This course in Economics of the Firm is aimed at students wishing to get a working knowledge of economic topics and corporate issues. On one hand it will provide students with conceptual tools, in order to help them understanding macroeconomic trends that impact business life; on the other hand it will offer operational tools for strategic, financial, and management perspectives.

Each class is divided into a lecture where a strategic perspective and methodological tools are described, and sections (“petites classes”) where case studies are discusses, and prepared by each of the students. Cases are handed out prior to the class.

Here is the outline of the course:

1. Macroeconomic perspectives
The macroeconomic shocks and their impact on firms.
(Volatility ; globalization ; scarce resources ; world growth ; global imbalances and crisis)

2. Strategic perspectives
Important tools to evaluate the dynamics of an industry and the strategy of a firm
(Porter’s five forces, sector analysis, cost structures, learning curve, economies of scale, segmentation, value chain, mergers and acquisitions)

3. Innovation
Responses to technological shifts, responses to a globalized economy

4. Financial and management perspectives
Management tools (Managing a global organization)


Corporate executives will be invited to illustrate some of the axis presented in the lecture (buyout decision, strategy and technology)

Requirements : no course is a pre-requisite. Most of the cases are in English: fluency in English is therefore necessary

Evaluation mechanism : Evaluation is based on an exam half with multiple-choice questions and half with free answer questions

Last Modification : Monday 12 November 2012