Essential Microeconomics

Book excerpt: Essential Microeconomics is designed to help students deepen their understanding of the core theory of microeconomics. Unlike other texts, this book focuses on the most important ideas and does not attempt to be encyclopedic. Two-thirds of the textbook focuses on price theory. As well as taking a new look at standard equilibrium theory, there is extensive examination of equilibrium under uncertainty, the capital asset pricing model, and arbitrage pricing theory. Choice over time is given extensive coverage and includes a basic introduction to control theory. The final third of the book, on game theory, provides a comprehensive introduction to models with asymmetric information. Topics such as auctions, signaling, and mechanism design are made accessible to students who have a basic rather than a deep understanding of mathematics. There is ample use of examples and diagrams to illustrate issues as well as formal derivations. Essential Microeconomics is designed to help students deepen their understanding of the core theory of microeconomics.