The objective of this manuscript is to provide a simple guide to instructors and students on how to solve and simulate a discrete-time specification of the Life-Cycle/Permanent-Income Model of Consumption and Saving (LCPI Model) using only algebra and basic calculus. The solution and simulation...

In introductory and even intermediate courses, the cobweb model is the reference dynamic model to justify market equilibrium and to illustrate how market equilibrium can be reached. Nonetheless, the cobweb model has at least two unattractive features: (i) that, in requiring at each time equality...

Few textbooks in mathematical economics cover optimal timing problems. Those which cover them do it scantly or in a rather clumsy way, making it hard for students to understand and apply the concept of optimal time in new contexts. Discussing the plentiful illustrations of optimal timing...

Basel II changes risk management in banks strongly. Internal rating procedures would lead one to expect that banks are changing over to active risk control. But, if risk management is no longer a simple "game against nature", if all agents involved are active players then a shift from a...

We present a simple classroom principal-agent experiment that can effectively be used as a teaching device to introduce important concepts of organizational economics and contracting. In a first part, students take the role of a principal and design a contract that consists of a fixed payment...

This article explores the effectiveness of applying a new multidimensional graphical method to the teaching and learning of economics. In essence, the paper extends the significance of multi-dimensional graphs to study any economic phenomenon from a multidimensional perspective. The paper...

The integration of technology in the educational process is becoming increasingly important for improving the 21st century student's understanding and retention of academic material. Being able to readily apply the theory covered in class and to automatically receive immediate feedback is...

In this short expository note I provide an overview of leveraged buy-out transactions (“LBOs”). I show in detail how an LBO transaction is structured and financed, as well as the typical return profile. I also provide a sample transaction accompanied by financial projections, debt repayment...

Over the last decade, randomized evaluations have taken the field of development economics by storm. Despite the availability of strong review pieces in the topic, there is no pedagogical paper on randomized evaluation. This paper bridges the gap by introducing three interactive classroom games...

This paper presents a simple inflation-targeting model with alternative assumptions regarding the conduct of monetary policy. The central bank is assumed to either follow a Taylor rule or minimize a social welfare loss function. The model can be tractably described by means of a straightforward...