BPV_APEC Public Economics

Faculty of Economics and Administration
Autumn 2023
Extent and Intensity
2/1/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
doc. Ing. Robert Jahoda, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Matteo Maria Marini, PhD (lecturer)
Dr. Jonathan Stäbler (lecturer)
prof. Mgr. Jiří Špalek, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. Mgr. Jiří Špalek, Ph.D.
Department of Public Economics – Faculty of Economics and Administration
Contact Person: Jana Biskupová
Supplier department: Department of Public Economics – Faculty of Economics and Administration
Timetable
Thu 12:00–13:50 P312, except Thu 21. 9., except Thu 9. 11.
  • Timetable of Seminar Groups:
BPV_APEC/01: Thu 17:00–17:50 P312, except Thu 21. 9., except Thu 9. 11., M. Marini
BPV_APEC/02: Thu 18:00–18:50 P312, except Thu 21. 9., except Thu 9. 11., M. Marini
Prerequisites
(! PVVE Public Economics )
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 48 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 29/48, only registered: 0/48, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/48
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The course presents an introduction to Public Economics. It deals with that part of national economy which is funded from redistributive processes and which is usually referred to as the Public Sector (PS). The subject matter is divided into two interrelated blocks. The first block works more deeply with some basic concepts known to the students from Microeconomics course, mainly the economic role of the government. The rationale for the public sector is explored here as well, with the objective being the enhancement of critical and analytical economic-thinking of students. Topics such as market efficiency and market failures are examined in detail. The second block links the previous topics to issues concerning education, health, and cooperation, thanks to pertinent contributions from guest lecturers.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course, students will be able to: * use critical and analytical economic-thinking in the evaluation of public sector activities. * master knowledge of measures and tools reducing the natural tendency of the public sector to inefficiency. * understand principles of economic experimentation and the use of experiments in support of policy-making.
Syllabus
  • 1. Introduction
  • 2. Defining public sector responsibilities
  • 3. Market efficiency
  • 4. Market failures
  • 5. Public goods and publicly provided private goods
  • 6. Public and private higher education (Lecturer: Silvia Leoni)
  • 7. Externalities
  • 8. Midterm
  • 9. Income inequality as a determinant of health (Lecturer: Nita Handastya)
  • 10. Economics of incentives (Lecturer: Martin Guzi)
  • 11. Adverse macroeconomic conditions: Threats to human capital (Lecturer: Jaroslav Groero)
  • 12. Experimenting with multilevel public goods (Lecturer: Marco Catola)
  • 13. Final test
Literature
    required literature
  • STIGLITZ, Joseph E. Economics of the public sector. 3rd ed. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2000, xxiii, 823. ISBN 0393966518. info
Teaching methods
lectures, assigned reading, seminars
Assessment methods
The exam has a written form (100 points). The basic condition for getting a grade (A-E) from the course is to gain at least 60 points. Important information! If students commit a prohibited act, such as using various forbidden tools, cribbing, taking out any part of the exam or any other cheating, the teacher is allowed to interrupt an exam and to grade a student with F, FF or FFF according to the seriousness of the offence. The mentioned procedure relates to all the activities that contribute to the final evaluation of the course (attendance, seminar work, bonus tasks, written test).

Termination of the course during an ERASMUS/other study stay In case the student enrolls in the course at the time of his/her departure abroad, he/she must contact the course guarantor/teacher and agree with him/her on the conditions of graduation.
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
Information on course enrolment limitations: This course is offered only to foreign students
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2010, Autumn 2011, Autumn 2012, Autumn 2013, Autumn 2014, Autumn 2015, Autumn 2016, Autumn 2017, Autumn 2018, Autumn 2019, Autumn 2020, Autumn 2021, Autumn 2022, Autumn 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2023, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/econ/autumn2023/BPV_APEC