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This course is part of the Strategy track.
Economics for Managers
Willingness to pay: 2 people with different dollar amounts above their heads

Economics for Managers

Gain the Knowledge and Skills Needed to Craft Successful Business Strategy

Economics for Managers will enable you to drive critical business decisions. Explore how businesses approach pricing strategy, evaluate market demand, and differentiate their offerings, and how you can apply those learnings to compete in the marketplace successfully.

Apply Now

What You'll Learn

Play an Introduction to Economics for Managers video
Play an Introduction to Economics for Managers video
Go to Syllabus
  • Develop effective pricing strategies
  • Benchmark costs compared to competitors through relative cost analysis
  • Apply conjoint analysis to understand what features customers value most
  • Understand the power of network effects to drive demand
  • Identify sources of competitive advantage through differentiation

About the Professor

Professor Bharat Anand - Economics for Managers

Bharat Anand is the Henry R. Byers Professor of Business Administration for Harvard Business School and Harvard University’s Vice Provost for Advances in Learning. He is an expert in digital and corporate strategy, and has studied how new technologies affect what we watch, read, and hear—which you can learn more about in his book, The Content Trap: A Strategist’s Guide to Digital Change. He is a two-time recipient of Harvard Business School’s “Best Teacher” award.

Who Will Benefit

Bar charts under magnifying glass

Aspiring Marketing, Strategy, or Consulting Professionals

Explore the world of business through the lens of economics as you prepare for your next opportunity.

School

Those Considering an MBA

Prepare for the MBA classroom with the program Harvard Business School offers to incoming students.

Briefcase

Mid-Career Professionals

Understand how markets work and firms compete in order to develop successful business strategy.

Program Structure

Economics for Managers consists of approximately 60 hours of material delivered over an eight-week period. You can complete the coursework on your own time while meeting regular deadlines.

February 2023
  • Length: 8 Weeks
  • Program Dates: 2/22/23 – 4/19/23
  • Cost: $1,750
  • Scholarships available
  • Application Deadline: February 13
  • Detailed Calendar
  • Course Platform
  • Certificate Program
Apply Now
May 2023
  • Length: 8 Weeks
  • Program Dates: 5/24/23 – 7/19/23
  • Cost: $1,750
  • Scholarships available
  • Application Deadline: May 15
  • Detailed Calendar
  • Course Platform
  • Certificate Program
Apply Now

This course is also part of our three-course Credential of Readiness (CORe) program—consisting of Business Analytics, Economics for Managers, and Financial Accounting—available for $2,250.

Interested in mastering business essentials in CORe?

Learn More

Note: Participants that enroll in the Economics for Managers course are not eligible to enroll in the CORe program. And if enrolling in the CORe program, participants are not eligible to enroll separately in the Economics for Managers course.

Learning Tracks

Economics for Managers is also part of the Strategy Learning Track. If you’re interested in developing deeper insights and expertise, you can choose to complete three strategy courses within 18 months to earn a Certificate of Specialization.

Syllabus

Economics for Managers applies fundamental economic principles to real-world business challenges. You will dive into topics like customer demand, supplier cost, markets, and competition. You will learn how businesses think about pricing, production, and differentiation. In the process, you will learn how to develop the beginnings of a competitive strategy that will lead to a business thriving over time.

Learning requirements: In order to earn a Certificate of Completion, participants must thoughtfully complete all 5 modules, including satisfactory completion of associated quizzes, by stated deadlines.

Download Syllabus

Modules Case Studies Takeaways Key Exercises
Module 1: Customer Demand - Foundations
  • Ace Ticket
  • Understand the relationship between willingness to pay and price
  • Determine a revenue-maximizing pricing strategy using the concept of elasticity
  • Construct supply and demand curves for individuals and markets and analyze the impact of market changes
  • Quiz
Module 2: Strategies for Assessing and Increasing Demand
  • The New York Times
  • Evaluate techniques to learn about or increase demand and measure the tradeoffs and suitable applications of each approach
  • Appreciate how complements and network effects impact demand
  • Explore the dynamics of different forms of auctions
  • See how conjoint analysis can be used to understand customer preferences
  • Quiz
Module 3: Suppliers and Cost
  • Penguin Random House
  • Understand fixed versus variable costs
  • Understand economies of scale
  • Predict market structure by examining various costs and cost structures
  • Evaluate options by performing a relative cost analysis
  • Quiz
Module 4: Markets
  • Amgen
  • Apply market principles to analyze industries in which no traditional market functions
  • Identify value creation and decompose its distribution to illustrate how trade occurs
  • Examine the competitive landscape by differentiating long- and short-run market outcomes and forces
  • Quiz
Module 5: Competition and Differentiation
  • Bonobos
  • Assess monopolies and price discrimination
  • Understand different strategies for differentiation
  • Explore competitive differentiation through the example of rival pizzerias setting price and location
  • Quiz

