COURSE SYLLABUS
School of Management
The University of Texas at Dallas
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Course:
Instructor:
Semester:
Start/End
Date: |
REGULATION OF
BUSINESS
BA 4309 – 501-
10361 TR
5:30 p.m. - 6:45 p.m. SOM1.117 Peter
Lewin SOM
3.223 Home Page: http://www.utdallas.edu/~plewin/ Fall
2007 August
16 – November 29, 2007 |
| Course
Information | Instructor Information | Student Evaluation | Course Schedule | Guide to Reading | University Policies Relevant to Students
| Click here for PowerPoint slides |
Course Information
A multitude of
regulations affect our lives. - We examine government regulation of different
types and at different levels. The regulatory environment is a strange mix of
decreasing regulation (deregulation) and increasing regulation (for example, as
governments and legal structures evolve mechanisms for dealing with new
technological environments, like cable TV or cellular phones).
The framework of
analysis will be basic economic theory.
We will use ideas from organizational behavior, strategic management and
related fields as well.
Attendance in class
is very strongly encouraged. The tests
will reflect class material as well as the texts.
Catalogue Description.
BA 4309 Regulation of Business
(3 semester hours) Examines the broad subject of government regulation of
business, and focuses on the source of the demand for government regulation,
its translation into legislation, its administration, and its impact. Emphasis
is placed on high impact regulatory programs, such as antitrust, health,
safety, and environmental laws.
- Prerequisites: ECO 2302 or equivalent.
- Learning
objectives
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Minimum General Learning
Outcomes - the ability to |
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·
Use
economic reasoning to analyze the effects and causes of regulation, the
importance of free trade, the effects of taxes and subsidies, and the
workings of the market system in determining earnings. |
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·
Identify
and define the concepts economic efficiency, consumer and producer surplus,
property rights, rent seeking |
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·
Use
economic reasoning to critically analyze monopoly and anti-monopoly policy. |
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·
Critically
analyze regulatory policies to deal with the environment. |
I would like students to take away from this
course at least the following:
1). An appreciation of the
power of economic reasoning for understanding the effects and causes of
regulation
2). A facility for
critically analyzing current regulatory issues
3). An understanding of
the concepts of
¨
economic
efficiency – consumer and producer surplus
¨
costs
and benefits and their multiple applications
4). An appreciation of
the
¨
importance
of property rights for the achievement of freedom
¨
the
importance of economic freedom for the achievement of free and open societies
¨
the
economic-political process
¨
the
dangers of regulatory rent seeking
¨
the
importance of free trade
¨
the
limits of regulation
¨
the
effects of taxes and subsidies of different types
¨
the
workings of the market system in determining earnings (interest, profits,
wages, salaries and rents)
¨
the
modern business firm, its function and its boundaries
¨
the
achievements of the American economic system.
- Course Materials
The following texts will serve as a guide to
our class discussions and are required.
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¨
The
Economics of Public Issues by Roger Leroy
Miller et. al., Fifteenth edition, Addison Wesley, 2007. ISBN-10
# 0-321476-42-5 (ISBN-13 # 9780321476425) |
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¨
Antitrust, The Case for Repeal
by Dominick T. Armentano, Third (or second) Edition, The Ludwig von
Mises Institute, 2007. ISBN-10# 0-945466-25-0 (ISBN-13 # 9780945466253) |
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¨
Capitalism
and Freedom by Milton Friedman, Paperback -
(Any edition will do) 2nd edition (February 1963) |
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¨
Give
Me a Break by John Stossel Harper
Collins or Perennial Currents, 2004/5. ISBN:# 0060529156 or # 0060529148 |
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¨
Note also Stossel’s new book which I
highly recommend for enjoyable and informative, albeit alarming, reading: Myths,
Lies, and Downright Stupidity: Get Out the Shovel--Why Everything You Know is
Wrong (Hyperion, 2006) ISBN: #1401302548. |
- Here are some links with additional information
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·
Editorial from the Wall
Street Journal, January 24, 2001 – on California and its problems. |
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·
Articles
by Armentano and others in the Freeman on Antitrust – worth reading! |
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The Milton and rose Friedman
foundation on educational choice |
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· Milton Friedman editorial on Vouchers in the WSJ 06/09/2005 |
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A
devastating critique of affirmative action admissions to law school |
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To Drill or Not to
Drill: Let the Environmentalists Decide |
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·
Editorial
on Global Warming and Alarmism (2006) – must read !! |
Instructor
Information
1.
