59341 - INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND COMPETITIVENESS

insegnamento

ID:

59341

Tipo Insegnamento:

Obbligatorio

Durata (ore):

64

CFU:

SSD:

ECONOMIA POLITICA

Url:

Dettaglio Insegnamento:

SMALL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT IN INTERNATIONAL MARKETS/Percorso Comune Anno: 1

Anno:

2025

Periodo di attività

Primo Semestre (15/09/2025 - 19/12/2025)

Obiettivi Formativi

This course will cover the basic tools to understand what determines the flow of goods and services across countries, the international organization of production, and the impact of trade policies. In particular, we will study theoretical models as well as empirical issues related to trade flows, trade costs, multinationals, outsourcing, and vertical specialization. These issues will be approached in perfectly and imperfectly competitive settings at the industry and firm levels. Finally, some concepts of the economics of e-commerce will be presented, with a special focus on small businesses. Upon completing the course, students will acquire a theoretical framework to understand the complex issues raised by the economic interdependence of nations, with a special focus on the firm’s point of view, and to analyze them in a systematic way.

Prerequisiti

The prerequisites for this course are principles of microeconomics (production theory, cost curves, profit maximization, general equilibrium theory, monopoly). Excel will be used for practical activities.

Attendance is strongly recommended (not compulsory)

Metodi didattici

Lessons and practical activities. Lessons will be organized in person, mainly in the computer lab.

Verifica Apprendimento

Participant students will take part in practical activities. Late entrants will be able to take part in practical activities that are yet to be implemented.

To pass the final examination, students must complete practical activities and a written examination with open-ended questions on theoretical models and the interpretation of empirical evidence. Late entrants take a written examination with open-ended questions. Practical activities are not required for them.

Detailed information about the exam process and rules will be communicated through Google Classroom.

A minimum of 18 out of 31 (cum laude) is required to pass the exam.

Testi

Feenstra RC and Taylor AM (2020) International Trade, McMillan Learning. ISBN: 9781319383435

Additional readings will be listed in Google Classroom.

Contenuti

Absolute and comparative advantage, basic definitions in international economics, 6 hours E-commerce and the economics of networks, 9 hours Neoclassical trade models, 10 hours International movement of labor and capital, multinational enterprises, 3 hours Trade models with increasing returns and monopolistic competition, 3 hours Free trade vs. protectionism, 9 hours Offshoring of goods and services 3 hours Firm heterogeneity and international trade, 5 hours Business demography and firm competitiveness, 10 hours (*) Outsourcing and global value chain participation, 6 hours (*) Measurement of relationship specificity and contracting institutions, 3 hours Subjects marked with an asterisk (*) are excluded for students choosing ‘International Trade and Competitiveness’ as an elective course. A detailed program will be available in Google Classroom.