The HBS Online Advantage

Play an Introduction to the HBS Online Platform video
Play an Introduction to the HBS Online Platform video
  • World-class faculty
  • Edge-of-your-seat online learning
  • Global peer collaboration and networking
  • Real-world, case-based learning

Harvard Business School Online offers a unique and highly engaging way to learn vital business concepts. Immerse yourself in real challenges faced by business leaders across a variety of industries. Economics for Managers takes you inside a growing online retailer, an events ticket broker, a multinational publishing company, and other firms evaluating market demand, wrestling with pricing strategy, and trying to differentiate themselves. Step into their shoes, and discuss and debate the issues they faced with fellow learners from around the world.

Play Our participants share their experiences video
Play Our participants share their experiences video

Stories from Our Learners

  • Economics for Managers was immensely valuable. Hearing from founders and seeing the power of network effects through various case studies helped me see market opportunities through an entirely different lens. The market knowledge I acquired helped me refine and expertly craft research reports.
    Asher Salik,
    Student at New York University
  • The most impressive part of Economics for Managers was the case studies from a managerial perspective, including an analysis of a pharmaceutical company's pricing of a drug and the ethics of measuring consumers’ willingness to pay for medicine. Due to the cohort's diversity in experiences and backgrounds, this discussion included the voices of the patient, the manager, and the policymaker.
    Michael Denham,
    Pre-Med Candidate at Louisiana State University
  • Economics for Managers gave me a new lens to look at the business world using common economics concepts, such as demand-supply curves, elasticity, equilibrium, markets, and pricing.
    Omkar Raut,
    Software Engineer at VMware Inc.


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Sign up to receive additional information about this course. Find out what other learners are doing with the skills they gained, and evaluate if this course is the right fit for you.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to log in at a set time? How does the grading process work? At this point, you probably have a few questions, and we’ve got answers.

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application

Enrollment Eligibility

Our easy online application is free, and no special documentation is required. All applicants must be at least 18 years of age, proficient in English, and committed to learning and engaging with fellow participants throughout the course. We confirm enrollment eligibility within one week of your application.

Apply Now

Apply Now


Economics for Managers Certificate of Completion from HBS Online
Earn Your Certificate

Enroll today in Harvard Business School Online's Economics for Managers course.

Apply Now
 
All FAQs

Top FAQs

How are HBS Online courses delivered?

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We offer self-paced programs (with weekly deadlines) on the HBS Online course platform.

Our platform features short, highly produced videos of HBS faculty and guest business experts, interactive graphs and exercises, cold calls to keep you engaged, and opportunities to contribute to a vibrant online community.

Do I need to come to campus to participate in HBS Online programs?

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No, all of our programs are 100 percent online, and available to participants regardless of their location.

How do I enroll in a course?

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All programs require the completion of a brief application. The applications vary slightly from program to program, but all ask for some personal background information. You can apply for and enroll in programs here. If you are new to HBS Online, you will be required to set up an account before starting an application for the program of your choice.

Our easy online application is free, and no special documentation is required. All applicants must be at least 18 years of age, proficient in English, and committed to learning and engaging with fellow participants throughout the program.

After submitting your application, you should receive an email confirmation from HBS Online. If you do not receive this email, please check your junk email folders and double-check your account to make sure the application was successfully submitted.

Updates to your application and enrollment status will be shown on your Dashboard. We confirm enrollment eligibility within one week of your application.

Does Harvard Business School Online offer an online MBA?

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No, Harvard Business School Online offers business certificate programs.

What are my payment options?

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We accept payments via credit card, wire transfer, Western Union, and (when available) bank loan. Some candidates may qualify for scholarships or financial aid, which will be credited against the Program Fee once eligibility is determined. Please refer to the Payment & Financial Aid page for further information.

We also allow you to split your payment across 2 separate credit card transactions or send a payment link email to another person on your behalf. If splitting your payment into 2 transactions, a minimum payment of $350 is required for the first transaction.

In all cases, net Program Fees must be paid in full (in US Dollars) to complete registration.

What are the policies for refunds and deferrals?

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After enrolling in a program, you may request a withdrawal with refund (minus a $100 nonrefundable enrollment fee) up until 24 hours after the start of your program. Please review the Program Policies page for more details on refunds and deferrals. If your employer has contracted with HBS Online for participation in a program, or if you elect to enroll in the undergraduate credit option of the Credential of Readiness (CORe) program, note that policies for these options may differ.

 

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