Business Economics and Public Policy (DBA621)

DBA621 Business Economics and Public Policy prepares senior executives and policy advisors for applied research in business economics and public policy. In an era of economic uncertainty, trade realignment and rapid technological change, business leaders and policymakers require evidence-based frameworks to navigate complex decisions. The course covers macroeconomic and microeconomic perspectives, world and regional economics, behavioral economics and nudge theory, supply chains, energy and sustainability, and public policy. Students develop the ability to analyse economic phenomena through rigorous research methods and translate findings into actionable recommendations for firms, governments and industry bodies. Students are expected to design and conduct applied research that bridges economic theory and real-world practice. The course is designed for senior executives, policy advisors and industry leaders seeking to bridge the gap between economic research and real-world business and policy decisions.

• Foundations of business economics
• World economy and regional economics
• Macroeconomic policy and sovereign debt
• Microeconomic applications and market design
• Behavioral economics and nudge theory
• Global value chains and supply-chain resilience
• Energy economics, sustainability and the green transition
• Public policy design, implementation and evaluation
• Geoeconomics, trade policy and the new economic order
• Digital economy, platform regulation and data governance
• Methodological approaches for economics and public policy research
• Designing an applied research project in business economics and public policy

• Critique foundational and contemporary research in business economics and public policy as to how it informs business and policy decisions
• Examine the academic and practitioner literature in a chosen sub-area (macro/micro economics, behavioral economics, supply chains, public policy) to identify novel, meaningful, and industry-relevant research questions
• Propose an applied research project in business economics or public policy that addresses a real-world challenge faced by senior executives or policymakers
• Judge the conceptual novelty, theoretical foundation, and practical significance of a research question
• Devise a methodologically rigorous and feasible applied research study in business economics or public policy
• Defend the positioning of research findings such that they advance both academic discourse and policy / practitioner debate in business economics and public policy