Introduction to Contemporary Economics
Code: 104768 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2503868 Communication in Organisations | FB | 1 | 2 |
Contact
- Name:
- Lourdes Viladomiu Canela
- Email:
- Lourdes.Viladomiu@uab.cat
Use of Languages
- Principal working language:
- catalan (cat)
- Some groups entirely in English:
- No
- Some groups entirely in Catalan:
- Yes
- Some groups entirely in Spanish:
- No
Prerequisites
No prerequisite is required
Objectives and Contextualisation
This is a first cycle subject that provides basic training in the economic field. No previous economic training is presupposed
The contents of the subject include an introduction to the basic structures of the contemporary economy, including the mechanisms of functioning of the market and the role of the main social stakeholders in the local and global economic phenomena. Within this framework, students must be able to use the economic analysis to understand the main facts that characterize the global economy, the European Union and the nearest economic reality.
The content of the subject will be sensitive to aspects related to the gender perspective.
Competences
- Display thorough knowledge of the contemporary world in its social, economic, political and cultural dimensions.
- Manage time efficiently and plan for short-, medium- and long-term tasks.
- Search for, select and rank any type of source and document that is useful for creating messages.
- Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
- Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
- Students must have and understand knowledge of an area of study built on the basis of general secondary education, and while it relies on some advanced textbooks it also includes some aspects coming from the forefront of its field of study.
Learning Outcomes
- Cross-check information to establish its veracity, using evaluation criteria.
- Define the basic concepts of economics.
- Display a mastery of economic concepts in order to develop critical thinking and produce original ideas on the current context.
- Explain the functioning of a company in the context of the general economy.
- Explain the fundamental economic principles of the contemporary world.
- Find what is substantial and relevant in documents within the subject.
- Interpret documents on the main economic theories.
- Present a summary of the studies made, orally and in writing.
- Recognise the financial typology of organisations of all types.
- Submit course assignments on time, showing the individual or group planning involved.
Content
1.- Markets of goods and services. Characterization of the market structure: monopoly, oligopoly, competition. Measures of concentration. Multinational companies.
2. - The role of the public sector. The functions of the public sector. Market failure: externalities, public assets and public intervention. Fiscal policy Pensions and social security.
3.- Spanish economy. GDP and aggregate supply model and aggregate demand. Recent developments in the Spanish economy. Current discussions on economic policy. The territorial organization of the state. Financing of the Autonomous Communities
4.- Labor market and inequality. The functioning of the labor market. Job offer: demographics and migrations. Labor policy Inequality
5. The financial system. Functions of the financial system. Role of commercial banking and the capital market. Stock market: the stock market.
6. Economy of the European Union (EU). The EU in the world economy. The operation of the EU. Monetary policy and sectoral policies of the EU: agricultural, regional, competition
7. Economic globalization. Recent developments in the world economy. International trade capital movements and globalization.
8. Sustainable development and climate change. Growth and development. The technical advance and the climatic change: effects. The Kyoto and Paris agreements. Environmental policies: global public goods and game theory.
Methodology
The proposed teaching methodology on-campus courses.
The development of the course is based on the following activities:
Lectures: in these sessions the teacher transmits to the students the essential knowledge of each one of the subjects of the subject. Attendance at these sessions is recommended to consolidate the knowledge and so that the student can bridge the theory and news of economic news.
Practical classes: these sessions include a series of activities that the students and the teacher jointly carry out, such as carrying out exercises, preparation and exposition by students of debates about the economic situation based on collections of Press or documents published by various organizations, and the presentation by the student of the work or practices carried out.
Recommended activities: the teacher can recommend attendance at lectures, debates, seminars as a complement to the subject.
Autonomous activities: the student must complement the activities directed with the search of information about the selected subjects, work in teams and the realization of practical exercises.
The proposed teaching methodology may undergo some modifications according to the restrictions imposed by the health authorities on on-campus courses
The detailed calendar with the content of the different sessions will be presented on the day of presentation of the subject. It will also be posted on the Virtual Campus where students will be able to find a detailed description of the exercises and practices, the various teaching materials and any information necessary for the proper follow-up of the subject. In case of change of teaching modality for health reasons, the teachers will inform of the changes that will take place in the programming of the subject and in the teaching methodologies.
Activities
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Theorical | 52.5 | 2.1 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 7, 10, 9, 6 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Practical | 10 | 0.4 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 7, 10, 9, 6 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Practical | 82.5 | 3.3 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 7, 10, 9, 6 |
Assessment
The evaluation of the subject will be carried out continuously throughout the course taking into account the following criteria: To pass the subject it will be essential to obtain an average equal to or greater than 5. During the course, a minimum of 2 written tests, which will account for 70% in the final mark. Additionally, other exercises will be carried out, in class and / or through the Virtual Campus, which will be used to complement the final grade of the subject (30% of the mark).
Those not submitted: Students who initiate the continuous evaluation process will exhaust the call and will have a final grade of approved or suspended from the subject, in any case not presented. The exception is that it has only been submitted to one of the written exercises, in this case, the note is 'non-evaluable'.
The students that have participated in the continuous evaluation and suspend the theory, will be able to recover it whenever they have obtained a minimum score of 3 points, and have carried out the ordinary revision. The mark obtained in the review of recovery (reassessment activity) of the theory will be the final note of this part; The result of this activity must not represent the final grade. Recovery will take place within the period established by the academic calendar of the faculty. All activities, both theory and practice, are recoverable provided that the students have been evaluated in a minimum of 2/3 parts of the total of evaluable activities. According to the approved by the Board of the Faculty, the last three weeks of the course (weeks 17,18 and 19) will be allocated to these activities.
The proposed evaluation activities may undergo some changes according to the restrictions imposed by the health authorities on on-campus courses.
Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final Exam | 50% | 2 | 0.08 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 7, 10, 9, 6 |
| Mid Term Examen | 20% | 2 | 0.08 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 7, 10, 9, 6 |
| Other exercices | 30% | 1 | 0.04 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 7, 10, 9, 6 |
Bibliography
References:
Krugan P.; Wells R.; Graddy K. (2017) Fundamentos de Economía. Editorial Reverté.,
Mankiw, Gregory N. (2012): Principios de economia, 6ª ed., Ediciones Paraninfo
Cruz, JM; Ruesga S.M (coord.). (2014) Economia Española. Estructura y regulación.
Garcia Delgado, JL. (2018) Lecciones de economía española. Ed Thomson Reuters.
Web links:
http://introduccioeconomia-dea.uab.cat