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Economics at Otago offers a selection of papers at 100-level.

BSNS 112 Interpreting Business Data (S1, S2)

Introduction to types of business decisions and selection of appropriate quantitative or qualitative data gathering techniques. Characteristics of data types, application of tolls, interpretations of results and ethical issues.

BSNS 112: prerequisites, restrictions, fees and timetables

Paper Coordinator (S1): Warren McNoe

Course Outline: BSNS 112 - Semester 1 2024 (PDF)

Paper Coordinator (S2): Warren McNoe

Course Outline: BSNS112 - Semester 2 2024 (not available yet)

BSNS 113 Economic Principles and Policy (S1, S2)

Introduction to concepts central to understanding market economies, including allocation of scarce resources, consumer and business reactions to changing market conditions, and the application of economic principles to personal and business decision-making.

Have you ever stopped to wonder at how easy it is, given you have the cash or credit, to go out and buy almost anything you want? How is it that such a wide range of goods and services are produced in roughly the right amounts, often at surprisingly low cost, and then distributed to the people who want them? This paper builds an understanding of how, and how well, our market-oriented economy gets this done. We use a variety of simple yet revealing graphical models to study the mechanics of markets and the market system and to evaluate market outcomes. We identify factors that can inhibit markets functioning and evaluate public policies used to counteract these inhibitors, both in individual markets and in the macro economy. In particular, we study issues around international trade, business strategy, competition policy, the environment, taxation, and cycles in exchange, interest, unemployment and growth rates.

BSNS 113: prerequisites, restrictions, fees and timetables

Paper Coordinator (S1): Ronald Peeters

Course Outline: BSNS 113 - Semester 1 2024 (PDF)

Paper Coordinator (S2): Stephen Knowles

Course Outline: BSNS113 - Semester 2 2024 (not available yet)

ECON 112 Principles of Macroeconomics (S2)

Continues on from BSNS113, and extends the analysis of predominantly market economies and how they work as a whole, both in New Zealand and international contexts. Topics include: economic growth, business cycles, monetary policy and the role of the Reserve Bank, the global financial crisis (GFC), and fiscal policy and the appropriate role of government.
Specific questions analysed will include:
* Why are living standards higher in some countries than others?
* What causes economic booms and recessions?
* How and why does the Reserve Bank control interest rates?
* What can be done about inflation and unemployment?
* What caused the GFC?
* Did governments respond appropriately to the GFC?

ECON 112: prerequisites, restrictions, fees and timetables

Paper Coordinator: Viktoria Kahui

Course Outline: ECON112 - Semester 2 2024 (not available yet)

Economics papers at other levels

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