Instructor
brief biography
I was born and grew up in Johannesburg, South
Africa. I received a BA (honors) degree in Economics and History from the
University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg in 1969. In September 1972,
after teaching at the business school at that University, I left to study at
the University of Chicago. I received a Ph.D. in Economics from the University
of Chicago in 1979. I was fortunate to have as teachers at least four Nobel
prize winners. In January 1979 I moved with my family to Dallas, where we have
lived ever since. After seven years as an academic, I tried my hand in an
entrepreneurial venture and joined a friend in a startup business called Soft
Warehouse. Today it is called CompUSA. I was one of its founding shareholders. It
was a difficult but very educational experience. In 1992 I decided to return to
academics and have been with the UTD School of Management since 1997. I love my
job. I have a passion for teaching and for economics.
My wife and I were married in December 1969.
We have four children and three grandchildren.
To see more about my professional and
personal life visit my website at http://www.utdallas.edu/~plewin/
2.
Contact
information
Email: plewin@utdallas.edu
Phone: 972-883-2729
Office: SOM 3.223.
You can contact me anytime by phone or email,
and see me by appointment in my office. My preferred mode of contact is
email.
Student Evaluation
There
will be three tests, two online midterms and one on-campus final.
The
mid-terms test will count 25% and the final will count 50%. The tests will be
composed of multiple choice questions. Past tests (and some online
self-tests) will provide examples as we go along for you to practice.
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Test 1 |
25 questions |
Online available 09/14, 12: 00 a.m. - 09/16 - 11:55
p.m; 1 hour time limit |
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Test 2 |
25 questions |
Online available 10/19, 12: 00 a.m. - 10/21 - 11:55
p.m; 1 hour time limit |
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Final |
50 questions |
Final Test– on campus – 11/29; 2 hour time limit. |
The midterms are NOT comprehensive. In the
final 25 (of the 50) questions will be comprehensive.
Online Testing
You can access tests by clicking the
"Tests" link on the course menu and then clicking the available test
title links. Each test is timed and can only be accessed once within the
scheduled time window. Please read the on-screen instructions carefully before
you start the test. You may review your test results after the test results are
released.
Course Outline
The table below outlines the reading
assignments for each class A guide to the reading assignments follows below
that.
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Tuesday |
Topic |
Thursday |
Topic |
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|
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16-Aug |
Basic concepts,
tradeoffs, theories of regulation |
|
21-Aug |
Crime
and prohibition, price fixing |
23-Aug |
Crime
and prohibition, price fixing |
|
28-Aug |
Crime
and prohibition, price fixing |
30-Aug |
Crime
and prohibition, price fixing |
|
4-Sep |
Crime and
prohibition, price fixing |
6-Sep |
Miscellaneous
topics - slavery, water rights, smuggling |
|
11-Sep |
Miscellaneous
topics - slavery, water rights, smuggling |
13-Sep |
NO CLASS |
|
|
Test
1 online (Available 09/14 - 09/16) |
|
|
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18-Sep |
Anti-trust
(monopoly, natural monopoly, policy, Microsoft). |
20-Sep |
Anti-trust
(monopoly, natural monopoly, policy, Microsoft). |
|
25-Sep |
Anti-trust
(monopoly, natural monopoly, policy, Microsoft) |
27-Sep |
Anti-trust
(monopoly, natural monopoly, policy, Microsoft) |
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2-Oct |
Public
Education - a state monopoly, Health Care, Medicare and Social Security |
4-Oct |
Public
Education - a state monopoly, Health Care, Medicare and Social Security |
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9-Oct |
Health Care,
Medicare and Social Security |
11-Oct |
Health
Care, Medicare and Social Security |
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16-Oct |
Health
Care, Medicare and Social Security |
18-Oct |
Health
Care, Medicare and Social Security |
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|
Test
2 online (Available 10/19 - 10/21) |
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|
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23-Oct |
Regulation
of Labor |
25-Oct |
Regulation
of Labor |
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30-Oct |
Regulation
of Labor |
1-Nov |
Regulation
of Labor |
|
6-Nov |
The
Environment |
8-Nov |
The
Environment |
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13-Nov |
The
Environment |
15-Nov |
The
Environment |
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20-Nov |
NO CLASS |
22-Nov |
Thanksgiving
Day - No class |
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27-Nov |
|
29-Nov |
FINAL EXAM |
Guide to Reading
|
Topic |
Reading |
M. is Miller, A. is Armentano F. is Friedman S. is Stossel The numbers
refer to the chapters. |
|
Basic
concepts, tradeoffs, theories of regulation |
F.
