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prof. Judith Shapiro This is course is the public economics field course, distinguished by its selection of topics of an applied character. This year the primary emphasis will be on topics in optimizing (sub-optimizing) expenditure, emphasizing project appraisal and cost-benefit analysis. Controversies on the optimal size of government, from both macro and micro viewpoints, and applications to Russia today will also be taken up in the course of this study. Some of the course material continues issues begun in Health Economics, but this course is not a formal prerequisite. There will be 2 lectures and a weekly seminar/problem set, with written answers required every other week. Marks: 15% for written homework, 20% for contributions in class and 60% for the final examination. The exam will have a choice of three out of seven questions. Your own notes may be used. A project on either the Russian budget today (using materials from the Economic Expert Group and Central Bank, plus UNECE, IMF and World Bank) or a CBA project may be substituted for 20% or (if a real project) 40 % of the final exam’s 60%. (You would then answer 1 or 2 questions instead of 3). A third project topic which is possible is an examination of one aspect of the government’s reform proposals in the area of: health, education, housing, income support (safety net). All selection of projects is entirely optional, and there is no penalty for choosing the examination route. Projects are proposed for those who are seriously considering early entry into policy work. Deadline for submission is at the exam. A draft must be presented for approval two weeks before this. Week 1: Reviewing what CBA is. Underlying assumptions. What it can (and cannot) do. Major critiques. Reading: chapter 7 of Ò. Ñààòè, Ê. Êåðíñ, “Àíàëèòèö÷åñêîå ïëàíèðîáàíèå”, Ìîscow (translation), 1991. and related materials . Does CBA assume too much about what government should do? Reviewing the reasons for government intervention. Additional reading: Dennis Mueller, Public Choice II, chapters 16 and 17 and debate on Sweden and the welfare state in Oxford Economic Papers. Week 2: using CBA in practice: some examples Guidelines
for the economic appraisal of EATCHIP projects --
Guide to CBA for the National Insitutes of Health http://irm.cit.nih.gov/itmra/cbaguide.html and Excel file for applications to IT Week 3 and 4: further applications to health: Louise B. Russell, Is Prevention Better than Cure?, Brookings, 1986 Chapters 8 and 9 of William Jack, Principles of Health Economics for Developing Countries Frank Sloan (ed), Valuing Health Care, ch,. 9 “Decision trees and Markov models in cost-effectiveness research” Week 5: More advanced topics in CBA and critiques of CBA Robert J. Brent, Cost-Benefit Analysis for Developing Countries, Chapter 11, “Allowing for Risk” Classic texts (Layard, Mishan) not currently available will almost certainly be obtained. Week 6: “Green CBA” http://www.ncedr.org/tools/othertools/costbenefit/lead.htm and related sites Week 7: Revision, application to contemporary Russian issues.
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