undergrad_book

Readings from Econ304/306 University of British Columbia

All the readings and source files for an honors level course in microeconomics at UBC. Contributions welcome.

Current Contents

1. Preferences and Demand

     <li><a href="https://github.com/michaelpetersubc/undergrad_book/tree/master/preference_theory">Basic Theory of preferences</a>. A reading
     that explains what preferences are and what utility is.
     <li><a href="https://github.com/michaelpetersubc/undergrad_book/tree/master/lagrangian">How to - Constrained Maximization</a>.
     <li><a href="https://github.com/michaelpetersubc/undergrad_book/tree/master/undergrad_demand">Basic Demand Theory</a>.  Demand theory
     with no reference whatsoever to income and substitution effects.
     <li><a href="https://github.com/michaelpetersubc/undergrad_book/tree/master/discontinuities">Non-Linear pricing.</a>.
     <li><a href="https://github.com/michaelpetersubc/undergrad_book/tree/master/best_reply">Consumption Externalities</a>. Basic
     introduction to externalities, with an introduction to game theory.
   

2. Risk
   • Uncertainty in Economics. An attempt to describe the role of the independence axiom, where it comes from, how it is related to behavioral economics.
   • Portfolio Theory.
3. General Equilibrium
   • General Equilibrium.
   • Finance.
   • Public Goods. A description of the voluntary contribution game augmented with a description of patents and intellectual monopoly. Public goods are described as goods with high fixed and zero marginal costs.
4. Game Theory
   • Price of Anarchy - mixed stategy equilibrium..
   • Centipede Game..
   • Directed Search. A reading about Directed Search that includes three variations on a theme. The basic model with identical workers, then on the job search is added. Finally, the reading adds worker types and incomplete information. Covers all the basic aspects of game theory - sequential games, incomplete and imperfect information along with a discussion of the empirical work that motivates some of the theory.
5. Markets and Market Design
   • Matching and Deferred Acceptance. A reading on deferred acceptance.
   • Standard Auctions. A short reading on the standard auction formats with independent private values. Shows revenue equivalence of three auction forms.
   • Position Auctions. A description of an online ad auction, first with complete information. Extended to incomplete information in the second part.

Stuff will be added as time permits. Michael Peters, Vancouver School of Economics