Economics 730 return to John P. Blair's home page
John P. Blair, Instructor
Office hours: M
Rm. 60 UH
Purpose of course
The purposes of this course are to a) present the basics economic knowledge and tools to complement other knowledge to form a basis for the practice of local economic development and b) demonstrate your academic understanding through a research paper.
Grades
Your grade will be determined on the basis of
Contributions in class------20%
Exercises--------------------25
(Shift and share--10
Land use—10
Benefit cost-5)
Final Exam ----------------25
Paper------------------------30
Contributions in class: I will keep careful notes regarding your class contributions. The class contributions will be of two types: extemporaneous contributions to discussions and prepared analysis of particularly topics. I will of course let you know ahead of time about topics that I intend for you to prepare for class discussion.
Exercises: The exercises will be spread sheet based and intended to help you understand some of the basic tools with out making a large investment in data collection or learning new software.
The final exam: I have nothing to say about this at this time.
The paper: I intend to allow you substantial flexibility in your paper because the subject is new to many of you and because 5 weeks is such a short time to write a paper. Accordingly:
1) you may work as a group of 2 or by your self.
2) You may write a theoretical paper or a data based paper.
3) In order to recognizing your individual differences, interests, and knowledge, the scope of the paper need not be limited to the topics in the syllabus, but they must be related to spatial economic development.
4) You may take an incomplete after discussing the terms for making it up with me.
5) The paper need not be long.
6) Finally, you must talk with me before you proceed so that we can discuss your plan. I may be able to help. I’ll announce special office hours for this purpose.
My responsibilities and yours
You are responsible for the reading material. My lectures will attempt to clarify difficult points, emphasis important points, bring real world examples to the discussion, and extend the reading material. I will not simply repeat what is in the reading. I will stimulate and guide discussion into relevant, real world topics, but I’ll need your help to do so because if I introduce questions or ideas and you don’t respond, our group energy level will drop quickly. You are responsible for asking questions if something I say is unclear.
THE SYLLABUS IS A PLAN, NOT A CONTRACT—JPB
Class Schedule
TOPICS
a. Expectations
b. Approaches to the subject matter
c Regional vs international trade perspectives.
d. The structure of regions in
e. Data sources
TOPICS
a. Principal locational factors
b. How it’s done in reality
c. Trends in location theory
d. The export base theory
e. Supply side theories
f. Cities, mobility and the Harris Todaro Model.
TOPICS
a. Location Quotients
b. Shift and Share Analysis
c. Input-Output analysis
. ***LQ and export base study due
***Shift and Share Analysis due
TOPICS
a. Types of agglomeration economies
b. Cluster concepts and comparisons
c. Competitive advantage
d. Cluster applications
William Grunkemeyer,
TOPICS
***Land use study due
Thomas A.
Garrett and John C. Leatherman An Introduction to State and Local
Public Finance
TOPICS
a. The Tiebout Model
b. Impact analysis
c. Contingent analysis
d. Revenue forecasting
e. Cost benefit analysis
d. Baumal’s Diseases
R. D.
Norton The Geography of the New Economy
Revised 2000, Section A, “The New Economy: Three Conceptions”