Economics for Business LEADERS
From climate change and supply chain disruptions to AI and labour market transformations, modern leaders face unprecedented complexity. OUBEP equips you with the analytical frameworks and economic insight to thrive amidst uncertainty and drive lasting impact.
Why OUBEP?
- Unparalleled academic access:
- Engage with 40+ hours of contact time delivered by Oxford’s world-class economists and tutors.
- Benefit from personalised tutorials in Oxford’s renowned tutorial system, designed to provoke thought and spark innovative solutions.
- Explore cutting-edge topics like behavioural economics, game theory, macroeconomics, and market design.
- A dynamic learning journey:
- Begin with online lectures and live sessions available from May, allowing you to integrate learning into your schedule.
- Culminate in an immersive residential week at St Catherine’s College, Oxford, featuring workshops, wellness activities, networking, and formal dinners.
- Real-world application:
- Apply economic principles to complex challenges like pricing strategy, risk management, and globalisation through case studies and interactive discussions.
- A global network:
- Join a prestigious alumni community of senior leaders and decision-makers, fostering connections and collaborations worldwide.
You can read more about the course syllabus and structure below. For any queries or to book a discovery call, please contact the OUBEP Team oubep@economics.ox.ac.uk.
What impact has completing Economics for Business Leaders had on your career? and for you personally?
“I met so many fantastic people – the OUBEP team are world class and my fellow delegates were a brilliant, talented and engaging group to learn and have fun with.
The course gave me an opportunity to take a step back and consider the bigger picture. It will challenge and change your perspective on some of the biggest issues facing business and society today, and equip you with the tools and techniques to find solutions.”
Tom Rogers, Accenture, 2023 Delegate
Topics and
Lectures
1.
Why markets fail & succeed
Why do some markets flourish while others struggle or collapse? Market failures, such as those linked to environmental crises, often arise when market mechanisms don’t account for the “true” social costs. This session explores the fundamental principles of market success and failure and examines strategies to address such challenges effectively.
Lectures:
- The basics of supply and demand
- Missing markets and saving the planet
2.
What pricing strategies are most profitable?
How can businesses strike a balance between scale and profit? This session delves into the critical trade-offs in pricing strategy, exploring how competition, differentiation, and market positioning influence outcomes across varying economic landscapes.
Lectures:
- Exploiting market power
- Pricing, product differentiation, and market positioning
3.
How to reason and respond strategically
Anticipating competitor behaviour is essential in today’s competitive markets. Learn the fundamentals of game theory to navigate strategic decisions and understand how to adapt when rivals respond aggressively.
Lectures:
- Basics of game theory
- Future play and market entry
4.
Capitalising on market information
What happens when information is unevenly distributed among market participants? This session introduces strategies to overcome information asymmetry and demonstrates how to design contracts that optimise outcomes.
Lectures:
- Screening and signalling
- Corporate finance and contract design
5.
How to bid to win
Are there times when losing in an auction is more beneficial than winning? Learn how auction design impacts bidder behaviour and discover how to maximise revenue across diverse contexts, from procurement to digital advertising.
Lectures:
- Auction design
6.
Leveraging market psychology
Behavioural biases shape decision-making in surprising ways. Explore how behavioural economics can optimise pricing strategies, refine marketing approaches, and enhance employee motivation.
Lectures:
- The basics of behavioural economics
7.
Using data for competitive advantage
Economic indicators such as GDP provide critical insights for strategic planning. Learn how to interpret macroeconomic data to drive informed business decisions in competitive markets.
Lectures:
- GDP and beyond
- The role of the financial sector
8.
Responding to volatility
What tools do central banks and governments use to stabilise economies during turbulent times? Gain an understanding of monetary policies, fiscal interventions, and how they impact business resilience.
Lectures:
- Central banks, inflation targeting, and quantitative easing
- Fiscal policy and debt sustainability
9.
Managing risks of an interconnected economy
Global trade brings opportunity and risk. Explore how supply chain disruptions, trade liberalisations, and nationalistic policies reshape the balance of global markets.
Lectures:
- The basics of international trade
- Globalisation and supply chain disruptions
- Winners and losers of trade liberalisation
10.
Creative destruction as an engine for growth
Inequality and innovation are deeply intertwined. Understand the role of automation, startups, and capital flows in driving economic growth while addressing disparities across industries and nations.
Lectures:
- Growth within and across countries
- Entrepreneurs, startups, and the macroeconomy
Programme Tutors
alex teytelboym
oubep director
Alex Teytelboym is a Professor in Economics at the Department of Economics in Oxford, a Tutorial Fellow at St Catherine’s College, and a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for New Economic Thinking (INET) at the Oxford Martin School. Alex’s main research interests lie within market design (e.g. matching markets and auctions) and network economics. He is interested in the applications of economic theory to many policy areas, including environment, energy and refugee resettlement.
Banu demir
oubep tutor
Banu is an Associate Professor in Economics at the University of Oxford and a Tutorial Fellow at Brasenose College. Banu’s research is at the intersection of international trade and development economics, focusing on how firms adjust to trade-related shocks and how their adjustment shapes the aggregate economic outcomes such as growth and income. Banu is a research affiliate of the CEPR (International Trade and Regional Economics Programme), and an affiliate of the CESifo Research Network in Munich.
sergio de ferra
oubep tutor
Sergio is an Associate Professor at the Department of Economics at the University of Oxford and Tutorial Fellow at Brasenose College. He completed a PhD in Economics at the London School of Economics in 2016. He joined Oxford in 2020 after working as Assistant Professor at Stockholm University. He teaches Macroeconomics and International Macroeconomics. His research is on capital flows, sovereign debt and default, fiscal policy and the euro area.
ludvig sinander
oubep tutor
Ludvig is an Associate Professor at the Department of Economics at the University of Oxford and Professorial Fellow at Nuffield College. Ludvig is an economic theorist using mathematics to understand social behaviour and design economic policy. Ludvig’s research spans auction design, taxation, unemployment insurance, voting, strategic communication and discrimination.
Download the Brochure
The OUBEP summer programme is facilitated by the Department of Economics