AUgust 28, 2010

Course details. 


Hi.  I am professr Rasmusen and this  is G406. In this course, you will learn about how
government interacts with the business world, using the tools of
economics.  Government actions is more and more important to
business.  What is the system of socialism?
---government ownership of the means of production.

 I'll hand out some materials,  and talk about the course a little while they are going around. 

 Hand out nameplates. 
 Hadn out readings. 
 Hand out syllabi. 

 If we had socialism, a course like this wouldn't be important,
because there wouldn't be private business- just government.
 Socialism is not nearly as popular an idea as it used to be, but
what has happened instead is that the government is increasingly
invovled with the economy via regulation, and now, ownership.
Our system uses private enterpreise, but we use the government
to constrain what the private businesses can do, and to help some
businesses and hurt others.

 I brought a copy  of the WSJ along to show you what I mean.
One good thigns about the WSJ is that it is so skillful at presenting
information in quick, easy-to-digest form.  On the left side  of
page one they have summaries of the important stories of the day.
  READ STORIES

   So government's effect on business is important. So important
that we have Professor Kreft's  G202, for all business students,
and this course, for business economics students. This course is
something like an advanced G202, where we have time to look at
topics in detail. 

 I've taught this course in different ways, because tehre isn't a suitable text. First, I taught using a graduate text. Then, I switdched to just web readings. Then, I was going to use Sherman's Text. It cost $150, but a good text is worth that. Unfortunately, this summer on reading it more closely I saw that it had too  many topics and too little explanation. So I have decided to use my own notes. An advantage is that they will mesh closely with the lectures and will contain only what you need to know. A disadvantage is that I will be writing these as we go along, so they will have lots of mistakes. 

    Before we  cotninue with economics, though, let's deal with
some practicalities.  I've passed out the syllabus

 Read off the list of names. Most interesting,  unusual, or worst non-b-school course, since you're sneiors. 


 Go over the syllabus. Show it on the screen.
 
  
 Taking notes:  Tell them how to take notes. NOT on what I say-- rather, on what you are thinking. (This is hard).  Read in advance starting next time. Write in margins. 

 I GOT UP TO THE 200,000 output is what matters slide. 

 FOR REVISION: I need less talk about big picture, more CS and PS rigth off the bat. 
 
 Do overheads for eweek 2.