Preface;1,2 M
1,3,4; S.
Introduction, 1 - 7,11,12, 13, 15 |
|
|
Crime
and prohibition, price fixing |
M.
5, 6, 10, 12, 13, S. 8, 14, 23 |
|
|
Miscellaneous
topics - abortion, slavery, water rights, smuggling, agricultural policy |
M.
7 – 9, 14 |
|
|
Anti-trust,
Free Trade |
A.
1 – 7 F. 8 M. 16 - 20, 30 – 32 |
|
|
Public
Education - a state monopoly |
F. 6, 7 Video, Elder or Stossel |
|
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Health
Care, Medicare and Social Security |
M.
15, 24 F.
9 – 12 |
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|
Regulation
of Labor |
F. 9 M. 11 |
|
|
The
Environment |
M,
2, 21, 22, 25 - 29 S.
10 |
University Policies Relevant to Students
Student Conduct & Discipline
The University of Texas System
and The University of Texas at Dallas have rules and regulations for the
orderly and efficient conduct of their business. It is the responsibility of each student and
each student organization to be knowledgeable about the rules and regulations
which govern student conduct and activities.
General information on student conduct and discipline is contained in
the UTD publication, A to Z Guide, which is provided to all registered students
each academic year.
The University of Texas at Dallas
administers student discipline within the procedures of recognized and
established due process. Procedures are
defined and described in the Rules and Regulations, Board of Regents, The University
of Texas System, Part 1, Chapter VI, Section 3, and in Title V, Rules on
Student Services and Activities of the university’s Handbook of Operating
Procedures. Copies of these rules and
regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean of Students,
where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules
and regulations (SU 1.602, 972/883-6391).
A student at the university
neither loses the rights nor escapes the responsibilities of citizenship. He or she is expected to obey federal, state,
and local laws as well as the Regents’ Rules, university regulations, and
administrative rules. Students are
subject to discipline for violating the standards of conduct whether such
conduct takes place on or off campus, or whether civil or criminal penalties
are also imposed for such conduct.
Academic Integrity and Scholastic
Dishonesty
The faculty expects from its
students a high level of responsibility and academic honesty. Because the value of an academic degree
depends upon the absolute integrity of the work done by the student for that
degree, it is imperative that a student demonstrate a high standard of
individual honor in his or her scholastic work.
The University of Texas at Dallas has
policies and discipline procedures regarding scholastic dishonesty. Detailed
information is available on the Scholastic Dishonesty web page. All
students are expected to maintain a high level of responsibility with respect
to academic honesty. Students who violate University rules on scholastic
dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of
failure in the course and/or dismissal from the University. Since such
dishonesty harms the individual, all students and the integrity of the
University, policies on scholastic dishonesty will be strictly enforced.
Scholastic dishonesty includes,
but is not limited to, statements, acts or omissions related to applications
for enrollment or the award of a degree, and/or the submission as one’s own
work or material that is not one’s own.
As a general rule, scholastic dishonesty involves one of the following
acts: cheating, plagiarism, collusion
and/or falsifying academic records.
Students suspected of academic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary
proceedings.
Plagiarism, especially from the
web, from portions of papers for other classes, and from any other source is
unacceptable and will be dealt with under the university’s policy on plagiarism
(see general catalog for details). This
course will use the resources of turnitin.com, which searches the web for
possible plagiarism and is over 90% effective.
Email Use
The University of Texas at Dallas recognizes the value and
efficiency of communication between faculty/staff and students through
electronic mail. At the same time, email raises some issues concerning security
and the identity of each individual in an email exchange. The university encourages all official
student email correspondence be sent only to a student’s U.T. Dallas email
address and that faculty and staff consider email from students official only
if it originates from a UTD student account. This allows the university to
maintain a high degree of confidence in the identity of all individual
corresponding and the security of the transmitted information. UTD furnishes each student with a free email
account that is to be used in all communication with university personnel. The
Department of Information Resources at U.T. Dallas provides a method for
students to have their U.T. Dallas mail forwarded to other accounts.
