|
1 | La razionalità economica. | O’SULLIVAN A., SHEFFRIN S.M., PEREZ S.J., BIANCHI C. (2015). Elementi di Economia, Pearson. |
2 | Domanda, offerta ed equilibrio di mercato | O’SULLIVAN A., SHEFFRIN S.M., PEREZ S.J., BIANCHI C. (2015). Elementi di Economia, Pearson. |
3 | Produzione e produttività | O’SULLIVAN A., SHEFFRIN S.M., PEREZ S.J., BIANCHI C. (2015). Elementi di Economia, Pearson. |
4 | Costi di breve e di lungo periodo | O’SULLIVAN A., SHEFFRIN S.M., PEREZ S.J., BIANCHI C. (2015). Elementi di Economia, Pearson. |
5 | Strutture di mercato: concorrenza, monopolio e concorrenza imperfetta | O’SULLIVAN A., SHEFFRIN S.M., PEREZ S.J., BIANCHI C. (2015). Elementi di Economia, Pearson. |
6 | Il ciclo economico | O’SULLIVAN A., SHEFFRIN S.M., PEREZ S.J., BIANCHI C. (2015). Elementi di Economia, Pearson. |
7 | Il prodotto interno lordo | O’SULLIVAN A., SHEFFRIN S.M., PEREZ S.J., BIANCHI C. (2015). Elementi di Economia, Pearson. |
8 | Livello dei prezzi ed inflazione | O’SULLIVAN A., SHEFFRIN S.M., PEREZ S.J., BIANCHI C. (2015). Elementi di Economia, Pearson. |
9 | Il mercato del lavoro e la disoccupazione | O’SULLIVAN A., SHEFFRIN S.M., PEREZ S.J., BIANCHI C. (2015). Elementi di Economia, Pearson. |
10 | La moneta | O’SULLIVAN A., SHEFFRIN S.M., PEREZ S.J., BIANCHI C. (2015). Elementi di Economia, Pearson. |
11 | Equilibrio macroeconomico di breve periodo | O’SULLIVAN A., SHEFFRIN S.M., PEREZ S.J., BIANCHI C. (2015). Elementi di Economia, Pearson. |
12 | La contabilità aziendale | SULLIVAN W.G., WICKS, E.M., LUXHOJ (2006). Economia applicata all’ingegneria. Pearson Prentice-Hall. |
13 | Il ciclo di vita economico del progetto ingegneristico | SULLIVAN W.G., WICKS, E.M., LUXHOJ (2006). Economia applicata all’ingegneria. Pearson Prentice-Hall. |
14 | Costi e benefici economici di un progetto | SULLIVAN W.G., WICKS, E.M., LUXHOJ (2006). Economia applicata all’ingegneria. Pearson Prentice-Hall. |
15 | Elementi di calcolo degli interessi e sconto | SULLIVAN W.G., WICKS, E.M., LUXHOJ (2006). Economia applicata all’ingegneria. Pearson Prentice-Hall. |
16 | I principali criteri di valutazione del progetto | SULLIVAN W.G., WICKS, E.M., LUXHOJ (2006). Economia applicata all’ingegneria. Pearson Prentice-Hall. |
17 | Confronto tra alternative progettuali | SULLIVAN W.G., WICKS, E.M., LUXHOJ (2006). Economia applicata all’ingegneria. Pearson Prentice-Hall. |
Learning Assessment
Learning Assessment Procedures
A similar test is available at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1g6fw5VAdVlTCOmDpkT9UjsroJOaFV06Pnq9IkeERN5M/edit
Micro and macro economy, VAN, TRI.
Currently questions are shared through exams.net platform. It means that a laptop or a mobile device is required.
Examples of frequently asked questions and / or exercises
the list is just an example:
What's the difference between real GDP and nominal GDP?
Which stakeholder has more power in a monopoly?