ECON 3461 Organization of Industry Reading List
Updated: 2011-01-11

Nota Bene: I reserve the right to make reasonable changes to the schedule as necessary, so please check back regularly.

I will strongly emphasize the required readings below. You are responsible for completing all of these, even if we don't discuss them in class. The remainder of the readings will add depth to your understanding of the material, but you may not have time to complete them during interession and you are only responsible for them insofar as I discuss them in class. To access restricted journal articles from off-campus, use the UConn library remote access system.

Review & Introduction

• Waldman & Jensen 1 (Introduction)
• Waldman & Jensen 2 (The Firm & Its Costs)
• "Why do firms exist?" The Economist, December 16, 2010.
• R.H. Coase. "The Nature of the Firm." Economica 4, no. 16. 2 (November 1937): 386-405.
• Armen A. Alchian & Harold Demsetz. "Production, Information Costs, and Economic Organization." The American Economic Review 62, no. 5 (December 1972): 777-795.
• Waldman & Jensen 3 (Competition & Monopoly)
• Waldman & Jensen 4 (Market Structure)
• Yale Brozen. "Is Government the Source of Monopoly?" The Intercollegiate Review, Winter 1968/69: 67-78.
• Case Study:
  • Bev Harris. Letter to Eric Holder. "Letter of Complaint - Request for Investigation." September 25, 2009.
  • "U.S. opens probe of Diebold unit sale." Reuters, December 19, 2009.
  • "Justice Department Requires Key Divestiture in Election Systems & Software/Premier Election Solutions Merger." US Department of Justice, March 8, 2010.
• Alternative/Supplementary Texts:
  • Church & Ware, Chapters 1-4
  • Friedman, Chapter 9 (The Firm)
  • Friedman, Chapter 10 (Small Numbers Problems: Monopoly & All That)
  • Friedman, Chapter 15 (Economic Efficiency)
  • McCloskey, Chapters 11-12, 14

Exam #1: 2010-01-03, 12 p.m.

Introduction (continued)

• Waldman & Jensen 5 (Monopoly Practices)
• Waldman & Jensen 6 (Market Power & Performance)
• News: Architect of airline deregulation dies in NY at 93
• Case Study:
  • Wikipedia: Preston Tucker
  • Wikipedia: DeLorean Motor Company
  • Wikipedia: Who Killed the Electric Car?
  • Estimating US Government Subsidies to Energy Sources

Modern IO: Game Theory & Strategic Behavior

• Waldman & Jensen 7 (Game Theory)
• Wikipedia: Dr. Strangelove

Exam #2: 2010-01-07, aprox. 2:30 p.m.

Modern IO: Oligopoly & Cartels

• Waldman & Jensen 8 (The Development of Oligopoly Theory)
• Waldman & Jensen 9 (Collusion: The Prisoner's Dilemma)
• Waldman & Jensen 10 (Cartels in Action)
• Waldman & Jensen 11 (Oligopoly Behavior: Pricing to Deter Entry)
• Waldman & Jensen 12 (Oligopoly Behavior: Nonpricing Strategies to Deter Entry)
• News: EMI, Music Labels Rejected by High Court in Appeal of Song-Pricing Lawsuit

Additional topics as time permits.

Final Exam: 2010-01-14, 1 p.m.

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