103213 - ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS FOR ENGINEERS

Subject type: Basic

Coordinator: Alfonso Palacios González

Trimester: First term

Credits: 6

Some of the articles or videos to be analyzed will be in Spanish or English.

The subject Economics and Business for Engineers is a compulsory subject within the subject of Business. It aims to familiarize students with the most basic economic concepts that govern our economic and social environment, as well as introduce them to the functioning of the business world. It consists of two well-differentiated parts: Part I Economy and Part II Business.

This subject is related to Entrepreneurship and Innovation, previously studied, and Business Administration taught in the following quarter.

• LO1: Understand and explain in a reasoned way the basic economic concepts, objectives and instruments of economic policy as well as their influence on economic activity.
• LO2: Demonstrate knowledge about the laws of the market and their limitations.
• LO3: Know how to find and interpret basic information that allows them to evaluate the economic and social environment of the organization.
• LO4: Interpret a basic analysis of a company's economic and financial information.
• LO5: Demonstrate knowledge of the ethical dimension in business: social and corporate responsibility in general.

Classroom work is based on classes where the teacher explains the concepts of theory with real examples, current press releases and case studies that are solved in conjunction with student participation. Given the social nature of this subject, and therefore that in many cases there is no single solution to the problems posed, it is very interesting, from a minimum of theoretical concepts, the intervention of students to promote debate in some topics, thus encouraging critical thinking and argumentation of ideas. They will work in groups, analyzing articles, news or videos, solving exercises and proposing solutions.

The course has a Dossier of exercises and readings to encourage active student learning and apply the theory to the real world. It is an essential tool that will be worked on inside and outside the classroom.

1. Introduction to economic theory.

• Scarcity and choice: Frontier of production possibilities.
• Economic objectives.
• Economic agents.
• Economic sectors.
• Economic systems.

2. Microeconomics: The market.

• Demand and supply: Seeking balance.
• Buyer and seller reactions.

3. Macroeconomics: National Accounting.

• Macroeconomic indicators: Advantages and disadvantages.
• Economic policies: Fiscal Policy and Monetary Policy.
• Positive and negative effects of Economic Policy.

4. The company as an organization.

• Concepts: Company - entrepreneur - entrepreneur.
• Types of companies.
• Functional areas.
• Organizational principles

5. The company and the environment.

• The business environment: PEST and SWOT.
• Basic concepts of Strategic Management.
• Corporate Social Responsibility. 
• Business Ethics.
• Organizational Culture.

6. The company and economic information.

• Balance: Heritage Photography.
• Operating account.

The subject has a Dossier of exercises and activities to facilitate the active learning of the student inside and outside the classroom. This Dossier contains about thirty activities organized according to the syllabus of the subject, so that theoretical explanations are interspersed with readings and exercises of the Dossier, as well as the viewing of videos that then open debate. It is an essential tool for monitoring the subject.

The activities proposed in the Dossier, as well as the videos analyzed, are related to all the learning outcomes of the subject: RA1-RA5.

At the competence level, this set of activities aims to influence all the common and specific competences of the subject CIN2, EFB6, ESI1 and ESI4 with the help of the basic competences CB3 and CB4 and applying when necessary the transversal competence CT1.

The planned activities contribute especially in the following competence aspects:

• CB3: Gather and interpret relevant data that allow for social, scientific or ethical reflection.
• CB4: Convey information, ideas, problems and solutions.
• CIN2: Assessment of the economic and social environment.
• EFB6: Business concept, institutional and legal framework. Business organization
• ESI1: Microeconomic and macroeconomic information that influences organizations
• ESI4: Understand and apply the principles and practices of organizations.
• CT1: English

In order to gather evidence of the expected learning outcomes, the following evaluative activities will be carried out:

Activity 1: Homework. Non-contact activities carried out individually or in pairs. Information search, critical article reading, problem solving, video analysis, etc. A minimum of three grades will be collected from each student. This activity is a way to collect evaluative evidence from each student on the follow-up of the subject and their degree of understanding regarding the syllabus. The three tests collected can be related to any of the learning outcomes of the subject (RA1-RA5). At the competence level it is related to the specific competences EFB6, ESI1 and ESI4.

Activity 2: Infographic. Work in group. It consists of analyzing and synthesizing, graphically, complex economic information about a current event proposed by the teaching staff. This activity is linked to learning outcomes LO1, LO2 and LO3. At the competency level, it affects both CB3, CB4, CIN2, ESI1 and CT1 (option to analyze the documentary in English).

Activity 3: Final Exam. Individual activity. Learning outcomes: LO1 - RA5. Competences: CB3, CB4, CIN2 (economic and social impact), EFB6, ESI1 (microeconomic and macroeconomic information affecting organizations) and ESI4.

In order to pass the assessment activities, students must demonstrate:

• That they have acquired the theoretical knowledge related to the contents of the subject and that their understanding allows them to put them into practice. (MECES -2 point a)
• They have the ability to collect and interpret data and information on which to base their own conclusions including aspects of an economic, social or ethical nature (MECES-2 point c)

For each activity, the teacher will inform about the particular rules and conditions that govern them through the virtual classroom.

The final grade of the course will be calculated by applying the following weights to the activities:

• Activity 1: Homework - 20%. Minimum three activities per student. Individual or couple work. 
• Activity 2: Infographic  - 20%. Work in group.
• Activity 3: Final Exam - 60%. Individual examination.

In order to pass the subject (and apply the previous weighting) a minimum grade of 5 will be required in the weighted average of the marks of the partial exams.

Recovery: Students with a grade of less than 5 in the final grade, will be able to recover the subject by conducting a single exam that will collect all the content of the same (Economics and Business). This exam will be worth 80% of the final grade of the subject and a minimum grade of 5 will be required to be able to average. The grades for activity 1 (Homework) and activity 2 (Infographics) are not recoverable and will contribute the other 20% to the final grade, 10% each. According to the current regulations of the center, only those students who have participated in a significant number of the evaluation activities of the course and have not reached the 5 final average mark will be able to appear in the resit exam.

Núria Sánchez Guillem (2022). Dossier of exercises for the subject. ESUPT Tecnocampus.

Cepeda González, María Isabel; Lacalle Calderón, María Cruz and others. (2004). Economy for engineers. Thomson.

Maynar Mariño, Pilar (2009). The economy of the company in the space of higher education. McGrawHill.

Lacalle Calderón, María Cruz; Cepeda González, María Isabel and others (2005). Basic economics lessons. Paraninfo.

Amat Salas, Oriol (2008). Understand accounting and finance. Management 2000.