COURSE NUMBER:  MBA290T.2

COURSE TITLE:  Economics of Information

UNITS OF CREDIT:  3

INSTRUCTOR:  Yale Braunstein

E-MAIL ADDRESS: yale@sims.berkeley.edu

LOCATION:  202 South Hall

CLASS WEB PAGE LOCATION (HTTP URL):

http://www.sims.berkeley.edu/courses/is231/f02/index.htm

MEETING DAY(S)/TIME: Friday, 1:00-3:00 PM

PREREQUISITE(S): 201A and 201B or the equivalents or the permission of the instructor

CLASS FORMAT: Mix of lectures and student-led classes

REQUIRED READINGS: Mix of course reader and additional readings

BASIS FOR FINAL GRADE: Research paper, class presentations, and class participation

ABSTRACT OF COURSE'S CONTENT AND OBJECTIVES: The measurement and analysis of the role information plays in the economy and of the resources devoted to production, distribution, and consumption of information. Economic analysis of the information industry. Macroeconomics of information.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH:

Yale Braunstein is a professor in the School of Information Management & Systems and is the author of over 40 articles in the fields of economics and information science.  He has served as a consultant for several corporations and government agencies including the United States Department of Commerce, the Federal Communications Commission, the Swedish National Telecommunications Agency, and the Ministry of Communications of the State of Israel.    Professor Braunstein's current research interests include economic analysis of infrastructure issues, market structure in information and communications industries, and the economics of intellectual property rights.  He holds a B.S. degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a doctorate from Stanford University.  Prior to his appointment at Berkeley, he was a member of the economics faculties at New York and Brandeis Universities.