Industrial Organization (2025/2026)

Lecture (M.Sc.)

Read by	Prof. Dr. Germain Gaudin
Content	The course first introduces basic concepts in Industrial Organization to study imperfect competition and the determinants of market power, building on the students’ knowledge of microeconomics and game theory. It then proceeds to analyze firms’ pricing or product strategies and their effects. The course will also cover important topics in competition policy, such as cartels and merger policy. Finally, the course will then proceed with an analysis of market features that are common to digital markets, such as network effects and two-sided platforms.
Qualification targets	– This course builds on basic microeconomics concepts to study in detail the strategic interactions between different firms and between firms and consumers form an economic point of view. – Students will become familiar with how markets work when perfect competition is not an acceptable assumption on the supply side. – This course is recommended for students aiming at deepening their knowledge in Industrial Organization, regulatory or competition economics, with an aim to pursue a career as economists in large firms, public organizations, economic consultancies, or in a Ph.D. program.
Weekly time slot	Fri., 10:15 – 11:45 am
First session	October 17, 2025
Room	HS 3219
Language	English
Requirements	Strong command of intermediate microeconomics and game theory. Preferably: knowledge of the courses “Advanced Microeconomics I” and “Advanced Microeconomics II.”
Literature	– P. Belleflamme and M. Peitz, Industrial Organization: Markets and Strategies, CUP, 2nd ed., 2015. – J. Tirole, The Theory of Industrial Organization, MIT Press, 1988.
Materials	Available on the ILIAS course page. Password: IO-2025
ECTS	6
Final exam	Written exam, 90 minutes

Exercise course (main tutorial)

Given by	Sichen Qian
Weekly time slot	Thu., 10:15 – 11:45 am
First session	October 23, 2025
Room	HS 3042
Language	English