Argues that instructors may mislead students when they credit efficient performance as flowing entirely from competition. Distinguishes between competitive behavior and market structure; refines the implications of opportunity cost and profit; and derives useful conclusions about the nature and sources of productive and allocative efficiency. (DB)

Identifies inconsistencies in treatments of the perfect competition, monopoly welfare comparison in textbooks for economics instruction. Argues for explanation of how experiments are being conducted and explicit identification of all underlying assumptions. Suggests straightforward analysis of the social cost of monopoly based on a comparison…

Presents a case study of radio broadcasting that could be used with students in an investigation of competition and regulation. Discusses the British Broadcasting Act and its attempts at privatization, encouragement of competition, and deregulation of markets. Includes questions and the Hotelling Model of a market to explain the situation in radio…

Addresses effects of monopoly and competition on societal welfare. Discusses inadequacy of economics textbooks. Concludes that most texts fail to explain the shape of monopolists' underlying cost curves. Argues that the monopolist's long run marginal cost curve cannot be obtained by horizontal summation of the long run marginal cost curves of…

Discusses the change to a choice-based school system in Great Britain under the Education Reform Act of 1988. Compares the British system with proposed changes in the United States. Describes the changes that have placed budgeting and management in the hands of the individual schools that have the power to "opt out" of school district…

The article examines changes in British funding policies under the Education Reform Act of 1988 to stress competitive bidding by higher education institutions. The methodology and theory of the new approach are explained, as is the concept of equilibria in decision theory underlying the approach. Noted also are responses of institutions. (DB)

Urges the internationalization of the engineering curriculum to prepare students for the rigors of global competition in the international marketplace. Lists accreditation pressures and market incentives as barriers to needed diversity. Discusses engineering programs at several schools. Concludes that interdisciplinary inquiry is needed to provide…

Discusses the influence of Japan on educational reform in the United States. Identifies economic self-interest and global competitiveness as the motivations for increased U.S. instruction about Asia and the Pacific region. Expresses concern that such a competitive outlook is unlikely to produce a global perspective. (DK)

This instructor guide for a unit on marketing analysis in the PACE (Program for Acquiring Competence in Entrepreneurship) curriculum includes the full text of the student module and lesson plans, instructional suggestions, and other teacher resources. The competencies that are incorporated into this module are at Level 1 of learning--understanding…

Investigates the negative and hostile public opinion towards the oil industry, in general, and Standard Oil, in particular. Discovers that those most responsible for criticizing Standard Oil had an economic interest in doing so. Defends the company's record and refutes its critics' charges. (MJP)

Maintains that the continued acceptance of market principles combined with reductions in government services has created a selfish citizenry. In education, this is personified in the activist parent who is interested in his own child's education but indifferent to others. Discusses how civic education can respond to this. (MJP)

This instructor guide for a unit on small business in the PACE (Program for Acquiring Competence in Entrepreneurship) curriculum includes the full text of the student module and lesson plans, instructional suggestions, and other teacher resources. The competencies that are incorporated into this module are at Level 1 of learning--understanding the…

Recognizes and discusses the special place that small business occupies, not only in American history, but also in American thought and culture. Examines the various conflicts between big and small business. Notes that the division of territory, products, and services between the two is largely defined by economies of scale. (MJP)

Utilizes two-dimensional price and output graphs to demonstrate the way that the price-level elasticity of aggregate demand affects alternative monetary policy rules designed to cope with random aggregate supply shocks. Includes graphs illustrating price-level, real Gross Domestic Product (GDP), nominal GDP, and nominal money supply targeting.…

This paper discusses impressions held by Moscow State University (Russia) students about American values. In class discussions and written assignments, students were asked to comment on thirteen values, giving their perceptions of American attitudes in each case. The values included: personal control over the environment; change; time and its…