Most people in business deal with markets. Many buy and/or sell for their companies, so agreeing on prices and quantities is part of everyday life. Others work in support of these activities. In a market-based economy, all of their livelihoods depend on their companies' success in buying and selling.
It's no surprise, then, that the behavior of markets-prices, quantities, market shares-is of almost universal interest wherever businesspeople gather. An understanding of markets should be part of preparing for a career in any business, including the public sector, which so often has to work hand in hand with private enterprises.
An Economics Primer for International Students is designed to help those who are not native English speakers to gain a basic understanding of the fundamental concepts of economics. It comprises four sections that discuss these economic ideas in clear, easy-to-read text and develops them further using graphs.
With a focus on key aspects of the market economy, this short primer will serve as an invaluable resource for students and businesspeople seeking to improve their understanding of today's business world.
About the Author: Dr. Douglas McCulloch was born in Scotland and educated at Edinburgh University; he has been lecturing on the Jordanstown campus of the University of Ulster since 1975. After his retirement in 2012, he became an associate lecturer at UU and an honorary research fellow at the University of Liverpool, where he develops teaching materials for international students. He has published in the fields of computer-assisted learning and health economics.
His interest in teaching international students was stimulated by his involvement with the UU Business School programs at the Birmingham and London branch campuses from 2010-2012 and by his senior teaching fellowship at Heriot-Watt University in 2013 and 2014, when he taught students in Dubai, Edinburgh, and Kuala Lumpur. In September 2014, he worked with students from the South China Agricultural University to support their entry to the final year of the UU business economics program.