Withdrawal from Class
The administration of this institution has set deadlines for withdrawal
of any college-level courses. These dates and times are published in that
semester's course catalog. Administration procedures must be followed. It is
the student's responsibility to handle withdrawal requirements from any class.
In other words, I cannot drop or withdraw any student. You must do the proper
paperwork to ensure that you will not receive a final grade of "F" in
a course if you choose not to attend the class once you are enrolled.
Student Grievance Procedures
Procedures for student grievances
are found in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities, of the
university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures.
In attempting to resolve any
student grievance regarding grades, evaluations, or other fulfillments of
academic responsibility, it is the obligation of the student first to make a
serious effort to resolve the matter with the instructor, supervisor,
administrator, or committee with whom the grievance originates (hereafter
called “the respondent”). Individual
faculty members retain primary responsibility for assigning grades and
evaluations. If the matter cannot be
resolved at that level, the grievance must be submitted in writing to the
respondent with a copy of the respondent’s School Dean. If the matter is not resolved by the written
response provided by the respondent, the student may submit a written appeal to
the School Dean. If the grievance is not
resolved by the School Dean’s decision, the student may make a written appeal
to the Dean of Graduate or Undergraduate Education, and the deal will appoint
and convene an Academic Appeals Panel.
The decision of the Academic Appeals Panel is final. The results of the academic appeals process
will be distributed to all involved parties.
Copies of these rules and
regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean of Students,
where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules
and regulations.
Incomplete Grade Policy
As per university policy, incomplete grades will be granted only
for work unavoidably missed at the semester’s end and only if 70% of the course
work has been completed. An incomplete
grade must be resolved within eight (8) weeks from the first day of the
subsequent long semester. If the
required work to complete the course and to remove the incomplete grade is not
submitted by the specified deadline, the incomplete grade is changed
automatically to a grade of F.
Disability Services
The goal of Disability Services
is to provide students with disabilities educational opportunities equal to
those of their non-disabled peers.
Disability Services is located in room 1.610 in the Student Union. Office hours are Monday and Thursday, 8:30
a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday and Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; and Friday,
8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
The contact information for the
Office of Disability Services is:
The University of Texas at
Dallas, SU 22
PO Box 830688
Richardson, Texas 75083-0688
(972) 883-2098 (voice or TTY)
Essentially, the law requires
that colleges and universities make those reasonable adjustments necessary to
eliminate discrimination on the basis of disability. For example, it may be necessary to remove
classroom prohibitions against tape recorders or animals (in the case of dog
guides) for students who are blind.
Occasionally an assignment requirement may be substituted (for example,
a research paper versus an oral presentation for a student who is hearing impaired). Classes enrolled students with mobility
impairments may have to be rescheduled in accessible facilities. The college or university may need to provide
special services such as registration, note-taking, or mobility assistance.
It is the student’s responsibility
to notify his or her professors of the need for such an accommodation. Disability Services provides students with
letters to present to faculty members to verify that the student has a
disability and needs accommodations.
Individuals requiring special accommodation should contact the professor
after class or during office hours.
Religious Holy Days
The University of Texas at Dallas
will excuse a student from class or other required activities for the travel to
and observance of a religious holy day for a religion whose places of worship
are exempt from property tax under Section 11.20, Tax Code, Texas Code
Annotated.
The student is encouraged to
notify the instructor or activity sponsor as soon as possible regarding the
absence, preferably in advance of the assignment. The student, so excused, will be allowed to
take the exam or complete the assignment within a reasonable time after the
absence: a period equal to the length of the absence, up to a maximum of one
week. A student who notifies the instructor and completes any missed exam or
assignment may not be penalized for the absence. A student who fails to
complete the exam or assignment within the prescribed period may receive a
failing grade for that exam or assignment.
If a student or an instructor
disagrees about the nature of the absence [i.e., for the purpose of observing a
religious holy day] or if there is similar disagreement about whether the
student has been given a reasonable time to complete any missed assignments or
examinations, either the student or the instructor may request a ruling from
the chief executive officer of the institution, or his or her designee. The
chief executive officer or designee must take into account the legislative
intent of TEC 51.911(b), and the student and instructor will abide by the
decision of the chief executive officer or designee.
These descriptions and
timelines are subject to change at the discretion of the Professor.